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Organizational Assessment of Non-profit Prompted by Retiring CEO
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“Jim identified the sacred cows this organization has been struggling with and denying for many years...[He] facilitated the removal of organizational issues that were blocking the organization’s ability to move forward and accomplish operating goals with the desired effectiveness.” |
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Chief Operating Officer |
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Situation
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Regional non-profit organization with essentially absentee CEO who was on-site at headquarters 30-35% of time with no clear second in command and no clear operations chief managing day-to-day operations.
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Result was rival executives -- presiding over silos; competing for resources, turf, people and time with the CEO when on site; one was severely ostracized by others due to his abusive treatment of employees and non-existent interpersonal communication skills. |
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Demoralized middle managers with little or no connection to the Vision/Mission process, many of whom were ignored by executive supervisors and left to their own devices.
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Employees had little or no loyalty to the organization but, since benefits were good, remained in place, unproductively.
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Need Identification and Agreement
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Wake up-call came when CEO decided to retire and sensed his legacy was not what he wanted it to be. |
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CEO was referred to Jim Jose. CEO and Jim agreed to the following desired outcomes: |
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Recommended realignment of staff to carry out the priorities of the Strategic Plan, including the role and functions of the executive divisions. |
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Recommended staffing design and alignment of administrative staff at headquarters, including all managers/officers, specialists and support staff. |
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Recommendations for developing and maintaining an integrated, team-based work environment consistent with the above recommendations. |
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The Strategy
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Phase I consisted of an organizational assessment during which every employee at every level in the headquarters division was interviewed confidentially, one-on-one and asked to respond to 15 items. |
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Jim then carefully developed a set of findings and recommendations with options.
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After deliberations with CEO and executive staff, and intensive coaching and reality checking, all recommendations with primary options were accepted and owned by client, and are in the process of being implemented.
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The Solution
Immediate Phase I actions included:
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Appointment of second in command
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Reconfiguration of staff |
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Retirement of several executives and middle managers
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Deletion of several middle management positions |
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Creation of administrative support team devoted to supporting executive and middle management group as a whole, with no individual support staff assigned to individual executives.
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Phase I Time: 2 weeks
Project Cost: $19,600Phase II, the final stage, consisted of: |
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Intensive team development work with all headquarters staff at every level, including retiring CEO and other executives, during which foundation was laid for a team-based work environment.
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Intensive leadership coaching of executives and managers |
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Periodic follow-up by Jim, ending after orientation and transition of new CEO. |
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Phase II Time: 7 days
Project Cost: $12,500
Results
Jim's Analysis |
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Established an environment of trust with all levels of employees that they now emulate with each other |
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Staff growth and development now a high priority and intensively pursued |
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High morale demonstrated by smiling employees asking if they can help each other and excited about the future of the organization; it even shows in the tone of the recorded voice mail
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High productivity in work environment driven by collaboration, cooperation, communication |
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Absence of silos -- full collaboration among executives who support each other and who work productively with the new second in command. |
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In the Client's Words
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"Dramatic effect on our staff team" |
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"He used a very objective, thorough and sensitive process ... and collected important and highly confidential data" |
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"Marked improvement in ownership of Vision/Mission"
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"Established the foundation for transition to team-based work environment that is now fully implemented and working effectively" |
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"Facilitated the identification and removal of organizational issues that were blocking organization's ability to move forward and accomplish operating goals with the desired effectiveness" |
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"Incorporated critical and timely leadership coaching to the management staff as an integral part of the process"
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"Exciting times with new hope and promise for the health of the organization as a result of Jim's help" |
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"He was very well received by staff who quickly learned they could trust Jim, because he established a safe and confidential environment within which he conducted one-on-one staff interviews" |
