TRAINING REPORT Sept-Oct 2013

Transcription

1 TRAINING REPORT Sept-Oct 2013 CAPACITY BUILDING ON ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR NGO FORUM DISTRICT MEMBERS/PARTNERS SUBMITTED TO: UGANDA NATIONAL NGO FORUM (UNNGOF) BY: Nabirye Justine W. Lubanga Capacity Building & Network Development Officer Human Rights Network-Uganda (HURINET-U) Mobile: / or 1 Uganda National NGO Forum Plot 25, Muyenga Tank Hill Road, Kabalagala Office: /

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS COURSE CONTENT ARRANGEMENT CLIMATE SETTING INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING TRAINING COVERAGE FACILITATORS METHODOLOGY MANAGEMENT OF PARTICIPANT EXPECTATION ROLE SEGREGATION WORKSHOP GUIDELINES ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (OD) OD DEFINITIONS WHY ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT? KEY CONCEPTS Organizational Climate Organizational Culture UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT The individual level The group level The Organizational Level CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT Action Research Process to Organization Development GOVERNANCE WHAT IS GOVERNANCE? GOVERNANCE FOCUSES ON: The Functional Differences between Governance and Management What is good governance? The Main Characteristics of Good Governance Good governance is accountable: Accountability is a fundamental requirement of good governance. It involves being answerable for decisions and having meaningful mechanisms in place to ensure the agency adheres to all applicable standards Good governance is transparent: It upholds having clear roles and responsibilities and clear procedures for making decisions and exercising power. All organization stakeholders should be able to follow and understand the decisionmaking process in an organization. This means that they will be able to clearly see how and why a decision was made, what information, advice and steps were considered, and which legislative requirements were followed Good governance follows the rule of law: This means that decisions, policies, are consistent with relevant legislation. In the case of CSOs, the relevant legislation include; the 1995 constitution of Uganda, NGO Act, District Local Government Act for those operating at district level among others, Organization Constitution, and bi-laws Good governance is responsive: CSOs should always try to serve the needs of the entire community while balancing competing interests in a timely, appropriate and responsive manner Good governance is equitable and inclusive: A community s wellbeing results from all of its members feeling their interests have been considered by CSOs in the decision-making process. This means that all groups, particularly the most vulnerable, should have opportunities to participate in the process Good governance is effective and efficient: CSOs should implement decisions and follow processes that make the best use of the available people, resources and time to ensure the best possible results for constituencies they serve Good governance is participatory: Anyone affected by or interested in a decision should have the opportunity to participate in the process for making that decision. This can happen in several ways; stakeholders may be provided with information, asked for their opinion, given the opportunity to make recommendations or, in some cases, be part 2 of the actual decision-making process

3 4.7 Good Governance Vs Bad Governance practices CHALLENGES TO CSOS GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT A MYTHS FOR CSOS WHAT IS LEADERSHIP? WHO IS A LEADER? AREAS OF LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND STYLES IN ORGANIZATIONS KEY ROLES OF LEADERSHIP Five (5) Transformational leadership practices Experience sharing and best practices from local NGOs ROOT CAUSES OF POOR LEADERSHIP AMONG CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS LEARNING ORGANISATION WHAT IS A LEARNING ORGANIZATION? WHY THE INTEREST IN LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS CHARACTERISTICS OF A LEARNING ORGANIZATION TYPES OF LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS HOW TO DEVELOP A LEARNING CULTURE OBSTACLES TO LEARNING FUNDRAISING AND RESOURCE MOBILISATION TRENDS/CHANGES IN THE FUNDING/GRANT MAKING SECTOR SOURCES FOR RESOURCE MOBILIZATION Individual Donations Membership Fees Non-Financial Support Fund Raising Events Income Generating Activities Prizes/Awards Corporate Donations Collaboration with Other NGOs ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHILE SOURCING FOR FUNDING HOW TO IDENTIFY SOURCES OF FUNDING MANAGEMENT OF DONOR ASSESSMENTS THE ROLE BOARD MEMBERS IN RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY (ICT) SOFTWARE THAT AID ICT USAGE WAYS IN WHICH ICT CAN HELP NGOS WORK BETTER COMMITMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS OUTCOMES CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4 1.0 COURSE CONTENT ARRANGEMENT Course Outline Topics Sessions Climate Setting Introduction and Brief on the need for the capacity building climate setting training Self introduction Expectations and fears Workshop objectives Organisation Development Why the focus on organisation development? What is Organisation development Nature of Organisations Organisation as an open system OD goals OD Principles OD process Governance Civil Society Governance problems and Prospects What is governance Difference between governance and management Governance principles What is good governance Good governance Vs bad governance Challenges to CSOs governance Leadership Change management and Leadership and change management a myth for CSOs What is leadership Leadership as a process of influence Leadership skills and styles in organisations Key roles of leadership Transformational leadership practices Experience sharing and best practices Root causes of poor leadership among civil society organisations Fundraising Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising and resource mobilisation for sustainability of NGOs Definitions (fundraising and resource mobilisation) Trends and implications for resource mobilisation Sources for raising funds Issues to consider when sourcing for donors How do you identify sources of funding Management of donor assessments Experience sharing by successful NGOs in resource mobilisation Information, communication and technology (ICT) ICT usage in advancement of organisational effectiveness and accountability Definition of ICT Forms of ICT Importance of ICT Applicability and utilisation of ICT Follow-up activities Work plan on Return Developing of OD action plans 4

