All Staff Strategic Planning Discussion on Organizational Alignment and Implications

January 10, 2008

2! pm
"entury "lu#
$inal %ersion
Purpose of Meeting
&'e purpose of t'is all staff meeting (as as follo(s)
&o update staff on ('ere *$+ is in t'e strategic planning process,
&o focus on organizational implications and #egin a discussion on #road
organizational issues t'at (ill #e affected #y t'e ne( strategic plan,
"reate a space to 'ear from staff on 'o( transition, c'ange and gro(t' (ill affect
t'e staff,
&'e o-erarc'ing goal of t'is meeting (as to #uild con-ergence on t'e areas t'e *lo#al
$und t'in.s need to #e in place in order to effecti-ely implement t'e upcoming strategic
plan, &'ese areas are)
/oard *o-ernance
Organizational Structure
Decision 0a.ing
0eaningful Participation
1earning Organization
Organizational Alignment2Internal "ommunication
MEETING NOTES
Process Debriefed
3ntil no(, t'e staff 'a-e #een consistently reminded t'at 4form follo(s function,5 &'is
(as in part to .eep t'e staff focused on content and to #rainstorm and e6plore different
possi#ilities for *lo#al $und7s function in t'e (orld, 8o(, t'e con-ersation turns to
*lo#al $und7s form or organization,
&'ere are t(o pieces of t'e process #et(een January 2008 and June 2008, &'e first
piece is t'e discussion on organizational implications, &'e second piece is t'e
de-elopment of t'e strategic plan, t'e presentation of a first draft in 0arc' and in June,
t'e presentation of t'e final -ersion #y t'e senior management (it' 9llen to t'e #oard,
At t'is point in time, (e are still loo.ing at organizational implications from t'e :0,000
feet le-el, Strategic plans usually do not go into t'e 4nitty gritty5 of operationalization;
rat'er t'ey are general frame(or.s (it' general concepts on ('ic' operational plans
are later #ased, &'ese general concepts are listed a#o-e, &'e de-elopment of
operational plans (ill ta.e place in t'e mont's of April and 0ay,
Major Points of Convergence that Emerged Out of the November Meetings
9llen presented eig't .ey elements t'at *$+ #elie-es (ill lead to 'ig' impact, , &'ese
are)
1 *ro(t'
In terms of le-eraging resources for (omen7s rig'ts organizing glo#ally
In terms of e6pansion of staff, organizational infrastructure in t'e 3S
2 Po(er
+e o(n our po(er and leaders'ip) (e use po(er to c'ange po(er
+e influence po(erful players, especially in p'ilant'ropy ('ere (e 'a-e
comparati-e ad-antage
: "'ange
+e .no( t'at c'ange is t'e only constant
+e em#race c'ange, (e are c'anging oursel-es and our organization
< %alues
+e are a -alue dri-en organization) radical #ut 'um#le, fle6i#le yet purposeful,
respecting, generous, committed and political
! 0o-ements
+e strengt'en feminist mo-ements to #uild and implement an agenda of
transformation and strategies t'at promote, protect and guarantee (omen7s
'uman rig'ts
+e aspire to ma.e feminist mo-ements more rele-ant to t'e po(er structures
+e inspire and #uild acti-ist communities
+e aspire to ma.e (omen7s rig'ts (or. on t'e ground more -isi#le
= Proacti-e
+e #elie-e t'at #eing proacti-e is part of #eing responsi-e to t'e needs of
feminist mo-ements
Defining our proacti-e role demands t'at (e understand t'e needs of feminist
mo-ements and (or. (it' ot'ers to define t'ose
> 1earning, inno-ation and lin.ing
+e (ill allocate more time and resources for learning amongst oursel-es and
(it' ot'ers, inno-ating t'roug' applying our learnings and lin.ing strategically
(it' ot'ers to s'are insig'ts and (or. toget'er
+e (ill learn in e6perimental (ays and #ased on e-idence and feed#ac. loops
+e (ill ma.e sure to e6cel at c'oosing and managing strategic partners'ips
8 Impact
+e learn, inno-ate and lin. (it' ot'er to o#tain t'e 'ig'est possi#le impact
+e (ant t'e 'ig'est impact possi#le
&'ese eig't .ey elements (ill inform #ot' t'e strategic plan and #ig picture
organizational implications (it' a focus on o-erall alignment,
The discussion that followed generated the following key insights:
1, "'ange is t'e only constant,
2, Alignment #et(een ('at (e do and 'o( (e do it is e6tremely important
:, &'ere is a difference #et(een c'ange and transition ? "'ange refers to a
p'ysical transformation ('ile transition refers to a transformation of mentality,
mindframe, and2or (orld-ie(,
<, 0any of t'e c'anges and transitions *lo#al $und is e6periencing are actually
generic life stages of organizational gro(t' and de-elopment, In ot'er (ords,
