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Running head: GAME CHANGERS CONSULTING REPORT

Game Changers Consulting Report

Jamie Gerhardt, Jarret LeMaster, Rachel White, and Amanda Wilson

6.10.15

1GAME CHANGERS CONSULTING REPORT

The purpose of this report is to assess Benevolence Inc. to identify the factors that have

lead to the slow decline in recent years, and to determine the current organizational culture in or-

der to gain a better understanding of what needs to change and finally make recommendations

based on those determinations. Our approach is to assess, diagnose and recommend solutions

that will be based on the OCAI Culture Assessment tool and the works of change experts Kotter,

Cameron and Quinn. We administered the OCAI Assessment to the staff and volunteers to get a

picture of the current culture and to see what the staff and volunteers would prefer the culture

would be.

Factors that have lead to Decline

In the analysis of Benevolence Inc. Game Changer’s Consulting came up with a number

of factors that have contributed to the decline in income, reach and overall influence.

A Fading History

The previous president was on the national board of the Wesleyan church and half the

board members were Wesleyan (case study). With the introduction of outside influences the

board has moved away from this Wesleyan core and as such has lost some of it’s identity. We

recommend that we begin with a new and compelling vision. As Simon Sinek, author and

speaker, suggests, to be successful you need to “start with Why” (Sinek, 2009). While the board

had a Wesleyan core, there was a common understanding of the “why” from which to draw.

Since Benevolence Inc. has deviated from that core, there is no longer a common set of beliefs to

draw from, so each individual represented across the organization has his or her own reasons for

participation. Our recommendation is to cast a new vision to unify the organization, the process

of which we will outline in detail later (a).

Disconnection from Original Donors


The decline in current donations is primarily due to a dip in morale because of visible

signs of deterioration, such as the closing of the Long Beach branch and a lack of relationship

with essential donors who were connected to the previous president Dr. Yuri Smith. We will

recommend reestablishing those connections and trust, but also creating new revenue streams

outlined later in the report.

Transitions

Much of this step will be addressed further in the Vision section but it bears stating that

Benevolence seems to be adrift in a fog between two ports. Benevolence has been in a perpetual

transition and has not landed solidly on any ground. The advent of new technology, new leader-

ship and a constantly changing landscape in which to function has created the need for a new

identity that can match the current demands. In short, the vision doesn’t match the current reality

(b).

The Need Outweighs the Resources

Finally, the demands of the community outweigh the current resources available to

Benevolence and as a result, performance decreases, morale drops, work force and finances de-

cline, which widens the gap between your abilities and your goals. Our recommendation is to

simplify by deciding which of the functions is the most important and focusing all of the existing

resources towards that particular need.

The Organizational Culture Needs to Change

The organization's current culture has also contributed to the decline in client retention

and employee trust and satisfaction. In light of Harold Blackstone’s dismissal, the perception of

the organization in the eyes of the employees has changed. They feel disconnected and lack trust


in the upper leadership. This has created an over lack of morale and less employee satisfaction

which has lead to a decrease in productivity and effectiveness.

Organizational Culture Assessment InstrumentBenevolence Inc.

HierarchyThe OCAI indicated that Benevolence Inc. has a dominant culture of Hierarchy. Hierar-

chy Culture is governed by process and procedure. The primary values are efficiency and struc-

ture and leaders within a hierarchy are seen as effective if they are good coordinators and orga-

nizers (Cameron/Quinn,p 42). There is a significant Clan culture (d) as well but not to the extent

of other organizations of it’s type. Hierarchy is to be expected when dealing with the school dis-

trict due to the amount of procedures necessary to keep students safe (c).

