Case Study 03
Organizational Snapshot
Sector: Economic and racial justice
Audience: Urban communities, families, and emerging leaders
Size: Long-standing organization with staff, board, and community partners
Key Challenge: Board–leadership conflict jeopardizing mission and stability
The Challenge
A respected statewide organization was experiencing significant tension between its board and new executive director. Miscommunication, misinformation, and broken trust led to a formal investigation into leadership — and fears that the organization might fracture at a critical time for the community. The mission was clear, but alignment was not. Without a way to rebuild trust, the future of the organization and its impact was at risk.
Our Approach
We entered as a neutral, trusted partner focused on healing communication and revealing common ground. Through listening sessions, conflict facilitation, and board development, we helped each party understand the other’s concerns, motivations, and goals — and uncovered that both sides actually wanted the same future. We built shared language, established communication agreements, and created clarity around roles and expectations. With alignment restored, we facilitated a strategic planning process that set a clear direction, strengthened accountability, and ensured leadership had the support and resources needed to move the mission forward. The work empowered everyone to row in the same direction.
Trust was rebuilt. The board and executive director moved from conflict to collaboration. The strategic plan provided a unified roadmap, expanded staff capacity, and unlocked long-deferred leadership support. By recrafting their narrative and strengthening their outward-facing strategy, the organization secured its largest grant to date — directly connected to the clarity and alignment achieved through our work. The executive director now has the resources, salary, and authority appropriate to the scope of the role. What once was a breaking point became a turning point, positioning the organization to serve with greater confidence and impact.
Impact
The organization now has a unified, community-informed roadmap to guide its mission. Stakeholders have clearer roles, stronger connections, and aligned priorities. The plan strengthens the organization’s ability to support partners, influence systems change, and deliver resources to where they are needed most. By centering community voices, the process not only produced strategy — it built trust and momentum for reducing harm and increasing safety across the state.
“Your leadership stepped in at a time when our future was uncertain. You helped us listen, rebuild trust, and discover that we were more aligned than we ever realized. Today, we are moving forward with clarity, confidence, and unity — and our community feels the difference.”
Jennifer, Executive Director