Organizational Development Self Assessment Tool

Summary

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
Introduction
This tool was developed in response to feedback and questions raised through Mines Action Canada’s
Youth to Youth Network on challenges and barriers members encounter in their work as part of the
international campaign to ban landmines and cluster munitions. The aim of this module is to provide
a brief overview of organizational development, and a tool for Youth to Youth Network members to
assess the current state of their organizations against the main pillars of healthy, efficient and well-
functioning organizations. These core principles are true for all well-run organizations – regardless of
the organization’s mission, whether it is internationally or locally focused, big or small, run by paid
staff or volunteers

What is organizational development any why is it important?
Organizational development is the process through which an organization develops the internal
capacity to be the most effective it can be in its mission work and to sustain itself over the long term

It includes looking at issues and processes related to the following 9 core pillars of organizational
development:
1. Vision and mission
2. Organizational structure
3. Governance
4. Information flow and decision making
5. Management of people
6. Stakeholder engagement & retention
7. Technology and infrastructure
8. Financial oversight and management
9. Organizational renewal
Organizational development is not an end in itself – it is an ongoing, evolutionary and iterative
process that must be attended to regularly by the governance body and management of an
organization. This will ensure that the organization has the capacity to adapt to new circumstances or
opportunities and to thrive

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The pillar on vision and mission should be an organization’s priority and needs to be attended to first

All other pillars are equal in their importance to organizational health. Your organizational priorities
among the pillars will shift during the different phases of your organization’s lifespan

The best organizational development approaches are holistic in nature. Organizations should
simultaneously monitor and make incremental improvements in each pillar where possible. Extra
investment may be needed in areas where an immediate barrier to the organization’s work will be
created if a particular pillar is not attended to. For example, if you cannot demonstrate to a potential
donor that you have reputable, established processes to manage funds, you will likely not receive
funding until this is addressed. This approach allows the organization the ultimate flexibility to
respond to organizational development needs as they arise and attend to the most pressing matters

Who can use this tool?
Anyone can use this tool but the level of your ability to effect change in your organization will depend
on how much authority you have and whether or not you are able to convince your management
and/or governance board to participate in the process with you

How to use this tool
You could:
 Complete the tool in your individual capacity for your own learning. This will give you a sense
of your organization’s development, where some blockages are, and identify areas where you
may be able to influence change in your current role

 Approach your management and/or your governance body with the tool. Ask if it is something
they would be interested in doing, or if they would support you in facilitating this conversation
within the organization

 If you are part of a volunteer-driven group or club, get a group of fellow decision-makers
together and go through the tool together and discuss your answers to each of the sections

How does the tool work?
For each of the 9 core pillars of organizational development, there is a list of statements outlining a
different best practice in that development area

For each statement, you have three possible answers to choose from:
 Yes: Checking this box indicates there is agreement that this process, system, procedure, plan
or structure is already in place at the organization

 No: Checking this box indicates there is agreement that no process, system, procedure, plan
or structure is in place yet

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 Maybe: Checking this box indicates either disagreement or uncertainty of respondents (e.g

some people agreed and some disagreed on the correct answer, indicating a further clarifying
conversation needs to take place)

So, what do we do after we use the tool?
This tool is meant to spark discussion in your organization. Reflect individually or collectively on your
results. What areas is the organization very strong in? What are the weaker areas? Under which
pillars and indicators was there the most confusion or disagreement? Do the pillars where there is
more confusion and disagreement match some of the challenges the organization has been
experiencing? What lessons can you draw from your results that would help you in your current or
future positions?
What are the most pressing issues that need to be addressed to immediately enhance the ability of
your organization to carry out its work? This could be simple like having a conversation to clarify how
decisions are made and who will make them, or more complex like developing a strategic plan

Check out the resources at the end of the document for support, ideas and templates

Retake the tool often to track progress and ensure no core area of organizational development is
being overlooked

Assess your organization using the self-assessment tool:
1. Vision & mission
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
The vision of our organization describes exactly what the world would look like
if we are successful in achieving our goals and is widely understood

The mission of our organization describes exactly how we will achieve our
vision and what our values are

Our staff and governance members know what our vision and mission are and
are deeply committed to our organization’s purpose

When we develop a new long-term or strategic plan, we review our vision and
mission to make sure it is still relevant