Preferred

The preferred culture would be a fairly good balance between Clan and Market with a lit-

tle adhocracy. The current culture is primarily internally focused and in order to serve effectively

Benevolence needs to be more outward or market focused. Market focus can create an external

and competitive culture that will help members of the organization approach the world in a way

that thinks more about the people they are serving and less about what kind of work environment

they are in. The smattering of adhocracy can help Benevolence with creative problem solving to

keep students engaged. In this new culture the organization would need to learn to understand

the customer base and realize that, even in a non-profit of this nature, the market matters. What

are the needs Benevolence is addressing and how can they address them more efficiently?

Establishing a Sense of Urgency


The first of Kotter’s eight steps is to create a sense of urgency that will be communicated

consistently throughout the change process. Without a sense of urgency people tend to lose in-

terest after the first win.

It is important to communicate the fact that Benevolence is on the decline and paint a pic-

ture of the decline and the need for change. Because of the decline in funding, Benevolence has

been forced to close another facility, which has lead to fewer resources and less people involved

in providing services. This has negatively affected morale within the organization and within the

communities previously touched by Benevolence. The overall reality is that the needs of the

community are not being met.

The primary issue that Benevolence is uniquely equipped to address is the fact that the state of

education is in crisis in lower income areas in the state of California. “The district's overall grad-

uation rate increased 1.4 points to 66.2 percent, with the rate for Latino students climbing from

63.1 to 65.5 percent, the state reported. At the same time, Los Angeles Unified's dropout rate fell

from 22.6 to 20.3 percent” (Dailynews..com, 2013). Our recommendation is to focus resources

on this problem and cut back in most other areas in order to really do this job well.

Developing a Vision and Strategy

With such factors at play in the educational realm, and clear efforts already being made

by Benevolence in that sector, focusing solely on education was the clear next step. With appar-

ent need, and tools available to meet said need, Benevolence’s new focus lies in educational as-

sistance for students ranging K-12. The third step in Leading Change centralizes on developing a

vision and a corresponding strategy for implementation (Kotter, 73). This step is necessary be-

cause it will hone Benevolence’s focus and define the company’s purpose. Since Benevolence

will be consolidating its assets and focusing strictly on education, the vision will help to guide


the employees in a new direction, even if the company no longer focuses on their former sector

of service (e).

With the recommendation to focus on education, Benevolence’s new vision is Transform-

ing the lives of the urban youth of Los Angeles through educational opportunities for K-12 stu-

dents in an effort to create lifelong learners and college graduates. The power of the new vision

lies in its attainability, desirability, and simplification (Kotter, 74). The aforementioned traits are

just a few of the several factors that make this new vision effective (f). This vision paints a pic-

ture of the future that is not only desirable to the employees, but is also achievable, simplified,

adaptable to a changing world and easy to communicate (Kotter, 74). Prior to the development

of this new vision, Benevolence operated as a “jack of all trades, master of none” organization.

With the development of the new vision, and in partnership with the strategy, Benevolence will

now strive to be a master of one trade, educational assistance.

Strategizing the varying steps necessary to make this new vision a reality, Game Chang-

ers Consulting has developed a series of suggestions in partenrship with the guiding coalition.

After streamlining the programing, and cutting away the excess services not in alignment with

the new vision, the coalition must develop and board and seek out funding. The new board will

be built by utilizing members of the guiding coalition as well as Benevolence’s connections. Dr.

Watson, the current President of Benevolence, will be a key player in the development of the

new board. Previous board members could be welcomed back onto the new board with their ac-

ceptance of the new vision.

Furthermore, in the realm of funding, Benevolence must seek new financial backing.

Since the close of the Long Beach office, and the corresponding drop in funding, Benevolence

will initially need to focus on attracting more donors. This funding can come from corporations,


individuals, foundations or the government, and all of the options should be considered. Addi-

tionally, funding will continue to be priority for Benevolence and will need to be an ongoing

process. Concurrently with the ongoing funding, the organization should seek to hire a director

of operations, a communications officer to manage and hire an outside marketing firm for re-

branding. In an effort to continue promoting the culture as previously assessed above, Benevo-

lence should seek to promote internally as mush as possible. These steps will help to keep em-

ployees thriving internally and remarket Benevolence externally to its users.

