At the end of the day no matter how impressive and far-reaching certain systems become, all worthwhile enterprises seeking success are human systems that require leadership and management. The basic needs and challenges of management have not changed since my early days working in the family cannery.
As your nonprofit grows, the demands within your sector and the dynamics of the larger world change and you have to stay on top of that. You’re never “done” putting organizational processes in place, because the challenges change, people come and go, and new tools and ideas emerge. You have to constantly battle complacency and the idea that success validates what you are doing today. This can create a fog around your potential vulnerabilities.
It’s essential to educate and support the development of your managers as an ongoing activity. Staff must perceive the value of the training to compensate for the interruption of their work processes, or it is counterproductive. This is a tension that demands thoughtful management encouragement and support.
- Do you have programs in place to educate and support the development of your managers?
- How could you build on those programs?
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