Emerging from crisis with more equity, clarity, & alignment—plus a re-energized, recommitted staff & board
Challenges: An organization was poised for a strategic planning process after an exceptionally challenging leadership transition. Fallout from the transition included grappling with the previous leader’s wrongdoing, a hit to their reputation on social media, a board burned out after months of managing the crisis, and donors questioning the organization’s future and direction.
The new leader was overwhelmed and overstretched. Inherited challenges included an overly complex organizational structure, not just one, but TWO service sites, and underdeveloped infrastructure and processes (especially financial ones). Staff were recovering from the toxicity of the previous leader’s leadership style, too.
Yet all were committed to coming together to craft a new future for the organization. The group had also done deep work on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI). Out of this process, the organization prioritized the recruitment of board members and staff from historically marginalized communities…and people whose lived experiences parallel who the organization serves.
Solutions: One of the new leader’s first steps was to work with Grace Social Sector Consulting to pick up on where JEDI work left off.
Goals included: Use strategic planning to 1. more fully integrate equity practices throughout the organizational ecosystem 2. lessen workplace silos, and 3. replace old, ineffective cultural norms with healthier practices.
Through interviews and focus groups, staff and board members were able to reflect on what they and the organization had collectively endured. And name their hopes and dreams for the organization’s future. Many commented on the cathartic effect of simply having their stories heard.
By introducing the group to Bridges’ Transition model, Grace Social Sector Consulting helped the group recognize the significant transition they’d experienced together. They could then normalize their experiences, and recognize that the rollercoaster they’d ridden was typical of such transitions.
This work also revealed many strengths for the group to build on, including passions for the mission, the desire to put clients first, a commitment to transparency and open communication, and a dedication to intentionally working on and improving the organization’s culture.
The group’s work with Grace Social Sector Consulting also surfaced agreement on taking a stronger policy stance that built on their service set. And they affirmed their commitment to being part of the client-led advocacy movement for the rights of those they served. The organization would support the leadership of those with a lived experience of the issue at hand, rather than trying to lead the advocacy work themselves—efforts that the staff and board enthusiastically supported.
Results: The organization identified several strategic goals:
A year after plan approval, the organization achieved Gold-level transparency through Candid—the next-to-highest level of transparency on the foremost site that profiles national nonprofit information. The organization also created and filled a new staff role focused on people, culture, and equity to continue diversifying the organization’s leadership team.
The new leader was overwhelmed and overstretched. Inherited challenges included an overly complex organizational structure, not just one, but TWO service sites, and underdeveloped infrastructure and processes (especially financial ones). Staff were recovering from the toxicity of the previous leader’s leadership style, too.
Yet all were committed to coming together to craft a new future for the organization. The group had also done deep work on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI). Out of this process, the organization prioritized the recruitment of board members and staff from historically marginalized communities…and people whose lived experiences parallel who the organization serves.
Solutions: One of the new leader’s first steps was to work with Grace Social Sector Consulting to pick up on where JEDI work left off.
Goals included: Use strategic planning to 1. more fully integrate equity practices throughout the organizational ecosystem 2. lessen workplace silos, and 3. replace old, ineffective cultural norms with healthier practices.
Through interviews and focus groups, staff and board members were able to reflect on what they and the organization had collectively endured. And name their hopes and dreams for the organization’s future. Many commented on the cathartic effect of simply having their stories heard.
By introducing the group to Bridges’ Transition model, Grace Social Sector Consulting helped the group recognize the significant transition they’d experienced together. They could then normalize their experiences, and recognize that the rollercoaster they’d ridden was typical of such transitions.
This work also revealed many strengths for the group to build on, including passions for the mission, the desire to put clients first, a commitment to transparency and open communication, and a dedication to intentionally working on and improving the organization’s culture.
The group’s work with Grace Social Sector Consulting also surfaced agreement on taking a stronger policy stance that built on their service set. And they affirmed their commitment to being part of the client-led advocacy movement for the rights of those they served. The organization would support the leadership of those with a lived experience of the issue at hand, rather than trying to lead the advocacy work themselves—efforts that the staff and board enthusiastically supported.
Results: The organization identified several strategic goals:
- Enhance services to support a primary client need
- Commit to more equitable staff compensation
- Strengthen fundraising and infrastructure
A year after plan approval, the organization achieved Gold-level transparency through Candid—the next-to-highest level of transparency on the foremost site that profiles national nonprofit information. The organization also created and filled a new staff role focused on people, culture, and equity to continue diversifying the organization’s leadership team.