In line with the vision cast above, the programs offered by Benevolence will now include

early morning/ after school tutoring and educational development with additional library pro-

grams offered later in the day. These programs will be offered on site at Los Angeles’ schools

and libraries in an effort to minimize the student’s travel. The mobile workforce will also utilize

the online services that Dr. Watson endorses. The workforce will be equipped with iPads, laptops

and various technology to not only provide alternative avenues for learning but also to provide

students with technological competency for a changing world. These measures are focused on

Benevolence’s vision and will provide thorough support for their clientele.

Communicating the Change Vision

In order to move forward with Benevolence Inc.’s new vision, the entire organization

must understand its goals and the new direction through a well designed communication plan

that inspires a confidence in the future and helps create transformation (Kotter, 1996). As refer-

enced in Leading Change, effectively communicating the vision entails key elements that Benev-

olence should include in its plan (g).

Communicating the change vision is a task for the guiding coalition, internal influencers,

and the president. This group needs to focus on clear, simple, and compelling messaging that


speaks to the heart of the change. These leaders, coached by the new communications officer,

should set aside technical and academic speak and communicate directly and authentically en-

abling their organization to understand and believe in the new vision. “Communication seems to

work best when it is so direct and so simple that is has a sort of elegance” (Kotter, 1996, p. 89).

With a focus on simple messaging Benevolence Inc. should communicate in imaginative

ways using vivid imagery and colorful language that appeals to emotions (Kotter, 1996). Visual

storytelling, coordinated by an outside marketing firm, plays a key role in the communication

plan both for the internal organization and the external public. “Powerful visuals evoke emotions,

driving a deeper engagement and more profound change in behavior” (Getty Images). A combi-

nation of visual media including still photography and short film with narration and music will

help viewers capture Benevolence Inc.’s vision through compelling stories that celebrate the suc-

cess of its students and alumni and the commitment of its staff. These can appear on the organi-

zation’s website, in artwork that adorns its office, and in video presentations to external audi-

ences/potential donors. This represents part of a broader communication strategy that employs

several vehicles to get the messaging out (Kotter, 1996). These internal channels include weekly

town hall meetings with the president and the entire staff, information conveyed electronically

through email and the employee intranet, and opportunities for smaller group and one-on-one

discussions at staff meetings.

Communicating the vision must entail listening to employees and volunteers too so they

feel valued and part of the change. “Two way discussions are an essential method of helping peo-

ple answer questions that occur in the transformational effort” (Kotter, 1996, p. 99). External

messaging includes speeches by the president, posting on the organization’s website, and strate-

gic media placement through public relations efforts including press releases and direct media


pitching. For these efforts to garner maximum results, they must be repeated over and over in a

massive communication effort (Kotter, 1996).

To build trust, the president and guiding coalition will need to lead by example. Top

management living out the vision is vital to establish credibility (Kotter, 1996). This is especially

important as a lack of trust in leadership is a frequent discussion among long-term staffers in the

organization. Addressing any inconsistencies, real or perceived, will also be necessary. These

may include communicating the positive reasons for streamlining services such as a more fo-

cused approach, better use of resources, etc. and employee terminations that ultimately result in a

more dedicated workforce. (Kotter, 1996).

Empowering Employees (and Volunteers) For Broad-Based Action

“Highly empowered people feel they understand top management’s vision for the organi-

zation,” (Quinn, 1996, p. 226) so Benevolence Inc. needs to help their employees and volunteers

to feel capable and in control. Remove any structural barriers to success (h), which may include

terminating employees who resist change and eliminating silos to foster trust and teamwork. Em-

power employees with in-depth training to increase skills and improve attitude through team

building and interpersonal communication workshops that advance the vision (Kotter, 1996).

