Redesign for Popular Newsletter

Upcoming  Workshops

  CLARITY BY AXI
The Web Trap

  POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Privacy Policy

BETTER PRACTICES
The Free Event

Strategic Restructuring

TECHNOLOGY TIPS
The Effective PDA

HTML E-mail

REALITY CHECK
Charity=Good

The Networking Myth

TEMPLATES PLUS
Evaluation Forms

Strategic Restructuring

With associations, non-profits and other mission-based organizations, it is vitally important to focus first on doing the right thing, and then doing it right.

When exploring strategic restructuring opportunities, such as alliances and mergers, the tendency is to focus on the business case....the dollars and cents. However, the business case is the "doing it right" part. The "doing the right thing" is about mission, culture, and values.

To look at it another way, the mission case is what is developed before negotiations start, and the business case is developed during negotiations. Why get into negotiations if it is not the right thing to do? It is easy for organizations to get caught up in the business case as the reason to undertake the merger or other strategic restructuring initiative, only to have it fall apart prior to approval or, worse yet, a year or two after the implementation.

The mission case focuses on whether the organization will be better able to accomplish its mission. There will be great similarities in approach, but the specifics depend on the mission of the organization. 

In addition, part of doing the right thing is determining the readiness and willingness of the organization to embark on strategic restructuring. In this regard, some of the areas to address are:

Internal Assessment

• Motivation

• Expectations

• Mission Focus

• Unity of Strategic Purpose

• Unity of Leadership

• Board-Staff Relationship

• Energy and Resource Availability

• Risk-Taking Inclination

• Growth Orientation

• Staff Leadership Status

Compatibility Assessment

• Trust Levels

• Past Experiences Working Together

• Potential Contributions

Potential Difficulties and Roadblocks

• Loss of Autonomy

• Self-Interest

• Culture Clash

The Affiliation Relationship

• Parent organization

• Partner organizations

• Component groups (e.g. chapters)

Once the organization is sufficiently convinced that the strategic restructuring is the right thing to do, then negotiations can proceed, and the focus can shift to doing it right! 

The practices described in this area are described as Better Practices for a very good reason. We have a great deal of difficulty with the term best practices used in any other context than to refer to the results of benchmarking exercises involving real and relevant organizations with tangible results.  We offer Better Practices related to areas where we feel that change is needed in associations. Better Practices are intended to provoke thought, and to encourage organizations to think about what they are doing and how they are doing it.  

To build better
associations and non-profits by 
delivering unique
and unparalleled expertise, programs
and services
to their staff and
volunteers.