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Non- Governmental Organisations NEWS for the Eastern Caribbean No. 16 (August 1992) Linking Environmental Policy Concerns and NGO Institutional Development NGO INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 9 [Institutional Development Topics] VISIONARY LEADERSHIP - MANAGERIAL SKILLS Both Are Essential To Strengthening Non-Governmental Organisations ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE When NGOs are forced to tackle difficult internal issues - e.g., how to increase effectiveness, strengthen capacity, or improve performance — they often fall into a trap of looking for quick and simple solutions, says Piers Campbell of NGO Management Network News (No. 17, April/June 1990). External training courses, a new staff person, or overhaul of administrative procedures are seen as expedient answers to the need for change. While such approaches have some validity, they may not have the desired results. The reason why, ac cording to Campbell, is that organisations themselves are much more complex than most of us realise - and deep- rooted problems can rarely be solved by "quick-fix" solu tions. In this issue of NGO NEWS, we are going to tackle two interrelated subjects which resist "quick-fix" defini tions - leadership and management. We will examine how the quality and effectiveness of both can and will affect change within NGOs, and in the process we hope to stimulate new opportunities for institutional growth among our NGO partners in the Eastern Caribbean. A number of sources were consulted in the prepa ration of this issue of NGO NEWS, and these are pro vided in the list of references which appears on page 6. In an effort to simplify, Piers Campbell of the NGO Management Network defines an organisa tion as an organised group (or team) of people with a common purpose. The key words empha sised are: • purpose - the organisation's clearly-defined goals and strategies; • people - the organisation's members, staff, and board with requisite skills, expertise, and com mitment; • organised - the organisation's structure, sys tems, and administrative procedures; • group - people working together as an inte grated and effective team. When looking at organisational change, Campbell states that it is essential to think of change in terms of these four key organisational components - although he gives primary impor tance to the components which emphasise strategic planning (purpose) and team-building (group). Published by Island Resources Foundation (Red Hook Box 33, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802) under a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Reproduction of information in NGO NEWS is encouraged, but acknowledgement of the source and copies of reproduced materials would be appreciated. EDITOR: Judith A. Towle. NGO INFORMATION BULLETIN THE VISION OF MOTIVATED LEADERS THE SKILL OF EFFECTIVE MANAGERS In an earlier issue of NGO NEWS (January 1990), we briefly addressed the subject of NGO leadership and asked the question: when is being a good manager not enough? We quoted from a book, On Leadership, by John W. Gardner, a former U.S. Cabinet member, and we think some of the issues raised at that time are worth repeating now. It is Gardner's contention that good management is not necessarily good leadership (more on this below). For example, he points out qualities which may define good "leaders" but not necessarily good "managers": - Leaders have the skill to cope with the conflicting demands of a membership core which can be diverse and unmatched in what it requires and expects from the or ganisation. - Leaders are able to grasp and are sensitive to the relationship of the organisation to the larger community. A leader is not necessarily restricted by the organisa tion's agenda or its more focused and hence narrower mission statement. - Leaders think long-term, beyond the day-to-day operational crises; they have a sense of vision. - Leaders have an ability to move and mobilise people. In the extreme, they have the capacity to capture hearts or change perceptions. - Finally leaders think in terms of renewal and are not generally comfortable with the status quo. Attributes such as those identified above shape what we generally think of as the "challenge of leader ship". True leaders will most often act and react as char acterised by Mr. Gardner; indeed, without aggressive leadership, most organisations will not grow or move forward. This, however, should not demean the necessity for good managerial skills in the operation of non-govern mental organisations. What we want to suggest to NGOs is that in the pursuit of management imperatives, they should not overlook the leadership imperative. In smaller organisations — like the network of envi ronmental NGOs in the Eastern Caribbean - the reality is that those who manage (i.e., those who preside over the processes by which the organisation functions) are also those who lead the organisation. A small core of persons within the NGO (sometimes it is only one per son - the president, chairperson of the board, or ex ecutive director) must combine two roles, one as NGO leader and a second as NGO manager. For organisations that are primarily volunteer- based, the challenge to both lead and manage can be come overwhelming. The result too often is that those responsible for providing direction for the NGO will, overtime, emphasise one or the other — motivation and mission over the nuts-and-bolts of administrative func tions or procedure, structure, and performance over the intangibles of values and vision. It is an unfortunate (and perhaps overly simplistic) dichotomy. NGOs need both visionary leadership and effective management. The challenge is to find the means to support and sustain both. 2. 