5 2.0 CLIMATE SETTING 2.1 Introduction NGO s are unique organisations that play an intermediary role to facilitate development and build the capacity of individuals, groups and organisations in developing countries. Capacity building for NGO s is aimed at reinstating a system to improve their communication and logistics for effective delivery of appropriate goods and services, strengthening the performance of local organisations in relation to their purpose, context, resources and viability, networking with government to sustain overall development. The Uganda National NGO Forum is cognisant of the fact that there is a phenomenal growth of civil society organisations and an increased recognition of their role in a changing environment by government and communities, a growing realisation that partnerships are necessary to meet the enormous challenges facing our country and the interconnectedness of our work and other NGOs across the country and the need to leave in solidarity with people around the country. It s against this backdrop that NGO Forum desires to build a strong NGO sector that is knowledgeable, with abilities, necessary skills and behaviour of individuals that will improve institutional structures and processes that enable the organisations to efficiently meet their mission and goals in a sustainable way. After realising the capacity gaps different NGOs were faced with, NGO Forum carried out a capacity needs assessment in The assessment was based on a collective understanding of the aspects of public service delivery that connect citizens to their governments. The concept of public value was used to illustrate this linkage. When civil society organizations participate in oversight over service delivery monitoring, the foundational assumption is that government wants to maximize public value added to citizens - that is the benefits of government action when weighed against the costs that they incur. Within this understanding of public value, it is noted that as a general rule the key things that the citizenry value tend to fall into three categories: outcomes, services and trust. The capacity assessment was guided by the following parameters namely: governance, organisational management, human resources, financial management, infrastructure & logistics, public & external relations, building networks & coalitions, ICT leverage & readiness and fundraising. The findings indicate that while various NGOs were at different levels in as far as the identified parameters are concerned; the assessment revealed that there were five (5) key parameters crucial for CSOs effectiveness which needed urgent attention. In a bid to respond to the identified gaps, NGO Forum hired a consultant to training her members in the four regions (Eastern, Northern, Western and Central) in the country. The training covered three areas of internal governance & Leadership, Resource mobilisation and ICT usage. The trainings took place in Tororo, Lira, Bushenyi and Kiboga Districts. 5

6 2.2 Objectives of the Training Participants are trained in the best practices and mechanisms in internal governance and ICT usage. Respond to the capacity gaps of the identified partners in the areas of focus for the training. Participants equipped with knowledge on resource mobilisation beyond the donor fund for sustainability. Provide space for networking synergy and shared learning. 2.3 Training Coverage The capacity building programme was carried out from 16 th September to 1 st October It covered four (4) regions in the country; Eastern, Western, Northern and Central Uganda. The capacity building programme targeted heads of institutions, trained two hundred and thirty six (212) participants; 65 of which were female and 147 male out of the anticipated 240 participants. The statistics show a great disparity in the gender composition of the beneficiaries that has perpetuated a male dominated sector. This could inform region specific efforts to enhance female competencies in NGO Leadership. Region District Date No. Of F M Pats Eastern Mayuge, Mbale, Soroti, Bukedeya, Kumi, Iganga, Kamuli, sironko, Amuria, Sironko, Butaleja, Northern Gulu, Kitgum, Oyam, Apac, Lira, Pader, Abim, Moroto, Kotido Arua, Koboko, Moyo, Nebbi, Kaberamaido Western Mbarara, Bushenyi, Kabale, Kasese, Kamwenge, Kabarole, sheema, Kyenjojo, Mitooma, Kisoro, Isingiro, Ibanda, Kiruhura, Buhweju, Kanungu, Rubirizi, Ntungamo. Central Mityana, Kiboga, Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, Kamuli, Masaka, Butambala, Rakai, Mukono, Bukomero, Kyankwanzi, Kalangala, Bukunja, Buikwe & Namutumba. 16 th 17 th Sept th 20 th Sept rd 24 th Sept th Sept 1 st Oct GRAND TOTAL Facilitators Methodology As a facilitator, my responsibility was to create a space for the workshop participants in which they can learn from the ideas and experiences of others, disagree within a safe environment and work together to form consensus. The training created participatory, active and cooperative learning opportunities and introduced participants to the argument that organisations that seek to improve their products, services and the delivery of these services, have to have in place systems, 6

