organization identity

WHO ARE WE?

characteristics of a healthy organizationOrganization focuses on its mission.What is the organization’s purpose and reason for being?Is there a clear statement defining who we are? To what extent do the organization’s members understand its mission?

The leaders have a picture of its future. Where is the passion in the organization? Where is it we are going and how are we going to get there? Does the organization have a strategic plan to help it move into the future?

Organization has a formal process for handling conflict in a healthy way.When conflict occurs, how do we deal with it? Are there systems in place to resolve issues? Does the organization get bogged down in conflict, or is it able to work through and resolve conflict in a way that is healthy for the organization?

characteristics of a healthy boardA board speaks with one voice.

Board members are engaged in the decision making process and everyone is given the opportunity to voice their opinion. A vote is taken and the board adopts that voice and avoids triangular communication.

Focuses on vision and mission.

Provides guidance and inspiration and practices “big picture” thinking.

Focuses on strengths.

Combats mood problems, practices positive thinking and manages conflicts.

WHERE ARE WE?

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

VITALITY REGENERATION

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

Becoming who you are.

In many ways, the growth state is a transitional period between the stages of start-up and maturity. In this stage, the organization begins to define their mission and service niche more carefully.

Growth stagers spend a considerable amount of energy creating, refining and focusing on the best ways to service the organization’s wants and needs.

Board of Directors begin to transition from being a support group for the founder to accepting responsibility for the organization by becoming more formalized, tracking and evaluate performance and recruit professional expertise.

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

Knowing who you are.

The organization knows its members and its members know them.

They engage in public education on topics related to their mission.

Organization has a stable and active membership.

The board plays a leadership role capable of understanding pressing issues and provide solutions.

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

What you used to be.

Declining stages are inward focused and become locked into their own methods and seldom seek evaluative feedback.

Organizations begin to justify their thought processes and decisions by their reputation and community position rather than bring new insight or approaches to the table, they continue to recycle traditional programs whether needed or not.

Project outward blame - rather than acknowledge and adapt to the circumstances, the organization ignores or makes excuses for it.

Board members have lost interest, lost enthusiasm and may be the last to know it is in a state of decline.

There are two ways out of the declining stage. Change nothing and the organization will erode into the terminal stage, or, through some intervention from board members to move into the turnaround stage.

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

Self Awareness.

The turnaround stage involves restructuring and brings the organization back to the high side of the start-up or early growth stage with fewer programs with stronger budgets and with a relevant mission.

Turnaround boards are fearless, take-charge types, utterly confident of their abilities and not out to win popularity. They are able to mobilize resources, and restore the confidence of the community in the mission and operations of the program.

In some cases, board members will choose to retreat from the organization due to differences of opinion or lack of time to play a vital role.

organization stages

IDEA START-UP GROWTH MATURITY DECLINE TURNAROUND TERMINAL

In name only.

The stage when an organization has neither the will, purpose, nor energy to continue to exist.

The organization has lost its essential ingredients necessary to stay alive: Mission > the purpose within which the services are defined and measured.

Members > the community that needs services.

Leaders > the leaders and volunteers who hold themselves responsible for program success.

Funding > ability to generate contributions to support the organization.

Energy > the passion and enthusiasm that nourishes the community and programs.

The organization has lost track of who they are and what their members require of them.

WHAT GUIDES US?

missionMission statements should explain why your organization exists.

If it has been more than five years, now is probably a good time to review and, if necessary,adjust or even rewrite your mission statement.

At the very least, mission statements should address these key questions:

What does the organization do?

Who does it serve?

How does it serve the needs?

What values guide the work?

mission

Founded in 1962, this dynamic group allows its members and the publicthe opportunity to expand their understanding and appreciation ofcontemporary art through educational programs, social events, andcommunity collaborations in an informative friendly environment.Members of CAS also enjoy opportunities to visit local artists’ studios, tourprivate collections, attend international shows, and dine and dialogue withprominent artists, collectors, critics, and historians.

What does the organization do ? Who does it serve ? How does it serve the needs ? What values guide the work

members

Through their generous support, Contemporary Art Society (CAS) members helpbuild the Museum’s contemporary art collection.

leaders

The Contemporary Art Society is led by a Board of Directors and is advised by Lisa Freiman, Chair of the Contemporary Art Department, as well as a Museum Affiliate liaison.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Have an educational component- whatever it may be- a talk on a painting in someone’s home with aquest curator- a trip to Columbus when appropriate when the show warrants it, or Cincinnati, Louisville,Bloomington- a small not too expensive jaunt when the venue is noteworthy. Could we have moviesthat are hard to get- which feature artists, etc, something that would not necessarily be shown atKeystone at the crossing, artist videos-performance art that had been filmed.

Something that would bring us together in a different waythat hasn’t been done in the past…the social event can come at the end-

drinks, informal dinner. Something that seems more spontaneous is more fun than something planned.But letting people know this may be the plan. Artist studio visits. too overdone? Something withIMOCA? Increase in acquisition fund, additional donors. Polling, surveys, questions, evaluations onhow we are performing. Look at other affiliate institutions and see how they are operating and whatthey do. Guest speakers with curator and or past/current president. Poll membership to see what theylike – asking for positive experiences. Focus on membership education and participation in CAScollection building awareness. Work on donor development as a long-term plan tapping all levels andbuilding relationships. Connecting members with the value of CAS through select special curator toursand visiting artists. Combine events with IMA affiliates. Have consistent social event times – with theBoard Members. Home tours. Corporate collection tours. University art department tours.

entering into the neutral zone

The starting point for dealing with transition is not the outcome but the ending that you’ll have to make to leave the old situation behind. Situational change hinges on the new thing, but psychological transition depends on letting go of the old reality and the old identity you had before the change took place.

The Neutral Zone is the psychological no-man’s-land between the old reality and the new one. It is the limbo between the old sense of identity and the new. It is the time when the old way of doing things is gone but the new way doesn’t feel comfortable yet.

managing transitions

The first phase of transition is an ending, and a time to help people deal with their losses.

Going through an in-between time when the old is gone but the new isn’t fully operational. We call this time the “neutral zone”: it’s when the critical psychological realignments and repatterning take place.

Coming out of the transition and making a new beginning. This is when people develop the new identity, experience the new energy and discover the new sense of purpose that make the change begin to work.

transitions start with an ending…

resourcesConcepts and content drawn from:

Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-basedWisdom for Nonprofits Capacity by Susan Kenny Stevens (2001).

Managing Transitions 3rd Edition: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges, PhD (2009).