t'e an6iety and concerns are normal and are to #e e6pected@
GFW: An Organization tat is E!o"!ing
8o( t'e *lo#al $und 'as arri-ed at t'e operationalizing p'ase of t'e strategic planning
process, ('ere it 'as to find ans(ers to important Auestions on organizational
infrastructure and capacity to deli-er on t'e goals of t'e strategic plan, As $ennis stated,
t'e *lo#al $und 4is mo-ing from one strategic plan to anot'er one, +e are mo-ing in
ne( directions (it' ne( priorities and transitioning into somet'ing different,5 +'ile t'e
*lo#al $und is currently going t'roug' tremendous c'anges and transitions and ('ile
t'e process can #e really o-er('elming and an6ietyridden, it is important to remem#er
t'at t'e *$+ 'as consistently e6perienced some maBor gro(t' and c'anges in t'e last
t(enty years,
ey !ast Changes in Organi"ational #tructure$ %ecision&Making$ and
'overnance
/efore Ca-ita came on as President and "9O in 1DD=, a different 'ierarc'y (as in place
(it' all t'e 'ig'erle-el e6pertise and e6perience concentrated in t'e President and
$ounder, Anne $irt' 0urray, &'is affected organizational systems; e-ery report (as
(ritten #y Anne $irt' 0urray, e-ery decision made #y 'er, &'e first s'ift in t'is
organizational structure and decisionma.ing system (as t'e 'iring of 8ic.y 0cIntyre as
t'e %P of De-elopment and "ommunications, +'ile t'is 'iring decision, in a (ay,
created a ne( 'ierarc'y, it also flattened t'e alreadye6isting 'ierarc'y t'roug' a fairer
distri#ution of aut'ority and decisionma.ing po(er,
+'en $ennis Boined t'e *$+ in 2000, t'ere (asn7t a clear $inance and Administration
&eam,&'ere (eren7t clear lines of aut'ority and super-ision roles; 8ic.y (as 'er #oss
e-en t'oug' s'e (as not tec'nically a mem#er of t'e De-"omm team, &'e Euman
Fesources team, t'e *rants Administration &eam, t'e I& team did not e6ist ? e-eryone
in t'e organization (as responsi#le for ta.ing up a -ariety of Bo# duties, Jo#s (ere less
specialized and t'e (or. loads o-er('elming, /ecause Bo# descriptions (ere not as
defined t'ere (ere more feelings of comraderie, colla#oration and connecti-ity, +'ile
t'is .ind of (or. atmosp'ere produced many positi-e feelings, 'a-ing unclear roles and
responsi#ilities entailed inefficient uses of time and resources,
&'e summer of 2001 presented yet anot'er s'ift in management t'in.ing, Staff 'ad
#ecome discontented (it' some of Ca-ita7s management practices and s'ared (it' 'er
t'eir concerns and complaints, +'ile 'er initial reaction (as to personalize staff
comments and get defensi-e, s'e later realized t'at s'e (as luc.y to 'a-e staff t'at
cared enoug' a#out t'e organization to pro-ide direct and 'onest feed#ac., +'at came
out of t'at meeting (as a s'ift in t'in.ing a#out leaders'ip and po(er ? t'at as t'e
President and "9O s'e must allo( space for 'er managers to do ('at t'ey (ere
#roug't on to do ? manage@ +'at follo(ed (ere a num#er of .ey inter-entions aimed at
strengt'ening *$+7s internal operations, $ore e6ample, #efore Dale came on as %ice
President of $GA in 2002, t'e *lo#al $und did not 'a-e su#stantial grants administration
or EF systems; t'e EF manual (as not e-en in accordance (it' t'e la(, &'e $GA team
'ad #een percei-ed as t'e 4poor stepc'ild5 of t'e -arious teams,
#essons #earned
1, "'ange and gro(t' can #e painful for an organization #ecause it forces t'e
organization to Auestion its capa#ilities to deal (it' c'ange, &'e #est (ay to
manage organizational c'ange and gro(t' is to conduct regular self
assessments Hor Itune ups7J and address c'allenges #efore t'ey escalate and
ta.e up a lot of staff time and attention,
2, /ecause t'e *lo#al $und is so missiondri-en, t'ere 'as #een a 'istory of
placing a lesser -alue on t'e 4core operational le-els t'at .eep t'e organization
going,5
:, &'ere 'as to #e a (illingness from e-ery le-el of staff, specifically senior and mid
management le-els to 4inta.e and understand t'e gaps, (ea.nesses and faults
of t'eir systems, and t'eir leaders'ip styles and practices,5 "on-ersely,
super-isees must 'a-e t'e courage to 'a-e t'ese 'onest and straig'tfor(ard
con-ersations (it' t'eir managers and directors,
<, Ongoing professional de-elopment is a .ey reAuirement for organizational
effecti-eness and impact,
!, 9na#ling staff to see t'e #igger strategic picture of ('ere t'e organization is
going contri#utes to le-els of moti-ation and staff7s a#ility to function to t'eir full
capacity,
=, "ertain EF practices, li.e t'e e6it inter-ie(, and EF documents li.e t'e
