A realignment conjures thoughts of either a chiropractic appointment or a visit to the car repair shop. However, realignment can be a vital element of an organization’s ability to deliver its mission successfully. Social sector organizations of all stripes are addressing increasingly complex challenges that require equally complex solutions. Organizations that employ a this is how we always do it approach can find themselves hindered by their culture and internal operating systems that don’t facilitate delivering the most impactful result. Here are a few questions to consider:
- Is our organization’s hierarchy getting in the way of creativity?
- Do staff collaborate across functions in ways that bring diverse experience and perspectives to program and strategy development?
- Can internal processes be streamlined and made more efficient?
- Do our team meetings foster creativity and results by engaging the entire team?
- Do data and evaluation reflect the complexities and nuances of the challenges we are tackling?
In addressing complexity, existing structures and systems should not be a given. It might just be time for that realignment.