Generating Short-Term Wins

Every step of the change process is vital to successful change, and therefore the acknowl-

edgement of small victories (i) is essential to sustaining motivation. One easily manageable

short-term win that Benevolence Inc. could benefit from implementing, would be celebrating

new board members who bring positive influence, as well as donor connections. By providing

recognition, the organization will be celebrating the small victory, as well as sparking some

healthy competition to bring in more powerful people on board (j). Another format for short-term


wins is to share the student success stories of alumni of the program. An example of this would

be that each fall, Benevolence Inc. hosts a relatively low-budget kickoff celebration for employ-

ees to produce and plant seeds of excitement, followed a spring party to celebrate the graduates

and possibly honor top students with scholarships to President Washington’s alma mater, Cal

State L.A. With the President’s strong connections and network, it may be ideal for her to lever-

age these relationships through the fundraising team. Celebrating short-terms wins is an easy and

powerful way to communicate and update the participants of change (whether willing or unwill-

ing) on the progress of the change.

Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change

At this point of the change process, positive steps forward have occurred and it is impor-

tant to remember that the advancement of Benevolence Inc. does not stop here. Change requires

consistent adjustment and acclimating to the needs of the organization (k). The first way that we

recommend consolidating gains and tackling bigger projects would be by creating a college vol-

unteer program for students, specifically alumni of the program, to come back and give or serve

through this outlet. This source of volunteering is not limited to alumni, but open to all students

willing to help. By taking advantage of the service-oriented campus clubs on local college cam-

puses, as well as students independently seeking to serve, Benevolence Inc. could have access to

several resources for helping hands. This program is as much of a philanthropic activity for vol-

unteers as it is a job for others, and we encourage the organization to keep focused on active re-

cruitment of new volunteers, as well as the ability to retain consistent volunteers who participate

on a regular basis. An important factor in staying relevant would be to keep up with technology.

This is a constantly changing technological world that we live in, and it is crucial to stay in touch


with it. Lastly, Benevolence Inv. needs to recognize interdependencies within the organization

and eliminate them, letting the president take the lead on fundraising.

Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture

With the acknowledgment of a shift from a culture weighed heavily in hierarchy to a

more market and clan oriented culture, we hope that you see the importance of maintaining some

stability and sense of hierarchy. At this point, it may be necessary to make conscious decisions

about who stays within the organization and who leaves it (l). In order to anchor a new approach,

we recommend that Benevolence Inc. puts a stronger management structure in place that encour-

ages leadership development and succession. This allows whatever culture is built among the or-

ganization to remain sustained by those who created it. Benevolence Inc. should connect behav-

iors and success among both the students involved in the program, as well as the staff of employ-

ees contributing to it and building it up. That way, the change is clearly verbally communicated

and affirmed.

Creating a Better Future Through Education Today

In summary. Benevolence Inc. has a rich history and a promising future. Through

implementing the step by step recommendations that Game Changers Consultants have sug-

gested, we believe that the developing culture will be effective, will allow room for growth, and

most importantly will produce longevity for the impact of the organization. We are honored to

partner with Benevolence Inc. in the vision of transforming the lives of the urban youth of Los

Angeles through educational opportunities for K-12 students in an effort to create lifelong learn-

ers and college graduates.


Appendix

(a) According to Kotter the vision must be imaginable, desirable, feasible, focused, flexible and

communicable (Kotter, Table 5-1, p.74). This process can take months or even years depending

on the ability of the guiding coalition to come to a clear and common understanding of the direc-

tion of the organization.

(b) Much of the transition step will require a change in outlook from the employees and so must

be addressed as personal process. In Quinn’s Deep Change, he posits that change begins with the

individual and then transfers to the organization. We suggest that the employees and volunteer

go through Deep Change and discuss the process. A recommended resource is William Bridges

Transitions, making sense of life’s changes in which he indicates that change begins with an end-


ing, which in this case is the old paradigm, a neutral zone, which we currently reside in, and fi-

nally a new beginning, which is represented by the new paradigm we propose.

