One of the most wonderful things about working in the arena of smaller charities is the passion and commitment of those who work in them. People work long hours for inadequate pay, driven by the belief in the organisation’s mission and the involvement in the carefully crafted culture.
While this is fantastic, there are difficulties that come with it if you are a leader. One such difficulty is effecting change. A charity needs to be adaptable and bring in new ways of working, structures, changes to roles and services – even shifts in its mission and vision. But even minor changes can disrupt people’s work and morale.
How can you implement vital improvements when your people are so wedded to the organisation as it stands? Follow these steps to help smooth those tricky transitions.
1. Plan
We sometimes sound like a broken record at Pilotlight, but effective planning really is the key to so many things. If you know what you want to achieve, set out a timeline for both implementation and communication. What will you say to your staff and when? Who will be involved? What questions might be asked and do you have good answers for them? Be prepared and you won’t find things running away from you.
2. Consult
You might know exactly what you want to do already, or you might only have a vague idea; either way, it is important to ask the opinions of the people who are going to feel the effects – and listen to them. Not only will this help staff feel they have made a contribution to the shape of the charity, but it also allows you to plant the seed of your idea. The problem that will most easily torpedo your change plans is for them to take people by surprise.
3. Explain
Once you have decided the shape of the changes, communicate this back to staff as fully as possible. Don’t focus only on the short-term work to be done, but on your ultimate vision for how these changes will make the charity better. Again, this is where good preparation comes in: not only should you plan exactly what you will say and how, but also use your knowledge of your team to anticipate negative reactions and move to mitigate them.
"The problem that will most easily torpedo your change plans is for them to take people by surprise.”
4. Involve
Although you’re taking the lead, your staff don’t now become passive objects. In your planning, you should consider how to make people active in supporting your changes. There will be those who can act upon or communicate your plans, and there may even be opportunities to give new responsibilities to certain employees. ‘Ownership’ and ‘empowerment’ sound like buzzwords, but they are a powerful tool in getting buy-in from your team.
5. Enthuse
In the Leadership & Change entry (p.20-21) of our booklet on Ten Challenges Charities Face, we show that even positively perceived change is likely to have a peak of pessimism as the work gets difficult and the end is not quite in sight. In the charity sector, we can’t use expensive incentives or perks to help push people through sticky moments, so you must think creatively about motivating your team. Paint a picture of that ultimate vision and keep staff focused. Social events are great or, even while in the office, turn some of the more onerous tasks into competitions to keep spirits up. Appoint unofficial Wellbeing Officers to keep an eye on morale and find ways to support it.
6. Evaluate and congratulate
Once your vision has been realised, don’t take it for granted. Look at everything that has been done and ensure that changes have been embedded – and that they are for the better. Finally, take the time to make sure everyone feels that their efforts are appreciated, both on an individual and a group level.
These may sound obvious, but you would be surprised at how many charities I’ve seen skip some of these steps and suffer as a result. It’s much harder to engage staff retrospectively. Plan ahead, keep communication levels up and see your charity – and employees – get a boost.