“Without knowledge, action is useless and knowledge without action is futile.”
Abu Bakr
Knowledge is power, right? Identifying and knowing the strengths of your organization will provide a framework for future growth. After all, if you don’t know what you are doing well, how can you possibly be expected to “keep up the good work?”
The same is true of knowing your organizational flaws and weaknesses. Even the most successful fortune 500 companies or rock-solid nonprofits have some inefficiencies, areas that could be improved.
The idea that your organization is untouchable, guaranteed to withstand the test of time, is simply a fallacy.
Remember Blockbuster Video? There was a time when Friday nights were filled with video rentals and overly massive popcorn buckets. Or what about Borders Books? Before Barnes & Noble and Amazon had the book market cornered, Borders was a favorite among book lovers.
Many organizations in the nonprofit sector lack the strategic planning needed for sustainable success. According to the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Executives (NANOE), “30% of nonprofits fail to exist after 10 years.”
As Forbes suggests, one of the greatest stumbling blocks for many nonprofit organizations is the absence of a written strategic plan for future goals and organizational growth. Too many organizations lack the knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses that will enable them to continue growing.
The point is…success isn’t a guarantee. Organizations that achieve and maintain success in their industry are intimately aware of and responding to their organizational weak spots.
Addressing weaknesses in your organization begins with collecting data.
That’s right…I’m talking about assessments. Strategic assessments provide important insight into what is currently working in your organization and what practices or habits need to be improved.
However, once you have data from an assessment, it’s not enough to simply sit with the knowledge of your organizational strengths and challenges…you have to do something. Take action.
Tips For Addressing Weaknesses In Your Organization
- Form A Committee
Since your organization isn’t a “one-person show,” addressing areas of growth shouldn’t be either. Gather together a group of qualified individuals with diverse perspectives to work together in creating a strategic plan for addressing your weaknesses. - Identify Target Goals
The assessment data you’ve collected provides insight into the areas of your organizational practice that could use some strengthening or remediating. As a group, identify your goals for each of these areas. What does “success” look like? - Implement Growth Strategies
There are a variety of strategies that can be used to strengthen weaker areas of your organization. Perhaps you hire a third-party organization or consultant to provide insight and training for your team. Maybe you host a professional development workshop or invite your team to attend a virtual summit. It may be that the best solution for your situation is to hire another team member or outsource certain tasks in order to make the time and daily efforts of your team more productive and efficient. - Hold Your Team Accountable
If your improvement strategies require time from multiple team members, make sure to adjust workloads and carve out time. Then provide some sort of accountability and feedback mechanisms to ensure the work is done. Whether you have regular team data meetings or employee incentives, it’s important to find ways to motivate your team to implement new strategies and changes. - Monitor Progress
And….we’re back to assessments. The only way to know if your growth strategies are effective in creating organizational change and improvement is to collect more data and compare it to your original baseline. If the data shows improvement, fantastic! Your strategies are working. If not, you may need to re-evaluate your strategies and try something different.
Organizational weaknesses are not something to be discouraged by. Rather, they are an opportunity for learning and growth. Through a process of continuous assessment, strategic planning, and re-evaluation, your team can work towards improving your weaker areas and making a greater and more lasting impact as an organization.
If you are ready for continuous improvement and growth, you don’t want to miss the FREE online Assess for Success: Grow and Retain Top Talent In Nonprofit Organizations Virtual Summit. In this online workshop, you will be equipped with expert tools to guide your organization to future success.
The summit is just a few short days away! Mark your calendars for March 4-6 and CLICK HERE to save your spot!
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
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