(c) In Diagnosing and changing organizational culture, Quinn and Cameron define Hierarchy

culture is a “formalized and structured place to work. Procedures govern what people do. Effec-

tive leaders are good coordinators and organizers. Maintaining a smoothly running organization

is important. The long-term concerns of the organization are stability, predictability and effi-

ciency. Formal rules and policies hold the organization together”(Quinn/Cameron, p 42). Inas-

much as a clan culture might be expected in a non-profit afterschool, family oriented program it

is usually governed more by structure and procedure than clan. Often tutoring, education and

serving the family is about organizing inexperienced volunteers so much of the work becomes

about educating a workforce to deal with school and government procedures necessary to have

access to students and families.

(d) Clan culture as defined by Cameron and Quinn is as follows. “Shared values and goals, cohe-

sion, participative-ness, individuality and a sense of “we-ness” permeated clan-type firms. They

seemed more like extended families than economic entities.” (Cameron/Quinn, p 46)

Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument


(e) The vision declutters the work of the organization and simplifies the route the company will

take. “With clarity of direction, inappropriate projects can be identified and terminated, even if

they have political support” (Kotter, 71).

(f) Imaginable, desirable, feasible, focused, flexible, and communicable, these are the six factors

that Kotter (74) notes are necessary to create an effective vision.

(g) For effective communication of the vision, Kotter (90) says that these elements must be

present: simplicity; metaphor, analogy and example; multiple forums; repetition; leadership by

example; explanation of seeming inconsistencies; and give-and-take.

(h) Barriers to empowerment include formal structures, bosses that discourage actions aimed at

implementing the vision, a lack of needed skills, and personnel and information systems that

make it difficult to act (Kotter, 102).

(i) Good short-term wins entail a few important factors in order to work effectively. First and

foremost, they need to be visible. For people with a “see it to believe it” mindset, it is vital that

the win is visible without being convinced or persuaded. This leads to the next factor, that the

win must be unambiguous and without debate. Lastly, it needs to be directly related to the

change matter at hand. The correlation between the two must be obvious to the employees (Kot-

ter, 121-122).

(j) As Kotter mentions in Leading Change, “more pressure isn’t all bad,” and there is room for

healthy competition when recognizing and spotlighting individuals who have performed well

(127). Short-term pressure can be a great format for creating more urgency for change among the

employees. It is, however, important to be aware of the difference between urgency and stress or

exhaustion.


(k) The guiding coalition should use their short-terms wins and new sense of credibility as an op-

portunity to take on bigger projects for change. Kotter mentions that “outstanding leaders are

willing to think long-term (144),” and this is the turning point where short-term goals turn into

larger accomplishments that will take time and energy to implement.

(l) Unfortunately, not everyone will be eager to accept and adapt to a new environment. It may

be necessary to anticipate turnover at this point, as a new culture has formed and will only be

progressing with change. Although turnover is not ideal, it can be healthy for the organization

and ultimately beneficial.

References Cameron, S. K. and Quinn, R. E. (2011) Diagnosing and changing organizational cul-

ture. San Fransisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Curve (2015). The Power of Visual Storytelling.,Getty Images.Retrieved from:

http://curve.gettyimages.com/article/the-power-of-visual-storytelling

Jones, B. (04/09/13). Lausd graduation rate increases to 66%. Retrieved from:

http://www.dailynews.com

Kotter, J.P. (1996). Leading change, Watertown MA: Harvard Business Review Press

Quinn, R. E. (1996). Deep change: Discovering the leader within. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-

Bass Publishers.

http://www.dailynews.com/

http://www.dailynews.com/


Shakespeare, W. (1996). Hamlet. Boston, MA: English Play Press. (Original work pub-

lished 1699)

Sinek, S. (2009) Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, West-

minster, London Penguin Publishing Group

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jamiegerhardt.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewGame Changers Consulting Report. Jamie Gerhardt, Jarret LeMaster, Rachel White, and Amanda Wilson . 6.10.15. The purpose of this