What do you do if your nonprofit is facing constant changes in the environment?
The environment in which nonprofits operate is constantly changing, and leaders need to be able to adapt and respond effectively. Whether it is a shift in funding, policy, demand, competition, or technology, nonprofits face many challenges and opportunities that require strategic thinking and decision making. In this article, you will learn some tips and tools to help you navigate the changing environment and lead your nonprofit with confidence and agility.
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Esteban Rodríguez RegueiraCuando la vocación antecede a la profesión, el trabajo se convierte en una forma de vida: orientación a resultados y…
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Nic (Nicole) GagliardiNonprofit Governance, Strategy & Impact Nerd 🤓 | Consulting, Workshops & Speaking
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Kerry LynnGlobal Operations & Supply Chain Managament
The first step to deal with change is to assess the situation and understand the impact and implications of the change for your nonprofit. You need to gather relevant information, data, and feedback from your stakeholders, such as staff, board, donors, beneficiaries, partners, and regulators. You also need to analyze the external factors, such as trends, opportunities, threats, and best practices, that affect your nonprofit. You can use tools such as SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, or scenario planning to help you with this step.
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I agree that one should be able to embrace and welcome change. However, you must be adaptable to what change could possibly offer you that you have no expertise in or risk the opportunity of losing a life changing experience. Those who have welcomed change will attest to the genuineness of its impact it has had on them changing. Those who were hesitant to change will also provide you an answer as well.
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Recopilar sistemáticamente la información, analizarla y evaluar son procesos fundamentales para guiar la toma de decisiones, máxime en escenarios complejos como los que se plantean en la actualidad: velocidad del cabio, incertidumbre, transición de valores, cambio generacional de paradigmas, etc. Se trata de identificar los principales problemas que entran en juego, aquellos factores que especialmente los alimentan y contribuyen a ellos, el cómo se relacionan entre sí y, generar respuestas que permitan su abordaje con éxito. Análisis DAFO (debilidades, amenazas, fortalezas y oportunidades) y análisis CAME son herramientas que nos ayudan a definir las acciones concretas que podemos llevar a cabo.
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It's vital to stay abreast of changes in the environment that's within an organization's control without compromising it's core values. However, it's necessary to release some old ways of doing things and assess the organizations capacity to embrace changes that are more likely to help meet the future needs. The nonprofit is created to provide top notched quality and economical services throughout the entire organization. Creative and rational problem solving promotes team unity as well as establishing new partnerships.
The second step to deal with change is to communicate the change clearly and consistently to your internal and external audiences. You need to explain the rationale, the benefits, the risks, and the actions that are needed to implement the change. You also need to address any concerns, questions, or resistance that may arise from the change. You can use tools such as stakeholder mapping, communication plan, or change story to help you with this step.
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Importante identificar y definir bien el escenario, porque es muy distinto cuando ese cambio se produce por anticipación a una situación prevista, que cuando es reactivo a una situación no deseada o consecuencia de una crisis. Hemos de tener presente ese proceso “natural” de resistencia al cambio que tenemos las personas, principalmente por motivos culturales, organizativos, de tiempo o dinero. Es fundamental generar un clima organizacional abierto al cuestionamiento y planteamiento de nuevos modelos, que permita comprender el proceso. Compartir contexto y visión del mismo, plantearlo en positivo y hacer partícipes a los equipos; fomentando cohesión, compañerismo, sentido de pertenencia, formando e informando con transparencia.
The third step to deal with change is to engage your team and involve them in the change process. You need to create a sense of urgency, vision, and ownership for the change among your staff and board. You also need to provide them with the support, resources, and training that they need to adapt and perform in the new situation. You can use tools such as Kotter's 8-step model, ADKAR model, or feedback loop to help you with this step.