7 mechanisms and processes that are used to continually enhance the capabilities and capacities of those who work for the organisation. The group discussions offered support to participants understand the strategic issues, decisions and strategic planning for organisational effectiveness. This is because change begins with a process of identifying the organisational problems that require to be addressed. 2.5 Management of Participant Expectation Participants were given the opportunity to introduce themselves and the organisations they were representing. At the same time they were requested to give what they expected from the workshop as below: - Learn and appreciate change management concepts and its application to real life context. - Learn and appreciate new approaches to resource mobilisation amidst the declining donor support. - Share and learn from others in regard to change management - Updates on new programmes under NGO Forum - Acquire more knowledge on the use, application and utilisation of Information communication technology (ICT) - Learn how to expand the organisation, manage growth while remain relevant to the core business - Receive updates on black Monday movement from NGO Forum - Discuss issues of forming regional networks, actualise it and see common issues to tackle as a region. 2.6 Role Segregation Facilitators Role Provide frameworks for thinking Provide opportunities for experience Facilitate reflection and learning Guide Discussion Groups Participants Role Actively participate Engage with others Reflect on and learn from your experiences Contextualize and come up with working approaches 7

8 2.7 Workshop guidelines -Share the airtime effectively -Energetic conversation is encouraged -Turn mobiles phones off/ (silent mode) during -Take responsibility for your own learning -Respect differences of opinions -Listen generously for understanding -Disagreement is OK -Respect openness and confidentiality 8

9 3.0 ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (OD) 3.1 OD Definitions Organization Development is an effort (1) planned, (2) organization-wide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organization effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organizations "processes, using behavioral-science knowledge 1. Organization Development is a field directed at interventions in the processes of human systems (formal and informal groups, organizations, communities, and societies) in order to increase their effectiveness and health using a variety of disciplines, principally applied behavioral sciences 2. Organization Development (OD) is both the field of applied behavioral science focused on understanding and managing organizational change to increase an organisation s effectiveness and viability and a field of scientific study and enquiry 3. Organization Development is a body of knowledge and practice that enhances organizational performance and individual development, viewing the organization as a complex system of systems that exist within a larger system, each of which has its own attributes and degrees of alignment. OD interventions in these systems are inclusive methodologies and approaches to strategic planning, organization design, leadership development, change management, performance management, coaching, diversity, and work/life balance 4. Organisational development is the system-wide application of behavioural science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organisational strategies, structures and processes for improving an organisation s effectiveness Why Organizational Development? The point of departure for organisational development process is usually some form of recognition by key people in the organisation of a crisis or feelings of being stuck and need help, or just a wish to do things better. There is always an acknowledgement that the usual responses to organisational development issues like trainings, workshops are no longer adequate to make the kind of impact required. OD helps organizations deliver sustainable performance improvement through people. Organizations that practice OD usually have a strong humanistic and democratic approach to organizational change. People and collaboration are key features of any OD intervention because it recognizes that change demands more than making adjustments to current organizational practices. It requires genuinely innovative thrusts, development of capacities for institutional learning and self design, and understanding of change as a permanent feature of organizations life. 1 Richard Beckhard s 1969 Organization Development: Strategies and Models 2 Arnold Minors, Arnold Minors & Associates, Toronto, Canada 3 Francis et al Matt Minahan, MM & Associates, Silver Spring, Maryland 9 5 Cumming and Worley, Organization Development and Change, 5 th edition.

