When Letting Go Is the Right Thing to Do: Ending an important Mandate

The mandate

At the end of 2024, Roots to Rise was  invited to provide interim leadership for a national non

-profit network supporting a widely used helpline service. Following years of unresolved leadership issues and repeated vacancy in the directorate in 2024, our role extended beyond ensuring administrative continuity. We were tasked with initiating and implementing critical improvements in governance, structures, responsibilities, and organisational culture—creating the foundation for a fresh start with new executive leadership within one or two years.

A promising start - brought down unexpectedly

Together with the board and in consultation with all stakeholders, we developed a comprehensive change strategy, including a fundraising strategy to finance the process. It was unanimously adopted by the board as a sign of hope for the future. But soon, contradictions emerged between the agreed strategy and actual behaviour. A few but influential  key figures - members of the strategic leadership - did not follow the shared direction, despite their ostensible strong support for the strategy during the board meetings. Some decisions were actively undermined; others delayed or ignored. Combined with very limited resources for implementation - we were two Roots to Rise staff working part-time and covering both the ongoing management  and the complex change process - real progress became increasingly impossible.

The governance structure proved fragile and inefficient. The organisational culture did not fully reflect its stated values of trust and appreciation. In such an environment, our role risked devolving into something purely reactive and administrative - something that neither donors would appreciate, nor the population who rely on the service would ultimately benefit from.

It became clear that the necessary foundation for transformative work was absent, and resources were insufficient to build it. For that reason,  we made the difficult but necessary decision to end the mandate and hand over administrative responsibilities to a service provider specialising in administrative support. Several members of the board resigned, driven by these same concerns. 

The need for change remains - and will only increase 

The organisation remains an important and respected institution, with a long history and a meaningful mission. Yet its ability to modernise is constrained by the influence of a small group for whom dominance is more important than solidarity. Because of the organisation’s prominence, the pressure to change is generally low, and it seems to be more attractive to over-rely on legacy structures and processes than to make an extra effort to build resilience for  tougher times. However, as funding environments grow more difficult and social needs continue to rise, this kind of stagnation becomes increasingly risky, even for well-known organisations. We sincerely hope the organisation will soon find the clarity and commitment needed to drive the change it requires - especially for the many dedicated individuals who seek transformation and who, in our view, represent the silent majority.

Organisational change requires some key prerequisites

1. Professional change management, skillfully balancing the path from past to future in close consultation and with the involvement of the people concerned;

2. Constructive, purpose-driven leadership, willing and able to embrace challenging discussions and decisions;

3. Clarity and agreement on direction and mandate;

4. Adequate resources;

5. Trust, integrity and professionalism;

   
   

At Roots to Rise we bring our clients professional skills, knowledge,  experience and change leadership expertise to ensure diligent and successful implementation of complex organisational change processes. What we in turn require from our clients is committed leadership, adequate resources (time and money), and a climate of trust and integrity that allows for open discussion and the tackling of tough questions arising in such a process. If several of these prerequisites are missing, continuing the process would only waste valuable time and donor-funded resources.

Ending this highly engaging and meaningful mandate was not an easy decision for a small company like ours, where every project matters. But it was the right one - true to our values and sense of responsibility. Roots to Rise stands for meaningful, effective change. We work with organisations ready to evolve - and to turn vision into action with our support at their side.