3. SKILLS FOR NGO MANAGERS and LEADERS [Adapted from: NGO MANAGEMENT, No. 14, 1989] LISTENING: the ability to pick out positive aspects as well as problems, difficulties, and tensions in a given situation. EMPATHY: the ability to identify with problems and situa tions as seen through the eyes of others. QUESTIONING: the ability to sympathetically examine situa tions before expressing opinions or making judgements. 4. OBSERVATION: the ability to pick up more subtle informa tion about a situation, e.g., the feelings, concerns and inten tions of others from non-verbal cues. 5. SUMMARISING: the ability to sum up complex information and identify key problems and alternate possibilities. 6. TIMING: the ability to sense when to encourage, when to c h a l l e n g e , w h e n t o g i v e s u p p o r t . _ _ ^ . ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION NGO INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME No. 9 (August 1992) IN PURSUIT OF NGO COMPETENCE Unfortunately, competence in the art of "management" is not ag gressively or even consciously pur sued by most non-governmental or ganisations. One NGO (the African Region of Caritas Internationalis) has asked the question, "Why are NGOs so suspicious of the word management," and come up with one probable answer. For many, it is because the term "management" is derived from the for-profit sector and seems alien to the not-for-profit world. In this context, management is associated with efficiency and productivity, whereas most NGOs tend to em phasise their "good works" rather than their competence. Still another publication {Impact, No. 4, 1987) points out that in eval uating the management skills of NGOs, the volunteerism of such or ganisations is often equated with amateurism. This publication too identifies the lack of "market place" or "bottom line" indicators of suc cess as an explanation for why it is difficult to advance managerial competence in NGOs. Determinants of Success For example, unlike for-profit business ventures, there is no profit measure to trigger "shareholder" (e.g., Board) satisfaction or displea sure with management. The closest comparable measure is the success of the management team in raising funds — which may or may not bear some direct relationship to substan tive NGO accomplishments. Thus, NGO boards are forced to look be yond mere financial statements to determine institutional "success" and their own degree of satisfaction with the management structure. Essen tially, they are left with subjective measures, which are not generally as persuasive as profit measures {Impact, No. 4,1987). Role of Managers Basically, there is nothing intrin sically good or bad -- or alien - about management. It simply de scribes a function or a process that every organisation needs if it is to be effective. Historically, the role of the man ager has been one of intervention, in the pursuit of defined institutional goals. It is the job of the manager to organise the tasks required to achieve the group's basic purpose and to motivate people to accom plish those tasks. Thus, the role of the manager is multi-facited: to buffer, screen, me diate, interpret, monitor, allocate. The effective manager is at once an evaluator, a disseminator, a spokes person, an entrepreneur, a negotia tor, a resource allocator - and a leader. The manager, by definition, op erates in an environment filled with uncertainties. If there were no un certainties, only perfect knowledge, there would be no need for man agers — only technicians. Management or Control? The need to optimise pre dictability and minimise complexity in an uncertain work environment has historically led to the develop ment of "control models" for man agement. Such models focus on formal structure and highly pre dictable order. However, many experts in the field contend that successful man agement is not a process of "control" but rather one of open-ended deci sion-making. The key to successful management, these experts argue, is [continued on page 4] 7. MUTUAL LEARNING: the ability to project an attitude which says you do not know it all; a willingness to learn from the rest of the group in creating a spirit of collaboration and an environment open to creativity. 8. PLANNING: the ability to use time effectively, to allocate re sources as required, and to meet essential deadlines. 10. ENCOURAGEMENT: the ability to build confidence within the group by affirming the positive aspects of work accom plished while also helping group members to recognise neg ative aspects and think out alternative approaches. FLEXIBILITY: the ability to encourage creativity and a spirit of experimentation and entrepreneurship within the organi sation. