3 Effective leadership
- Effective leadership with trustees and staff who take time to talk about the bigger picture rather than focus solely on day to day matters.
It’s not uncommon for a charity which has grown organically, to find they do not have a fully functioning senior management team. We've worked with several charities where there is a CEO and perhaps one person responsible for finance, but all other roles are devoted to (and funded by) delivery.
At a certain point in a charity’s growth, they run the risk of moving into a cycle of constant trouble-shooting and ‘bunkering down’ rather than developing. The charity cannot be effectively led when the CEO is wearing too many hats.
Inevitably, strategic direction will get pushed down the list, and the charity staff can become frustrated that despite everyone working flat out, they don’t feel their work has the impact it deserves because it’s not being directed strategically.
The board can play an important role here by supporting the CEO to develop a team around them that shares the responsibility, risk and knowledge. Also by recognising the importance of treating organisational resilience as much an area of priority as funded projects for beneficiaries.
Our advisory team are rarely called in to work with a charity on its leadership alone. Yet in working with a charity on almost any significant change, including diversifying their income or updating their strategy, facilitating effective leadership will always be key.
Often the CEO doesn’t lack the skills to take the charity to the next level but is not able to carve out the time to think strategically and we are able to work with the CEO and board to help identify the senior team needed to allow the charity to move forward.