When we plan new activities, we refer to our organization’s vision and mission

We use it as a reference point to help us decide what we will do and, more
importantly, what we will not do

When we communicate with people outside our organization, our messages
reflect our vision and mission

We have ways to assess and measure whether we are achieving our mission

We review our vision and mission annually to make sure it is still relevant given
any significant changes in our working environment (e.g. political changes,
work of other organizations)

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2. Organizational structure
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
An approved job description with clear lines of responsibility and reporting is
completed for all positions whether they are paid or volunteer positions

Our organization provides a safe and healthy work environment. This includes
suitable and safe working conditions in addition to clear, documented
expectations regarding acceptable employee behaviour and dealing with
harassment

Our organization has stated and documented operating principles or values
that guide our day-to-day operations (e.g. participation, transparency, gender
equality)

Management responsibilities in our organization are clear. We know who is
responsible for managing finances, human resources, planning, fundraising

The structures, systems and processes in our organization are set up in ways
that enhance the ease of doing our work (e.g. staff workload allocation,
coordination of tasks, decision making, information collection)

3. Governance
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Our organization has strong leaders with a clear vision for the
organization, who inspire our staff and volunteers

Our organization has legal status in the country (or countries) where it
operates

Our organization meets its legal obligations (e.g. filing annual reports to
governments or funders, financial audits if required, respect relevant
employment laws)

Our organization has a functioning Board of Directors or equivalent
governance body that provides effective oversight and strategic
direction

Our organization has a policy that governs its Board of Directors, which
covers issues such as board composition, required skills, recruitment
process, length of term, diversity, etc

Our Board members receive an orientation to our organization and their
role

Working relations between our staff and Board are positive, productive
and respecting of the distinction between the two roles

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4. Information flow and decision making
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Decision-making processes and who has authority to make which decisions in
our organization are clear to all involved and work well

We have effective ways for people in our organization to communicate with
one another, so that everybody has access to the information they need to do
their work (e.g. staff meetings, email protocols)

We have effective ways to manage the information that comes into our
organization, so people have what they need, but are not overwhelmed (e.g

shared files, databases, intranet)

We have identified public spokespeople for our organization, and everyone
understands and respects these roles

We have processes and systems in place to ensure that we have the right
information required for making decisions

We are able to make important decisions in a timely manner in order to
capitalize on opportunities and minimize risks

5. Management of people
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Our organization has human resource management policies that are
documented and have been approved by the appropriate authority such as the
organization’s governance body

Our human resource management policies comply with legislation in the
jurisdiction that the organization operates in

Our human resource management policies are reviewed on a regular basis and
revised as necessary

Our organization has a formal process in place to review staffing needs on an
annual basis, which results in a plan to address those needs

Recruitment and selection for paid or unpaid positions is through an objective,
consistent and documented process

All new employees or volunteers who are offered a position with our
organization sign a letter of agreement that outlines the working relationship
between the individual and the organization including salary, benefits and
working hours

All staff and/or volunteers have clear job descriptions and receive a thorough
orientation to our organization and their role in it

We review the performance and workload of all staff and volunteers and
provide regular feedback

We have had no serious personnel problems in the past three years (e.g

firings, legal disputes, long-term unstaffed positions)

We deal effectively with conflicts within our organization when they arise

Employees and volunteers have the skills and support they need to be effective
in their roles

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6. Stakeholder engagement & retention
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
We have good working relations with the people outside our organization that
we work with most closely (e.g. beneficiaries of the programs, members,
donors, partners)

We regularly and transparently communicate with our members, program
beneficiaries and partners

We often consult with our members, program beneficiaries and relevant
partners for feedback on how well we are delivering on our mission, and ideas
for new programs or activities

Our program beneficiaries, members, partners and volunteers are proud to
work with our organization and speak highly of the value of our work

Each year, our organization sustains and deepens our relationships with
partners, program beneficiaries, members and other key stakeholders

7. Technology and infrastructure
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
The tools, equipment and processes used currently are suitable and adequate
to produce high quality performance

The physical work space (off-site or on-site) can accommodate the work that
needs to be done and the people that need to do it

The physical layout of the workspace allows for the best coordination and
accomplishment of tasks

There are systems and processes in place to collect, track and report on
information that is important to the work of the organization