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Los cambios en las organizaciones, ya sean estratégicos, de gestión o personales, son siempre una tarea compleja y hacer partícipes a los equipos y personas un aspecto fundamental. Debemos generar un clima organizacional abierto al cuestionamiento y planteamiento de nuevos modelos, que permita comprender el proceso, en positivo, fomentando la cohesión interna, el compañerismo y el sentido de pertenencia, la formación y garantizando que la información fluya con transparencia. Trabajar en grupo y maximizar la creatividad colectiva, es algo que podemos conseguir de la mano del desarrollo de procesos de innovación como el Design Thinking, que facilitan la propuesta de ideas innovadoras y soluciones creativas a las necesidades.
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A highly effective engagement strategy I've found during periods of continuous change is to recognize and celebrate team members. Cultivating a motivated work environment is the foundation for team cohesion, resilience and inspires commitment to excellence. Here are some tips: 1) Acknowledge small achievements regularly 2) Implement structured employee recognition programs to reward exceptional contributions and behaviors 3) Encourage 1:1 appreciation and peer-to-peer recognition 4) Organize events to celebrate achievements, which can be done virtually if needed 5) Utilize public spaces such as team meetings, town halls, and comm channels like newsletters, bulletin boards, sharepoints, wikis, for public recognition and appreciation
The fourth step to deal with change is to monitor and evaluate the progress and results of the change. You need to set clear goals, indicators, and milestones for the change and track them regularly. You also need to collect and analyze data, feedback, and lessons learned from the change and use them to improve and adjust your strategy and actions. You can use tools such as logic model, dashboard, or evaluation plan to help you with this step.
The fifth step to deal with change is to innovate and learn from the change and use it as an opportunity to grow and improve your nonprofit. You need to foster a culture of innovation and learning among your staff and board and encourage them to experiment, test, and share new ideas and solutions. You also need to celebrate the successes and acknowledge the challenges of the change and use them as a source of inspiration and motivation. You can use tools such as design thinking, lean startup, or learning cycle to help you with this step.
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Una de las claves está en “el trabajo en Red” y la “cultura del aprendizaje”, mediante el desarrollo y la puesta en marcha de iniciativas que permitan generar y compartir conocimiento. Asimismo, es fundamental la construcción de puentes entre las organizaciones y la comunidad para el intercambio constante de información. Para todo ello, las nuevas tecnologías de la información representan una oportunidad única, y así hemos de verlas. Arriesgar, ser creativos e innovar, porque se trata de dar respuestas a las nuevas necesidades sociales, de los grupos y las personas, algo que no puede realizarse desde los planteamientos más tradicionales.
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By adopting a culture of curiosity for doing things differently, you'll be better prepared for any changes that might come your way. You can achieve this by doing all that you can to be outward looking rather than inward looking, empowering of your team's rather than taking a top-down approach and constantly listening to what your users are telling you, not making assumptions about them.
The sixth step to deal with change is to plan for the future and anticipate the next changes that may affect your nonprofit. You need to scan the environment and identify the emerging trends, opportunities, and threats that may impact your nonprofit. You also need to review and update your mission, vision, values, and goals and align them with the current and future needs and expectations of your stakeholders. You can use tools such as strategic planning, foresight, or visioning to help you with this step.
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Most nonprofits are facing constant change in their environment right now. One of the most important ways to navigate uncertainty is to be crystal clear about your organization's core purpose and impact priorities. When you build out your organizational strategy, the milestones, approaches and activities may need to shift with the environment. But your core purpose and impact priorities are unlikely to change. They become the fixed point on your horizon that you can use to navigate from when the ground is changing. It also provides a reassuring level of certainty for your team members to hold onto, because we know that uncertainty can contribute to stress, anxiety and burnout for the humans doing the work.
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Vivimos una etapa de la Historia de la Humanidad donde los cambios se suceden cada vez con mayor velocidad y las estructuras sociales se resienten, fruto también de una importante transición de valores y de la construcción de nuevos paradigmas con diferencias radicales desde el prisma de las diferentes generaciones. Las organizaciones y sus líderes han de permanecer en contacto directo con su entorno y en constante actualización, teórica, metodológica y, como no, en todo lo relativo a las oportunidades que brindan las nuevas tecnologías. Un cambio constante al que las organizaciones sin fines de lucro pueden y deben adaptarse sin perder su esencia, es necesaria una reinvención para la subsistencia.
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