Do you really want to grow?

4 conversations you need to have to make it happen

Anyone working in the third sector, and those involved in it in any capacity, are aware of the fact that the environment for charities and social enterprises is far from easy. Funding is being cut and at the same time the demand for services is growing, along with the complexity of people’s needs. So, as a social purpose organisation, how can you grow sustainably to change the lives of more people? 

In my two years as a Project Manager at Pilotlight I have worked with over 20 charities and social enterprises on their strategies, often looking at growing the organisation and thus its impact. But what does it really take to grow? Below are the four key consistent conversations we have had with senior business leaders (Pilotlighters) while coaching charity chief executives to plan for growth.

1. About your motivations

Why do you want to grow? Growth always seems like a good idea but make sure you are doing it for the right reasons; for example, to have a bigger impact on the people you support or to expand your support to an area that really needs it. Whether you are planning to grow geographically or by increasing your service offering, look at who else is operating in that space as there may be opportunities to learn from them or even work together.

2. About your stakeholders

Any strategy to be successful requires buy-in from all involved. Consult all stakeholders, making sure you get input from those you exist to support as well as the people who deliver and oversee the work of the organisation. You can run a session with representatives from all your stakeholders together or separate sessions for each group to gain their input before you make decisions. Be open about it – it works well to ask them to think about how they can help you make your plan a reality.

3. About the options

There are lots of different models for growth, some of which can be seen below. Deciding on the best model for your organisation is essential – they offer different rates of growth as well as different levels of control and risk.

4. About success

To implement effectively you need to have a system in place to measure how you are doing against the plan. Trustees can play a vital role in this questioning if areas are not going according to plan and in thinking through how best to move things forward. It is all too easy to focus on what isn’t working, and of course these are the areas that need the most attention, but don’t forget to celebrate what you have achieved. Growth is not easy and it is important to recognise the work of all involved!