Re-engineering Process/Plan Through a Non-Profit Lens...

11.13.23 drafted

MaryEllen Dickey

?A non-profit organization is a business with a special tax qualification. We might not use words like margin or ROI, but we should. Our goal might not be to pay shareholders or investors, but it is to support those we serve. To do that well we have to manage our organization in a responsible manner. Being agile and responsive to change is a priority to success. That said, in most organizations there will be a period when results are less than stellar. This can be caused by many circumstances, most recently being COVID, the change in the workforce and how business is conducted. That said re-engineering a department or an organization is not new.? Knowing when and why is paramount.

?When is it time for a real transformation plan? Does there need to be a reset in your core mission, organizational design, or business strategy? When was the last time these questions were asked? Industry knowledge is valuable, but you probably already have that. Typically, that is not the core issue. There are many tools/articles available to support a redo, but people are always at the core. Are your internal and external communities supporting you? Is your core mission still valuable? “If it isn’t broken you don’t need to fix it!”? Is something broken? Remember…transformation of an organization’s culture, external community and business partners can sometimes take years and the plan should be monitored & reviewed regularly. ?

?What is business re-engineering?

·?????? A change/shift/realignment to business operations, community engagement and internal/ external partners

·?????? Dependent upon an organization’s goals and strategies

·?????? Potentially but not all changes to processes, people, or systems/tech

·?????? Goal to align the organization with its core mission, vision, and strategies.

·?????? Operational, strategic or core changes?

?What prompted your transformation discussion?

·?????? Revenue decline

·?????? Poor ROI on recent investments

·?????? Decreased employee retention

·?????? Noticeable increase in employee drama and/or decrease in employee energy/enthusiasm.

·?????? Sponsorship/advertising decline

·?????? Donor/Membership decline

·?????? Internal communication breakdown

·?????? User expectations have changed.

?Potential causes of negative results

·?????? Siloed organization

·?????? Relocation

·?????? Too many new initiatives

·?????? Donor/advertising/sponsorship/grant dollars forced focus off the core mission.

·?????? Leadership change

·?????? Leadership has deviated from the core mission

·?????? Over promise underperform

·?????? Poor board leadership/involvement

·?????? Primary initiatives unclear

·?????? Only management understands goals/financial objectives – lack of transparency.

·?????? Inconsistent communication

·?????? Lack of acknowledgement for success

?Questions to ask.

·?????? Do your employees know what your core mission is?

·?????? Do they know how to cross-promote?

·?????? Do the employees understand the financial position/goals of their departments and the company?

·?????? Does the outside community know who you are? What you do?? Why you are valuable? How they can partner and why should they?

·?????? Are you only planning strategically around business needs rather than people, community, and politics?

·?????? Do you have a current long-term business performance plan? What does long-term mean to you?

?Rethinking your business. Where to begin?

1.???? What does success look like? Define this.

a.????? What is your current reality and what is your future imagined state?

2.???? Create leadership.

a.????? Create a team – typically an appointed board member, CEO and CFO

??????????????????????????????????????????????????? i.???? External leadership might be necessary to provide an unbiased view, but local knowledge is extremely helpful when reviewing community engagement and philanthropy. A combination of the two could work as well.

????????????????????????????????????????????????? ii.???? Select the right people with a passion to achieve positive results without drama and personal agendas.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? iii.???? CFO is key if cost reduction is necessary.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? iv.???? Philanthropy

????????????????????????????????????????????????? v.???? Program/Division Directors

3.???? Pathway

a.????? What are the primary initiatives supporting the organization

b.???? Objectives/metrics/budgets per initiative

c.????? Timeframe/calendar