personnel manual transcri#e t'ese organizational lessons #ecause t'ey are
dra(n from past e6periences,
A $ision of #eadersip for G"oba" Fund%s Future
Ca-ita mentioned t'ree facets in t'in.ing around leaders'ip) 1J 1eaders'ip is a c'oice,
Indi-iduals and organizations need to ma.e t'e conscious c'oice to lead, ('ic' in-ol-es
all mem#ers of staff; 2J &rue leaders'ip is really a#out accounta#ility, transparency and
clarity in decisionma.ing processes and 'ierarc'ical structures; and :J 1eaders'ip roles
and styles need to #e redefined as organizations go t'roug' different gro(t' stages,
(it' eac' stage needing different competencies from t'eir leaders,
Dale follo(ed #y e6plaining t'at as t'e *lo#al $und is de-eloping and implementing its
strategic plan, t'e management at t'e *lo#al $und are responsi#le for t'ree t'ings) 1J
identify and e6ecute its responsi#ilities to creating organizational alignment on strategic
directions and organizational implications; 2J pro-ide t'e tools and resources for
structuring t'e spaces for s'ared leaders'ip; and :J #e (illing to step #ac. and accept
ot'er people7s leaders'ip a#ilities,
Going into te Ne&t Pase of te Strategic P"anning Process
0eeting participants (ere #ro.en up into groups of fi-e, &'ey (ere instructed to address
t'e follo(ing t'ree Auestions, /elo( are summaries of t'e report#ac.s in terms of t'e
eig't underlying principles of t'e strategic plan,
(hat do we do really well that we want to take with us going into the ne)t
strategic !lan*
%alues) +e .no( 'o( to cele#rate our successes, +e 'a-e s'ared group
-alues, +e 'a-e intimate (ays of dealing (it' our grantees, (it' eac' ot'er,
&'is is instrumental in creating a uniAue identity,
1earning, Inno-ating and 1in.ing) Our (illingness to inno-ate, create and c'ange
is also somet'ing (e (ant to ta.e (it' us, Our (illingness and a#ility to
communicate is also admira#le,
*ro(t') In t'e 20 years of our e6istence (e 'a-e gone t'roug' many gro(t'
p'ases and t'is is merely anot'er one, +e .no( 'o( to attract t'e #est talents
out t'ere into our #usiness, /ecause (e can easily de-elop into smaller (or.ing
teams, t'ere is t'e a#ility to de-elop o(ners'ip o-er process and outcomes, +e
understand 'o( to restructure staff so t'at decisionma.ing po(ers and core
responsi#ilities are fairly distri#uted and efficiently e6ecuted Ht'e creation of t'e
midmanagement le-elJ, Alt'oug' (e 'a-e #ecome a muc' #igger organization
and are no longer a#le to create t'e staff intimacy (e used to 'a-e, (e can Hand
areJ creating t'is intimacy in smaller units Hi,e, team and management meetingsJ,
Challenges and needs
%alues) Anot'er c'allenge is redefining our -alues in a (ay t'at ma.es sense for
us at t'is point of our organizational de-elopment,
1earning, Inno-ating and 1in.ing) A maBor c'allenge as (e mo-e for(ard is
allocating enoug' time and resources to #uilding t'e infrastructure t'e *lo#al
$und needs to transform itself to t'e learning organization,
*ro(t' and "'ange) As (e gro( and c'ange, t'ere needs to #e respect for t'e
specialization of smaller (or.ing groups 'o( can (e #est garner t'at .ind of
respectK +e also need to #uild trust in t'e decentralization of po(er, as t'is
trend (ill continue to 'appen as (e continue to gro( and c'ange, including t'e
de-elopment of more regional 3S offices,
Proacti-e and 0o-ements) Implementing t'e strategic plan (ill entail ma.ing
c'oices and saying no to e6ternal opportunities or pulling #ac. from e6ternal
deli-era#les, &'e c'allenge 'ere (ill #e staying focused on strategic priorities
(it' discipline and saying no gracefully to t'ose opportunities t'at do not align
(it' our strategic plan,
Po(er) Anot'er c'allenge is creating more clarity in t'e decisionma.ing process
as (ell as more accounta#ility to indi-iduals7 potential for leaders'ip, $or
e6ample, rig't no( t'e role of staff meeting facilitator is rotated among staff,
Eo(e-er, is t'is really an opportunity for leaders'ip de-elopmentK &'e *lo#al
$und must t'in. t'roug' its c'oices for leaders'ip de-elopment opportunities,
Core issues that are missing from the larger discussion so far+

0o-ements) +e still need to define and identify ('o our e6ternal sta.e'olders
are and 'o( t'e ad-isory net(or.s fit into our strategic plan,
1earning, Inno-ation and 1in.ing) +e still need clarity on e6actly ('at a learning
organization loo.s li.e and ('at t'at means for t'e *lo#al $und,