Aligning Nonprofit Leaders on a Bold, New Strategic Plan

Client

A national, federated non-profit organization with nearly 1,000 affiliate organizations

What We Did

Developed and implemented a robust change management strategy that helped the leadership team garner support and understanding from affiliate organizations

Outcome

Ensured that affiliate leaders grasped how the strategic plan impacted them, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility toward its successful implementation.

THE SITUATION

A national, federated nonprofit reached out to Blue Beyond to support change management efforts leading up to the launch of its new strategic plan. The organization was re-imagining its mission, vision for the future, values, and key strategic priorities – all of which would require new mindsets, behaviors, and ways of working across the organization.

The leadership team asked Blue Beyond to focus its support on preparing the leaders of nearly 1,000 affiliate organizations for the changes ahead. Without a mandate to adopt the strategic plan, it was critical that network leaders were brought along on the journey so they would be prepared to support and inspired to champion the new organizational direction associated with the new strategic plan.

WHAT WE DID

During the initial phase of their engagement, Blue Beyond focused on conducting leadership interviews, developing a change strategy, and creating a compelling case for change. Over the next nine months, consultants:

Facilitated a two-day in-person offsite with the national team staff to connect and build relationships, deep-dive into the new strategic plan, align around roles and responsibilities, and build change leadership skills and capabilities.
Conducted a series of virtual meetings with representatives from the affiliate organizations nationwide, focusing on creating a meaningful case for change to build shared understanding, alignment, and commitment around the strategic plan.
Leveraged compelling visuals and highly interactive experiences to educate and engage leaders around the new strategy, highlight important network dynamics, learn how to navigate change, and create “aha” moments related to their leadership mindset, role, and accountability of the new strategic plan.
Designed and facilitated an interactive and engaging Board of Trustees half-day retreat to align on the case for change, prepare them for their role leading through change, and prepare them for their role as champions of the new strategic plan.
Attended and facilitated leadership meetings throughout the process to engage with and bring key leaders along as change ambassadors, and solicited feedback on the change strategy, the case for change, our planned engagement with the broader network, and the tools and resources we produced to shift mindsets, behaviors, and ways of working.

OUTCOME

Blue Beyond’s comprehensive change management strategy supported enterprise-wide conversation about how affiliate leaders perceived and engaged with the national nonprofit’s bold new strategic plan. It ensured a deep, organization-wide understanding of the plan’s implications, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility toward its successful implementation.

By laying a solid foundation of understanding and commitment, Blue Beyond’s intervention paved the way for the national nonprofit and its affiliates to move forward collectively towards realizing their reimagined future. It also equipped leaders with the tools and mindset necessary to navigate the new organizational direction and facilitated a shared vision and alignment around the strategic plan, strengthening the network’s resilience and capacity to handle ambiguity.