As a leader in the not-for-profit sector, the relentless demand to deliver outcomes can feel overwhelming. Teams are often consumed by daily responsibilities, drained, and unable to focus on the meaningful change they set out to achieve.
Keeping your team energised, streamlining operations, and fostering innovation can seem out of reach when the immediate challenge is simply keeping the organisation running.
But here’s the thing—what if there’s a smarter way to break free from the grind?
Identifying Old Habits to Replace
The key lies in taking a close look at the activities you're currently engaged in. Often, people know what they want to do, but they haven't really thought about what they're doing currently. They think, 'Oh, we want to collaborate more with our clients,' and then they just add that on top of everything else.
Instead of piling on the new, first try examining the old first. You can ask yourself what are the things that you're doing that aren't adding a lot of value, that you can replace with new ways of working?
Making Room for the New
It's not always about completely scrapping the old in favour of the new. Sometimes, it's about finding creative ways to incorporate the new into your existing processes. One great example from Northern Coal Fields Community Care, where they simply added a question to their client booking process, asking how the last trip went.
It's just one quick question as part of an existing process that's allowed them to get a really broad and great range of information. It doesn't necessarily need to be a massive undertaking to take on new ways of working. Sometimes it can just be small tweaks that are built into your existing processes.
Prioritising and Involving the Team
Of course, identifying those old, non-value-adding activities isn't always easy. That's where your team can be an invaluable resource. The best place, and the best source to get that information is your team. They will absolutely have a list.
The importance of prioritisation reminds us that it is up to us to make those changes, and this is just one way that you can do that. By focusing on the activities that will drive your organisation forward, you can start to make room for the new.
Embracing a Mindset Shift
Ultimately, implementing change in the face of limited capacity requires a shift in mindset. When people do open their minds up to these types of opportunities, they do find things that they don't need to be doing, or that these new ways of working can replace these older and outdated and no longer serving as well ways of working.
So, the next time you find yourself feeling stuck, take a step back and consider what you might be able to let go of. With a little creativity and a willingness to try something new, you just might unlock the capacity you need to drive your organisation forward.
🎯 Ready to break the cycle of overwhelm and say “no more” to the constant fight for survival?
A high-performing, productive organisation with exceptional staff retention and client experiences is possible.
Take the first step at https://www.impactoconsulting.com.au/workshop.
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