Organisational Development Workshop

So for those of you who feel I never do ANY work here in Nigeria and it’s all about fun – I’ve decided to add a blog post about some of the work I’m doing here with GPI!  

The main function of my role here is to conduct an organisational development (OD) assessment, make recommendations and develop working groups to implement the recommendations.

So far I’ve been working on the OD assessment, and have developed my own too for use here at GPI. I have made the tool relevant for NGOs whilst keeping in the characteristics of a good performing organisation/business.

Opinions were sought from GPI staff through one-on-one interviews and facilitated workshops, GPI girls, local NGOs, Ministries and Donors. I also conducted a review of literature and academic papers regarding NGO management and development to enable learning from other’s experience and findings and to consolidate recommendations/suggestions made. The different methodologies have been are also to help triangulate the data and improve the validity of the report and its recommendations.

The findings and some of the recommendations were presented to GPI staff at the workshop – and these were further explored to ensure accuracy and also ownership of the report by GPI staff. It was an enjoyable but hard-working two days, where we shared opinions and gave ideas for improvement.

Staff reading the main findings from the report

Arit giving some ideas from her group

Everyone hard in thought....

Emmanuel helping me facilitate!

I wanted to try new techniques - we had a great drama and presentation from the staff, but my favourite and most striking experience was the staff sculpture activity. I asked staff to mould themselves into a sculpture that reflected the existing management/roles of staff and to explain - then repeat with how they would like it to look: 

Current

Desired

The two sculptures are similar, but in the desired there is an addition of a layer for deputies and the inclusion of the Grants Administrator. All staff are facing in the same direction and the senior leaders are showing a flexible leadership style, but are not too open for over-familiarity and looseness or too rigid and inflexible. Staff are also physically closer showing more unity and togetherness. 

It was a great day, staff are fired up to start the OD process and I am smiling and exhausted! It feels good to finally begin to see action from my work here.