|
Organisational Cohesion – Management, Leadership, Congruency |
|
Click here to download PDF
What is Organisational Cohesion?
-
The whole organisation (from the Board and management to the people it is designed to support) is involved in and dedicated to the process of defining and redefining what the organisation wants to achieve.
-
The whole organisation is committed to the process of making it work.
back to the top
How might Organisational Congruency be achieved?
1. By clearly defining and articulating the values and principles of the organization
-
Organizations ensure that their values and principles are ‘living documents’
-
Disabled people, governance, staff, family/whanau and the community can articulate the values and principles of their organization
-
Values and principles are demonstrated
2. By developing management practices that demonstrate these values & principles
-
Management practices are in line with values and principle statements
-
Management practices are expected to demonstrate values and principles
-
Management practices are reviewed and expected to evolve
-
Good leadership is expected to be an integral part of management practices
3. By understanding the qualities and practices of good leadership
-
Understanding the qualities of good leaders, such as
o Belief in vision and confidence to support and develop it
o Recognising and bringing out the best in others
o Being reliable
o Understanding how to be part of a group and lead
o Being trustworthy
-
Understanding the practices of good leaders, such as
o Sharing information and knowledge
o Encouraging and enabling participation from all involved
o Mentoring
o Being accountable
o Being able to focus on the issue
-
Understanding the skills of good leaders, such as
o Facilitation skills
o Sharing knowledge/teaching
o Being able to collaborate and cooperate as well as encourage this in others
4. By enabling and supporting leadership development at all levels of the organization
-
Supporting disabled people to develop leadership skills
-
Enabling leadership practices at a range of levels and opportunities
-
Being a leader in the community
What might Organisational Congruency & Good Leadership look like?
For the individual:
- Understanding the aims and values of the agency and how that effects their life
- Feeling clear about what the agency should do for them
- Being valued and respected by management and staff
- Being enabled to develop leadership skills
- Being enabled and supported to take leadership roles
For family/whanau:
- Having clarity about the agency’s vision and values
- Seeing that the agency’s modus operandi is aligned with, and demonstrates, the agency’s stated values and vision
- Being enabled and supported to take leadership roles
For the service provider:
- Having clearly articulated values and principles
- Demonstrating these values and principles in daily practices
- Governance, management and staff have a shared vision
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly understood
- Having a practice of Action and Reflection
- Sharing leadership
For the community:
- Knowing the values and vision of the agency
- Understanding how this is demonstrated
- Having clear and easy processes for engagement with the service
- Seeing service users being supported to take leadership roles in the community
Developing Effective Practice: Recruiting the Right Staff
-
During the recruitment process find out what a person’s values are. What makes them tick, and does that fit well with what you are trying to achieve?
-
Give prospective staff an opportunity to interact with people in the service. Observe how well they relate to people. Are they able to engage with people? Do they take a genuine interest?
-
Match the skills and interests of newly appointed staff members to the roles they are undertaking, and the people they will be working with. This enhances what staff are able to contribute and helps them feel valued for the skills they bring to the service.
back to the top
Developing Effective Practice: Team Cohesion
-
Does everyone understand their role and how they contribute to the team?
-
Do Board members consider themselves part of the team?
-
Is management connected to service delivery, either directly or indirectly?
-
Are decisions made collaboratively, after discussion and input from the relevant parties?
-
Is there a sense of momentum?
-
Is their trust between the team?
-
Is their pride in the organisation and what it is achieving?
-
Is training undertaken by management and staff, and is it planned and co-ordinated?
-
Is there regular opportunity to plan and talk together?
-
Does the team have fun together?
back to the top
Links and Resources
Training
Unitec Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit Management
The Graduate Diploma in Not-For-Profit Management is designed for managers and co-ordinators, team leaders, volunteers and board members of not-for-profit (NFP) organisations. It supports NFP leaders and their organisations in achieving effective quality management and leadership. Courses include Values Based Management and Leadership, and Governance, Strategy and Stewardship. There is a flexible study programme and scholarships available.
Reading
There are a vast number of books on leadership. Here are some you may want to start with...
Peter Drucker
Managing the Non-Profit Organization: Practices and Principles (1990)
Jim Collins
Nick Marsh
back to the top
|