10 Organizational development deals with improving organisation s performance and individual development of its employees. It requires each organization to be viewed as a coherent system composed of separate parts. It also believes that every part of an organisation is integral to a system that relies on and impacts other elements of the internal and external environment in which the organization operates. Organizational development as a process includes methodologies and achievements in strategic planning, organizational design, leadership development, coaching, diversity and balance between work and life. It identifies the stages through which organizations go in the process of their development; in other words, it is the way organizations change evolves. However, it is important to note that this understanding organizational development is based on the assumption that organizations, just like human beings, have cycles of development, each characterized by its specific problems, crises and ways to overcome them. To deliver a sustainable environment for performance there are a number of organizational development and design elements that may be relevant to delivering the performance outcomes required. The intervention including; organization diagnostic, strategic thinking, culture change, change management, coaching, mentoring, leadership development, team building, organizational design, evaluation, performance management, talent management, HR processes, learning and development, sales effectiveness, and customer services as part of a holistic OD intervention. Organizational development involves the various techniques and interventions that are planned and implemented in order to assist or facilitate the implementation of certain planned and consequential changes in the structure, processes and human resources within the organization. Organizational development process is planned, as it requires systematic diagnosis, program development and mobilization of resources (financial, technical, human) in a separate structural unit or entire organization. It is described as a process that includes efforts to improve various activities in the organization as well as the analysis of strategy, structure and culture of the organization. Organizational development analyzes formal and informal parts of the organization. The formal parts of the organization that it analyzes include Mission, Vision, objectives, structure, policy, human resources, stakeholder mapping, and compensation. The informal ones include values, attitudes, social relationships, etc. Organizational development focuses on performance and health of the entire organization, not on an individual. It is designed to achieve organizational goals that will lead to the satisfaction of people working in the organization. 3.3 Key Concepts Organizational Climate The mood or unique personality of an organization which can be observed in the attitudes and beliefs about organizational practices create organizational climate and influence members collective behavior. Climate features and characteristics may be associated with employee satisfaction, stress, service quality and outcomes and successful implementation of new programs. Climate features and characteristics include: Leadership, Openness of Communication, Participative Management, Role Clarity, Conflict Resolution, Leader Support and Leader Control. 10

11 Organizational Culture These are deeply seated norms, values and behaviours that members share. The five basic elements of culture in organizations include: Assumptions, Values, Behavioral norms, Behavioral patterns, Artifacts. The subjective features (assumptions, values and norms) reflect members unconscious thoughts and interpretations of their organizations. 3.4 Underlying principles of Organizational Development The individual level - Underlying respect for people and their capabilities - Individual growth and development occur in a supportive and challenging environment The group level - Groups help members satisfy individual needs and support organizational objectives - Allowing people to exercise self-direction and self control at work The Organizational Level - Creating an open, problem solving climate - Building trust and maximizing cooperation - Respect for organizations as a complex system of interdependent parts - Supplementing formal authority with that of knowledge and competence - Changes in one part of the organization will affect other parts - Increasing the sense of organizational ownership among members - Culture of the organization will affect how individuals express feelings and attitudes - Moving decision making to points where relevant information is available 3.5 Characteristics of Organization Development - Initiated in Response to need/problem like turnover, absenteeism, low job satisfaction, customer dissatisfaction, poor service delivery etc - Often conducted by outside Consultant to offer an independent view - Views organization as a complex System that is interdependence - Involves extensive planning to deal with resistance, systematic diagnosis and developing of change plans. - Based on behavioral science knowledge - Process Often Experiential 11

12 Action Research Process to Organization Development ENTRY DIAGNOSIS INTERVENTION EVALUATION PROBLEM CLARIFICATION DATA ANALYSIS DATA INTERPRETATION IMPLEMENT EVALUATE WHO WILL BE INVOLVED? DATA COLLECTION DATA EXPLANATION DESIGN INTERVENTION MONITOR INTERVENTION PLANNING FEEDBACK DETERMINE SUCCESS CRITERIA JOINT ACTION PLANNING CONTRACTING 12

13 4.0 GOVERNANCE 4.1 What is governance? Governance is based on a set of principles that has developed over time to meet new challenges in areas such as: risks, finance, quality, probity, commerce and reputation. Governance initially started to develop as management of organisations separate from their ownership. But as commerce grew more sophisticated in the 18 th century and more stakeholders became involved in organisations, governance started to develop as a means of looking after their interests. Therefore, governance thinking is in part described in law, in part through academic enquiry and in part from various codes of better practices developed by various theorists nationally, regionally and internationally 6. Various scholars have defined governance differently as below: As the act of governing, relating to decisions that define expectations, grants power and verify performance. The system of rules, practices and processes by which an organisation is directed and controlled 7. Governance essentially involves balancing the interests of the many stakeholders in the organisation. These include management, customers, suppliers, financiers, government and the community. Since governance also provides the framework for attaining an organisation's objectives, it encompasses practically every sphere of management, from action plans and internal controls to performance measurement and accountability. Governance can also be defined using the structure of an organisation and its functions and it resonates around planning, doing and checking. 4.2 Governance Focuses On: Vision a shared understanding of what the organization is trying to achieve and the difference it intends to create. Strategy the planned achievement of the vision. Leadership the means by which the organization will take forward the strategy. Assurance comfort and confirmation that the organization is delivering the strategy to plan, manages risk to itself and others, works within the law, delivers safe, quality services and has a proper grip on resources of all kinds and for which it is accountable. Probity the organization is behaving according to proper standards of conduct and acts in an open and transparent manner. Stewardship the organization applies proper care to resources and opportunities belonging to others but for which it is responsible, or can effect. 6 Bureau of international information programs 13 7 The public sector innovation journal, Volume 12 (3), 2007.

14 4.3 The Functional Differences between Governance and Management GOVERNANCE PLANNING RESPONSIBILITIES Governance can be described as: the set of responsibilities and practices, policies and procedures used to provide strategic direction, ensure objectives are achieved, manage risks and use resources responsibly and with accountability. Determine the mission, strategic plan and appointment of board/committee. Set and guard the moral tone (principles and ethics). Develop plans and policies that guide the delivery of services and appointment of staff. Set the financial plan (budget) and funding plans Identify methods of accountability Prepare the promotional plan. PLAN CHECK DO GOVERNANCE CHECKING RESPONSIBILITIES Monitoring performance of staff as services are delivered (action as the doing takes place) Periodic evaluation of services for their effectiveness at the end of a programme or after a significant period (e.g. one year). Collecting information required as the group accounts its actions to the membership, the funders, gov t and other stakeholders. Checking on the overall performance of the organization MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITIES Management can be described as: the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling organizational resources (human, financial, physical, and informational) in the pursuit of organizational goals. Implement plan and methods of delivery. Monitor as you implement. Evaluate periodically. Note: Civil society organizations are separate legal entities, which no one actually owns. It is therefore important not to confuse control with ownership8. Even if the organization has been incorporated as a company limited by guarantee, the members do not own the organization. They simply have the right to elect board members who in turn give oversight to the direction of the organization. 8 Civil Society Capacity Building Programme leadership handbook 14

15 4.5 What is good governance? Good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions. It s not about making correct decisions, but about the best possible process for making those decisions. Good decision-making processes, and therefore good governance, share several characteristics. All have a positive effect on various aspects of NGO governance including policies and practices, meeting procedures, service quality, staff conduct, role clarification and good working relationships. 4.6 The Main Characteristics of Good Governance Good governance is accountable: Accountability is a fundamental requirement of good governance. It involves being answerable for decisions and having meaningful mechanisms in place to ensure the agency adheres to all applicable standards. Good governance is transparent: It upholds having clear roles and responsibilities and clear procedures for making decisions and exercising power. All organization stakeholders should be able to follow and understand the decision-making process in an organization. This means that they will be able to clearly see how and why a decision was made, what information, advice and steps were considered, and which legislative requirements were followed. Good governance follows the rule of law: This means that decisions, policies, are consistent with relevant legislation. In the case of CSOs, the relevant legislation include; the 1995 constitution of Uganda, NGO Act, District Local Government Act for those operating at district level among others, Organization Constitution, and bi-laws. Good governance is responsive: CSOs should always try to serve the needs of the entire community while balancing competing interests in a timely, appropriate and responsive manner. Good governance is equitable and inclusive: A community s wellbeing results from all of its members feeling their interests have been considered by CSOs in the decision-making process. This means that all groups, particularly the most vulnerable, should have opportunities to participate in the process. Good governance is effective and efficient: CSOs should implement decisions and follow processes that make the best use of the available people, resources and time to ensure the best possible results for constituencies they serve. Good governance is participatory: Anyone affected by or interested in a decision should have the opportunity to participate in the process for making that decision. This can happen in several ways; stakeholders may be provided with information, asked for their opinion, given the opportunity to make recommendations or, in some cases, be part of the actual decision-making process. 15

16 4.7 Good Governance Vs Bad Governance practices Good governance practices Vision, mission and core values are known and well articulated by all staff, board, and other stakeholders There is direct participation of staff/members in the decision madding processes of the organisation Clear organisation structure and reporting lines Availability of policies as well as rules and regulations that guide the day to day operations of the organisation Timely, fair, impartially and informed decisions are made. Clear division of roles between management and Board governance Information on the organisation is freely available and directly accessible by staff, and other stakeholders interested in the organisations Meetings are held regularly at all levels of management and governance and decisions of the meetings are implemented Proper channels are followed in recruitment of staff in the organisations Governance leaders are properly constituted and elected following the set guidelines and the constitution etc Bad governance practices The vision, mission and values not clear, and not known to staff, board and other stakeholders No rules and regulations or policies to guide the operations of the organisation e.g. No HR, financial, conflict resolution policies, property management policies etc Lack of or no organisational structure. Lack of or no meetings held thus decision making is adhoc. Lack of transparency in decision making and sometimes decisions are implemented partially. Staff, board and other interested stakeholders do not feel part of the organisation (no ownership/commitment) Miss use of organisational assets, resources for personal gains by staff/members/ board. Members do not know what is going on in the organisations because of lack of transparency The organisation does not fully comply with the legal requirements thus jeopardising the organisation s legitimacy. Personal interests supersede organisational interests. 16

17 4.8 Challenges to CSOs governance Micro management of Civil Society Organisations has hindered their growth and sustainability. Founder members syndrome usually characterised by influence on the implementation of various organisations policies and work structures and day to day activities. Poor governance within the organisation leading to conflicts in roles mainly between board and the secretariat, in fights between the executives and employees, and greed for money which leads to collapse of the organisations. Question of legitimacy as members mobilized to catch the vision hardly catch the vision instead look at money within the organisation. Lack of or limited leadership/organisational management capacities and capabilities by organisational heads or sometimes board leadership which hinders directing and controlling of organisational operations. Over dependency on donor funding creating room for different organisations to pay less attention to generating enough local income and it has resulted into failure to retain competent staff. NGO internal politics comprised of blackmail, poor co-ordination and networking, continuous black mail and other related issues. High staff/ employee turnover as a result of poor pay, poor working environment. Inadequate capacity of the board in terms of managerial and administrative skills, resource mobilisation, and low education level of some board members hence inability to comprehend policies and limited funding for governance act within the organisations. Lack of transparency and accountability etc. 17

18 5.0 LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT A MYTHS FOR CSOS 5.1 What is leadership? Leadership is the purposeful behaviour of influencing others to contribute to a commonly agreed goal for the benefit of individuals as well as the organisation or common good 9. Leadership can also be defined as the art of motivating or influencing a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal, facing problems or reaching new levels. In other words, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction or vision. 5.2 Who is a leader? The leader is the servant of all, able to show a disarming humility without the loss of authority 10. Managers of meaning, sense makers, they change the way people think about what is desirable, possible and necessary, and they have a disruptive influence. Leadership as a process of influence achieves through direction, alignment and commitment as below: Direction: a leader directs a shared understanding of common goals and strategy, for example a shared vision for the Citizen Manifesto project etc. Alignment: a leader is inspired towards the joint coordination of resources and activities for example; aligning people, projects, funding and research to deliver a vision. Commitment: he or she is committed to collective success for example motivating and inspiring others to achieve mutual interests. 5.3 Areas of leadership Leadership is carried out in two critical areas: Managing change and moving groups towards new targets. Getting exception results through others Managing and knowing oneself Working with and through teams Having a vision and being able to develop strategies for it. Respecting others but being demanding of them and this involves: Being open to ideas and listening Knowing how to inspire others Knowing how to empower them to complete tasks Communicating effectively and persuasively 9 James Sarros, Leadership: Australia s top CEOs 10 Sir Edward Weary Dunlop). 18

19 5.4 Leadership skills and styles in organizations STYLE- GROUPING Autocratic (non-participative) Laissez-faire (free reign) THESE STYLE OF LEADERS TYPICALLY - Direct and control - Seek power and reinforce their authority by not delegating it to others - Direct - downward communication - Highly interventionist in processes and decisions - Authority from position and power - Lose control and direction of day-to-day operations - Non interventionist - Organic approaches to setting goals and implementing plans - Wide channels of communication Paternalistic - Reinforces authority - Central control and decision making - Benevolent direction and leadership systems - Controlled communication and feedback channels - Hierarchical goals with tangible sanctions and often intangible rewards Democratic (participative) - Encourages involvement - Shared power and responsibility - Control and direction shared - Tangible and mutual ownership of goals and rewards - Multi channel two-way communication, with strong lateral communication Charismatic - Personality driven - Authority and power through peer and group recognition - Sells decisions by the power of his/ her personality - Intangible rewards and persuasion to gain commitment - Narrow communication channels with emphasis on vertical communication 5.5 Key roles of leadership Sense making: Understanding the context in which a company and its people operate, get data from multiple sources and people, and avoid stereotypes. Relating: This involves building relationships within and across organizations, get to know others perspectives, assess strengths of your current connections. Visioning: Creating a compelling picture of the future - begin conversations about what the company could become Inventing: Developing ways to achieve the vision - challenge sacred cows, experiment, ask what other options are available 19

20 5.6 Five (5) Transformational leadership practices Model the Way - Set the example by aligning actions with shared values. - Adapting your behavior and other resources in a way that helps to close the gap between the current situation and what you want to achieve. - Clarify personal values Enable others to act - Foster collaboration through cooperative goals & trust. As a leader, one should be the first to trust before others trust him/her. - Ask questions-listen and take advice - Adapt to a collaborative language WE and also create spaces and opportunities for informal interactions. - Strengthen others by sharing power through - Offering visible support, assign crucial tasks, enrich people s jobs, enlarge others sphere of influence - Create a learning climate - Stop talking and build on others ideas at staff meetings Inspire a shared vision - Envision the future. This is the cerebral competency where a leader is required to understand what the situation is now and knowing what can reasonably be made of it in the future. - Enlist others by appealing to shared aspirations and values. - The leader is required to know his/her constituency and carry out ground work. Challenge the process - This is a process competency that involves interacting with others in a way that people can easily understand and accept change. - Search for opportunities & innovation, treat every job as an adventure, seek meaningful challenges for yourself, find and create meaningful challenges for others and add fun to everyone s work - Experiment and take risks (incremental steps and small wins). Set up little experiments and develop models - Break mindsets and provide teams with choices as well as owning up a mistake. Encourage the heart (staff/team) - Recognize individual contributions and reward performance by being creative about rewards, make recognition public, provide feedback to staff, foster positive expectations, make any presentations meaningful. - Find people who are doing things right and don t be stingy about saying thank you to your staff or team. - Celebrate values and successes by establishing a public bragging board /foster corporate image, create awards honouring exemplary actions, show passion & compassion. - Be a cheerful leader in your own way etc. 20

21 5.7 Experience sharing and best practices from local NGOs Some of the participants shared their experiences when they were at their best as leaders and this is what they had to say? I was delegated to take on responsibility in the organisations for three roles, as Executive Director, Deputy Director and my role as M&E officer. This happened when my bosses both had gone for a conference out of the country for two week. To make matter worse, the audit exercise for one of the projects was going to take place during that period. I had never interacted with auditors. It was not easy but work. I carried out all the tasks very well and the audit went on successfully. By Reach Programme I managed the conflict in BUCINET as a result of the disgruntled former Board members filed a petition to RDC and programme Coordinator Danida after 2007 elections. They wanted the elections to be nullified so that they can be re-instated. As a technical person, I guided them through BUCINET constitution involved all the relevant stakeholders to be part of find solutions to the problem by Participant BUSINET. I was at my best in 2007 while coordinating PHA forum that was presented with leadership crisis where the founder members were personalising the organisation. The chairperson was undermining all members including some of the executives. I had just been co-opted as a volunteer coordinator on technical grounds. I mediated between the parties and advised them to look beyond the current funded programme and mind about the future of the organisation. I eventually convinced them to formalize governance placements, drafted the constitution and organised an AGM with them. Since that time the organisation has never remained the same. 5.8 Root causes of poor leadership among civil society organizations It is a science of leadership to lead others and acceptance of being led. This however, is characterised by supremacy, planning and control, and direction management among others. It has been affected by the following challenges at different levels due to; - Unclear communication channel - Lack of skills and knowledge in the corporate governance - Inadequate skills in resource mobilisation - Founder member syndrome - Micro management of the organisation - Inadequate skills in strategic planning - Inadequate organisational logistics and supplies like computers, photocopies and other stationary - Lack of guidelines in the procurement of goods and services - Inadequate and unclear communication systems - No computerized accounting packages - Programme level- Human Resource - Inadequately trained staff recruited due to low financial base - Lack of carrier development plans for staff by institution - Absence of performance appraisal procedures 21 - Limited skills in monitoring and evaluation at board

22 6.0 LEARNING ORGANISATION 6.1 What is a learning organization? The organization's ability to use the amazing mental capacity of all its members to create the kind of processes that will improve its own organizations 11. A learning organization is one that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself from one level to another 12. Organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create results they truly desire, where new and expensive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning to learn together Why the interest in learning organizations - Organizations cannot remain competitive if they are not learning - It is the only way organizations can improve existing products and services (continuous improvements) and innovation (breakthrough strategies) - It facilitates improvements and positive change in human factors such as skills, attitudes and behavior as well as organizational culture 6.3 Characteristics of a learning Organization - Learn-unlearn-relearn - Develop collective as well as individual learning - Use the results of learning to achieve better results - Systems in place - Mechanisms and processes that are used to continually enhance their capabilities and of those who work with it and for it to achieve sustainable objectives-for themselves and the communities they serve - Adapt to their external environment 6.4 Types of learning organizations Learning facts, knowledge and processes Learning new jobs skills that are transferable to other situations and it applies to situations where existing responses need to be changed. At this level, bringing in an external expertise may be useful. Learning to adapt applies to more dynamic situations where the solution needs developing. At this level, experimentation and deriving lessons from success and failure is the mode of learning Learning to learn is about innovation and creativity; designing the future rather than merely adapting to it. This is where assumptions are challenged and knowledge is reframed. 11 Nancy Dixon M. Pedler, Burgoyne and Tom Boydell, Peter Senge, 1990

23 6.5 How to develop a learning culture - Valuing people (recognize diversity as strength) - Climate of openness and trust - Learning from experiences-learning from mistakes is more powerful than learning from success. However, failure is tolerated provided lessons can be learnt - Engage in strategic and scenario planning - Engage in competitor analysis - Information and knowledge management (documentation is critical) - Team and organizational development - Communication esp. across organization boundaries - Mentoring and supporting colleagues - Taking a holistic perspective, seeing the team and org as a whole - Coping with challenges and uncertainties 6.6 Obstacles to learning - Corruption - Pre-occupation with fire fighting-leaving not time to sit back and think strategically - Too focused on systems and processes to the exclusion of other factors - Reluctance to train staff - Too many hidden personal agendas (founder syndrome) - Too top-down driven, tight supervision, and lack of real empowerment 23