The workspace is accessible and conducive to people with disabilities

There are adequate supplies available for the work that needs to be done

There is adequate infrastructure (internet access, phones, photocopier, and
work stations) to support the work that needs to be done

8. Financial oversight and management
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Our organization has written financial policies and procedures that are
properly used (e.g. budgeting, expense authorisation, purchasing,
cheque signing)

Our organization has an annual budget that we monitor regularly and
report on to our governance body

We have financial systems that are understood and used by relevant
staff and management (e.g. monitoring performance against budget and
making adjustments, planning and monitoring cash flow, allocating
expenditures)

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INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Our financial management systems are overseen by a qualified accountant or
other relevant professional

Our financial management systems include internal controls to ensure that
more than one person is involved in financial oversight

Our organization's accounts are examined periodically by an accredited
external accounting body and no significant issues have been raised for three
years

Our organization knows where most of the money it needs for the next year
will come from

Our organization has a fundraising or revenue-generation strategy and
everyone is clear on their role in executing it

We receive revenue from a variety of sources, (e.g. government or institutional
donors, sale of products or services, membership fees, individual donations,
special events)

When we develop funding proposals, we include a realistic amount for our own
administrative costs, and include the value of non-cash/in-kind contributions
we receive (e.g. volunteer hours, donated equipment or space)

The money we receive is spent on activities we think are most important to
fulfil our vision and mission

9. Organizational renewal
INDICATOR: YES NO MAYBE
Our organization has considered how it would handle a change in leadership,
and we know what we would do if our leader left the organization

We encourage professional development among our staff and volunteers

We recognize the contributions of all staff and volunteers with appropriate
appreciation

Our organization has established clear policies and practices that support
employee work/life balance so that people can be effective and motivated in
their positions for a long time

We regularly reflect on how well we are working together and make
adjustments as needed to work flow or work loads of individuals

We have a working strategy in place to engage potential new supporters,
employees, members and volunteers in our work

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Where can I find more information and resources on organizational development?
 HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector, http://hrcouncil.ca/resource-centre/home.cfm: This
Canadian organization specializes in human resource management practices; skills
development and work-related learning; sharing knowledge about the nonprofit labour force;
leadership development; and succession planning. This site contains downloadable tools,
reports and free webinars. Resources are available in English and French

 Charity Village, http://www.charityvillage.ca: This is one of the premier Canadian sites for
nonprofit job opportunities, free (Quick Guide section) and modest for-fee training (Campus E-
Training) resources from around the world. It has an extensive resource library on all issues
related to the 10 pillars of organizational development with resources from each region of the
world. Resources are available in English and French

 Association for Women’s Rights in Development, http://www.awid.org: This site has a
multitude of resources on movement building, sustainability, funding for women’s rights
issues, project monitoring, evaluation and leadership. Resources are available in English,
French and Spanish

 LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com: LinkedIn is an online network for professionals. There are
many groups dedicated to organizational development, fundraising, governance issues and
human resources that you can join and ask questions. Language support available in
English, Czech, Dutch, French, German,Indo, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portug
uese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish

 Contact Christa McMillin and Nancy Ingram at Foot in the Door Consulting at
http://www.footinthedoorconsulting.com for customized training and support on
organizational development

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Organizational Development Self-Assessment Tool Page 2 of 8 The pillar on vision and mission should be an organization’s priority and needs to be attended to first. All other pillars are equal …

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is organizational development self assessment tool?

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL Introduction This tool was developed in response to feedback and questions raised through Mines Action Canada’s Youth to Youth Network on challenges and barriers members encounter in their work as part of the international campaign to ban landmines and cluster munitions.

What self assessment tools are available for oregon nonprofit organizations?

Nonprofit Organization Self-Assessment tools from the Nonprofit Association of Oregon include a 360 degree self-assessment, a financial self-assessment tool, and a general self-assessment tool that includes questions addressing nonprofit accountability.

What is the organizational capacity self assessment procedure?

Organizational Capacity Self-Assessment Procedure: This tool is developed to guide an organization through a capacity self-assessment process. The questions listed are discussion questions only and were designed to initiate discussions around topic areas.

What is the organizational capacity assessment tool?

The Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) tool is designed to measure the overall capacity of an organization. It assesses capability in five key areas: governance, organizational management, program management, human resources management, and financial management.