Seven Turning Points: Leading Through Pivotal Transitions in Organizational Life

Imagine this scenario: The highly entrepreneurial nonprofit leader hates to pass up any new opportunity. The organization's mission is broadly defined, which keeps its boundaries loose and fuzzy. This gives staff lots of room to be creative and take initiative. Staff and budget have doubled in the last two years. Eventually, however, the organization starts to feel the stress of being pulled in too many different directions. Staff feel overworked and overwhelmed. Resources are stretched to the limit. Everyone begs the executive director to set some priorities. In short, the organization has reached a turning point.This scenario is not uncommon. In fact, it's fairly predictable. In Seven Turning Points, author Susan Gross identifies the pivotal stages when nonprofits must reassess the way they operate and make fundamental changes or risk decline. Based on forty years of experience helping nonprofits through organizational change, Gross goes beyond describing symptoms and challenges and offers leaders usable advice on what to expect and what to do. You'll find The characteristic pattern of problems that signal the need for change Reassurance that problems are an inevitable consequence of change or growth Recommended changes in structure, leadership, management, governance, operating style, and culture Warnings about resistance you're likely to run into and how to manage it Vivid examples of what really happens in organizations dealing with change based on the author's real-life experience with hundreds of nonprofits With Seven Turning Points, you'll recognize when your organization is at a pivotal stage, understand the underlying dynamics, and be prepared with concrete actions to move the organization to the next level.