24 7.0 FUNDRAISING AND RESOURCE MOBILISATION The terms fundraising and resource mobilization are used interchangeably. However, the term resource mobilization encompasses more than raising funds, and includes friend raising, gaining support from the local communities including time, expertise, volunteers and gifts 14. Fundraising is the art of getting people to give us what we want, when we want it and for an identified charitable/development purpose. Fundraising in itself is not a charitable activity but organisations invest time and resources to raise finances to expand and strengthen their programme interventions. Therefore, our ability to raise resources is a tangible manifestation of the strength of our relationship with our natural community of support. It is also a management process of identifying those people who share the same values as your organisation and building strong, long-term relationships with them. 7.1 Trends/Changes in the funding/grant making sector Trends/Changes Non profit fundraising is becoming increasingly challenging Is highly volatile (political/policies) Mushrooming of NGO s Changes in the Criteria being used Increasingly selective Specific measurable outcomes or impact Innovation in good ideas on problem solving (cutting edge) Programmes/initiatives that fit into their own programmes Transparency and accountability A properly constituted organization Implications Work and culture of the Organization More difficulty qualify requirement to put house in order backing to forge partnerships Conduct/obtain the necessary standards increase on professionalism Conduct evaluations (accountability on what has worked/what hasn t & why) Understand it s a competitive environment Think of alternative sources of funding 7.2 Sources for resource mobilization Individual Donations There are individuals who are willing to offer support to certain causes if they understand the cause and identify with it. Before approaching these potential donors, it is important to investigate their interests and capacity to donate. Membership Fees Membership fees may not correspond to a large part of your organization s budget, but it may be a regular and assured source of income for the projects or for those activities most donors do not fund. To motivate members to pay their yearly/ monthly fees the organization should make the members feel engaged in and informed about the organization s life. Therefore, as with the individual donors, it is important to carry out ongoing follow up of members: involve them in the activities of the organization, invite them to visit beneficiaries, send them the reports of the activities, etc. however, it takes time and effort to encourage constant membership support since most organizations have a small membership base Resource Alliance October 2007.

25 Non-Financial Support The support given to NGOs activities can be nonfinancial. In fact there are some institutions such as Corporations that prefer to give non-financial support to community projects. Requests for support in goods or in kind may be very useful for your organization or projects, since such donations can help cut costs or generate income. However, it is important to calculate the monetary value of such donations so that you can include them in your budgets as sources of funding. This will be useful as a way of demonstrating to potential donors that although your organization or project does not receive huge sums in donation, its community does support it. Examples of non-financial support you may request: Technical assistance from an international organization or embassy on a specific issue; Computers; Office furniture; free drinks or food for a specific event; Space for an activity; Space for your organization s office etc. Fund Raising Events The organization of events is important for four purposes: To raise funds and other types of support; To create and/or strengthen bridges between donors, other individuals in the community and your organization; To give visibility to your organization, cause and work, and; To mobilize your community. There are many ways to organize events. However, it is important to associate fundraising events with specific local needs that are related to the mission of your organization or group. They should always involve a relevant issue that will attract the attention of the target group. Examples of events you can organize: - Community dinner/tea party; Celebration/Festival of cultural activities; Auctions and raffles; Dance performances and music concerts; Sponsored marathons or other sport activities; Speaking engagement featuring celebrities or community leaders. Income Generating Activities Selling goods and services is a creative way to generate resources for your organization. What you should ask yourself as an organization is: Are there any goods or services that can be sold to generate incomes for our organization or project? It is important, however, for the organization to have very clear criteria about how the resources will be used in the organization, if and how the people working on the activity will be compensated, etc. Prizes/Awards Awards or Prizes are ways in which certain institutions acknowledge the work done by individuals or organizations, by awarding prizes that will support the continuation of their work. Some Awards are open for nomination and your organization might want to use the opportunity to nominate women who are members of the organization, the network or the community you belong to, doing outstanding work in promoting human rights. Corporate Donations Some companies are increasing their interest in supporting community organizations in the countries where they operate through corporate social responsibility. Your organization can do a small survey to identify national and international companies active locally that you would like to contact to ask for funding. It might be useful to keep a file for each company with relevant information on what they do, the names of the people in leadership positions, if they have good practices in their activity, if they have a private foundation and any other public information available. Collaboration with Other NGOs Through collaboration with other organizations it is possible to prepare joint projects which can attract bigger financing than the ones obtained individually. Besides, there are 25