A group of Roman Catholic nuns contemplated their future. With just over 100 members, an average age of 82, and no new nuns joining, it was clear that the order would disappear in about 20 years.
“What can we create today that will perpetuate our values in a world where we no longer exist?”
The nuns knew they needed outside help to explore this big question.
They called on Frank Abdale, a strategic and succession planning specialist, to guide them through the strategic process. The decision to center their strategy on preserving core values crystalized for Frank a lesson learned over 25 years of working in the nonprofit sector: the secret to successful change and managing the fear and uncertainty that comes with it, is to focus first on what is not going to change.
After much discussion, what surfaces is a clear picture of the organization’s essence – the core of its mission and the values that form the bedrock of its culture. This becomes the solid ground to stand on while contemplating and implementing change. How the mission is advanced may look very different at the end of the planning process, but the mission itself and the values behind it will be stronger than ever.
The nuns possessed the one element most needed for any organization to stay healthy and relevant: the willingness to embrace change. An organization needs to be nimble, accepting and responding to changes thrust upon it by circumstances over which there is no control.
The Essence of Being Strategic
Staying true to core values and mission is an essential component of leading through change. Frank Abdale shares these five tips for approaching a change process:
1. Be Patient
Part of planning for change is developing a clear and engaging vision for the future. Just sharing that vision, however exciting, is not always enough. Allow others on the team the time they need to go through their own process and to adopt that perspective and catch-up. Be prepared to invest the time it takes encourage for everyone to make the shared goals their own.
2. Be Inclusive
Change is successful when those who have a stake in the outcome are engaged in the planning process. Offering people authentic ways to participate makes them feel safe and leads to unanticipated and valuable contributions in every phase of the process. Engaging all the key players ensures even those who are most anxious about the process become comfortable.
3. Be Clear
Articulate the need to change in a clear and compelling manner – staying centered in the shared values and mission. Make sure that everyone, particularly those furthest from the top, hear that change is going to happen in a well-ordered, thoughtful and inclusive manner. Continue to communicate clearly and regularly throughout the planning process. This helps others understand, while the change may be uncomfortable at first, it is necessary and non-negotiable.
4. Be Persuasive
Before launching any change project, gather data to help demonstrate why the change is necessary and beneficial. Articulating the shared values is the first data set to collect, followed by facts and figures that support the rationale for a new vision. Some participants may wonder why change is necessary, data may persuade them of the need for change.
5. Be Open
Many participants adapt and adjust their thinking during the process of gathering data and engaging with stakeholders. Be prepared to let go of ideas that no longer fit and be open to try a new approach. Decisions will be based on the agreed-upon values, solid data and the principles that the group decided would not change.
Guiding an organization through change is a challenge. Board members and staff may be entrenched in old ways and methods. They often have extremely divergent ideas of the direction the organization should take. By identifying shared values and using tools and techniques that lead to meaningful engagement, all participants approach the task of evolving in a way that brings everyone along. The process will become more natural and fluid and the organization will successfully effect change that is meaningful and lasting.
As for the nuns, their plans are still evolving. Their commitment to social justice led to selling some assets and endowing a local foundation with enough funds to sustain a training program for emerging advocates. Their belief that we are all stewards of the earth that God created led to donating more than 30 acres of pristine landscape on the Hudson River to the Westchester Land Trust, where future generations can come to find peace and contemplate the gifts and the spirit that these devout and courageous women have bequeathed to us all.