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION NGO INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME NGO INFORMATION BULLETIN The paradox that confronts the NGO manager reflects the tensions of the classic public administration dilemma: how to maintain ac countability and efficiency within an institutional environment that encourages flexibility and creativity. (continued from page 3] not for the manager to concentrate on procedures and structures designed to control events but rather to focus on his or her role as an adaptive decision-maker. Managers who adhere too closely to standard rou tines, formal rules, and rigid behaviour run the risk of subverting the very goals and objectives for which the or ganisation was formed. The administrative tasks, in ef fect, displace the primary organisational goals. This lesson is particularly important for small NGOs which generally begin as decentralised organisations. As they grow and prosper, there is a tendency for managers to want to duplicate the hierarchical structure and cen tralised systems of governments or international aid agencies. The risk is that the NGO will gradually lose its capacity to be in novative - and, most important ly, its ability to function within a 'learning envi ronment". Suc cessful NGO managers, therefore, seek management styles that com bine function and structure with learning and innovation. Technical Expertise or Managerial Competence Many NGO "managers" are hired for their technical skills rather than their organisational or managerial competence. Such persons tend to give a lower priority to management responsibilities, preferring to focus on the technical or programming aspects of their work. Yet, as Piers Campbell points out {NGO Management, No. 23, 1991), organisational and managerial expertise can be as important, if not more important, than technical skills. Piers cautions that in additional to professionals with technical abilities, NGOs need managers with organisa tional skills (e.g., the ability to plan, coordinate, negoti ate, communicate, mediate, monitor, evaluate) and man agerial skills (the ability to supervise, motivate, delegate, allocate and — most importantly — make decisions). The relative priority that is given to each set of skills will de pend on the NGO's immediate situation, the experience of other staff or volunteers, and the nature of the NGO's work. In working with its NGO partners in the Eastern Caribbean, the Island Resources Foundation has often encouraged NGOs to stretch limited financial resources by seeking support for a single staff position that combines the role of a programme coordinator (or project director) with that of an executive director (or NGO manager). The difficulty, of course, is in identifying an individual who exhibits the technical knowledge to successfully implement the NGO's programme agenda and the managerial skills to keep the organisation's "nuts and bolts" in order. The NGO Manager as Facilitator An important role of the NGO manager is to ensure that planning is carried out in the organisation, that con flict is resolved, that evaluation is done effectively, etc., etc. In this s e n s e , t h e essential function of the manager is to a c t a s a facilitator or catalyst within the group. If one accepts the facilitator role of the NGO man ager, then specific managerial responsibilities can in clude the following (adapted from: "Working in Caritas: Organizing Ourselves for Greater Effectiveness"): - Assist the governing board in defining the values and purpose of the NGO; - Establish, in consultation with the governing board, a programme strategy; - Ensure the implementation of effective and appropriate programmes; - Set up efficient structures and systems; - Recruit and nurture committed and capable staff and volunteers; - Maintain good relations with other NGOs and the larger community in which the NGO operates; - Expedite organisational processes, e.g., problem-solving, conflict resolution, com munications, coordination, etc. The manager does not necessarily have to do all these things, but s/he must make sure that they are done. [continued on page 5] ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION NGO INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME No. 9 (August 1992) [continued from page 4] Management Styles Basically, there is no right or wrong "management style". The approach chosen by any single NGO man ager or management team must mirror or reflect the or ganisation in which they operate. Since there is no per fect formula or set of guidelines, much will depend on the personality of the manager, the capacity of staff (or volunteers), and the type of work pursued by the NGO. In short, to be effective, the NGO's "management style" should accurately mirror the organisation itself (Caritas Internationalis). NGO LEADERSHIP Vie subject of NGO leadership was one focus of a 1989 NGO work shop held in Tliailand and organised by the Asian Cultural Fonun on Development. Some of the outputs of that meeting were reprinted in NGO MANAGEMENT (July-September 1990), and highlights of that article are summarised below for our readers. Workshop participants empha sised that NGOs should practice what they preach and adopt a leadership style that is both impar tial and participatory. Hierarchical structures and authoritarian prac tices are to be avoided. It is also important that the many rather the few be involved in decision making. Several leadership styles were rejected by participants as not ap propriate for most NGOs, notably that of a shepherd leading a docile flock and that of a cowboy di recting and driving the herd in front of him. An analogy from the sports' field seemed more appropriate. When watching a match from a public gallery, it is hard to pick out who the captain is because s/he plays along with the other mem bers of the team. Nevertheless, the captain is busy arranging the team appropriately in light of the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. Participants identified a number of qualities they felt NGO person nel in general and NGO leaders in particular should have: - analytical skills - creativity and flexibility - courage of one's convic tions - decisiveness in making decisions - self-discipline - patience - resourceful time man agement - diligence and capacity for hard work - effective administrative skills - appreciation of the work of others - ability to learn from one's mistakes. Accountability and openness were identified as essential for ef fective leadership. However, par ticipants noted, accountability is not only to funding agencies, but also to the NGO's board, mem bers, and programme benefi ciaries. NGOs should practice what they preach and adopt a leadership style that is impartial and participatory . . . An NGO leader should be "first among equals". ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION NGO INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME NGO INFORMATION BULLETIN THE NGO PRESIDENT: A LEADERSHIP ROLE [Summarised and adapted from: B. O'Connell, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS] Many presidents of NGOs can be well into their term before they really understand their role and job. This is unfortunate because much of what the president's term of office will mean to the organisation is accomplished during the first few months. Many of the essential leadership functions performed by the president have to be in place early on if the presidency is to have a sense of direction. Planning. As early as possible, incoming NGO presidents need to decide on the one, two or - at the most - three things they want most to accomplish. Most presidents make the mistake of starting out with too many aspirations and don't really pin down what it will take to carry out this full agenda. Many look back with regret that they never really got off the ground with many of the things that seemed so important at the beginning. Similarly, NGO presidents should not try to change too much too fast. An organisation can sustain or survive just so much institutional upheaval during any given period of time. Motivating. Many NGO presidents leave motivation to chance. They forget that the board, staff, and members want to know where the president is going with the organisation, what s/he considers important. The president must be the regular motivator, encourager, and prodder of the NGO and must provide regular opportunities for discussion of progress and problems. Motivating others in the organisation is not the kind of thing that will just happen automatically. Coordinating. It is the responsibility of the NGO president to see that the activities which the organisation's officers, governing board, and committees set out to accomplish are being implemented. If a key individual is letting the group down, it is the job of the president to face up to this problem, keeping in mind that the larger responsibility of the president is to all who contribute to and support the organisation. To have adequate time for basic coordination and oversight responsibilities, the NGO president should avoid being directly responsible for projects. To the extent that the president assumes responsibility for individual projects or issues, s/he will not be using his/her limited time to expand the overall capacity of the NGO to deal with an increasing number of projects and issues. Evaluating. The president's success can be measured by: (1) the achievement of objectives set out at the beginning of his/her term; (2) the fulfillment of major commitments and projects; (3) the effectiveness of the organisation's response to unanticipated crises and opportunities; and (4) an increased increment in volunteer/member involvement, generation of revenues, funding of projects or other tangible measures of growth. During his/her tenure, the president needs to develop a regular checklist or other means to gauge progress and monitor accomplishments. To ignore the need for recurring evaluation within the organisation is an indicator of poor presidential leadership and will be reflected in the measures used to judge the president's success. REFERENCES Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD), 1989. "Empowerment, Justice and Social Change: A Shared Struggle." Report of an ACFOD workshop in Thailand. (Reported in NGO MANAGEMENT NET WORK NEWS, No. 18 [July-September 1990].) Campbell, P., 1990. Editorial in NGO MANAGEMENT NETWORK NEWS, No. 17 (April/June). International Council of Vol untary Agencies, Geneva, Switzerland. Campbell, P., 1991. Editorial in NGO MANAGEMENT NETWORK NEWS, No. 23 (October-December). International Council of Voluntary Agencies, Geneva, Switzer land. Caritas Internationalis (African Region), 1990. "Working in Caritas: Organizing Ourselves for Greater Effectiveness." Lome, Togo. (Excerpted in NGO MAN AGEMENT NETWORK NEWS, No. 17 [April/June 1990].) Hope, A. and Timmel, S., 1989. "Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Community Workers," Vol. 3. Mambo Press, Zimbabwe. (Excerpted in NGO MANAGEMENT, Newsletter of the NGO Management Network, No. 14 [July- September, 1989].) IMPACT: Management Resources for Private Voluntary Organizations. 1987. "PVOs: In Search of Competence." No. 4 (Fall 1987). Private Agencies Collaborating Together, New York. O'Connell, B., 1981. EFFECTIVE LEAD ERSHIP IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS. Walker and Company, New York. Stout, R., 1980. MANAGEMENT OR CONTROL? Indiana University Press, Bloomington and London. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION NGO INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME