Organizational capacity is a critical part of simply continuing to operate. Even if you feel like an organization is in great shape, it's wise to look for signs that you might want an organizational capacity assessment company to provide an independent perspective. You may want to ask about organizational capacity assessment services if you identify one of these four weaknesses.

Excessive Leadership Engagement

At first blush, leadership engagement may sound like a good thing. However, it's often a sign of one of two potential problems. First, an operation might have excellent managers and employees, but the leaders are too involved. This is a case where board members or executives struggle to let people do their jobs. Secondly, an operation may need those board members and executives down in the weeds because managers or employees are failing.

Either scenario is bad, but it's critical to determine which is occurring. An occupational capacity assessment company can offer an independent view of which issue is inhibiting an operation's success.

Insufficient Resources

An organization needs resources to do its job. Especially in nonprofit operations, a lack of resources can feel almost feel like background noise. However, there's a difference between not having the resources to do everything you'd like to do and not having the means to even execute your current mission.

Organizations may need to identify new sources of support. Fundraising, government grants, and improved investing strategies can often overcome these gaps. Also, some organizations need to target inefficiency and waste. For example, an organization might be pushing resources into unsuccessful programs. Streamlining these efforts can often boost capacity.

Negative or Limited Public Understanding

Capable people with the right resources can still fail. Frustration in these circumstances often arises because public understanding of an organization's mission is either negative or limited. A nonprofit trying to contain STDs in developing countries, for example, might need to educate the public about the necessity. Similarly, they may need to change perceptions that drive stigmas. Otherwise, public perception of the mission can limit organizational capacity and execution.

Lack of Review

Focusing on a mission can often distract from the issue of maintaining and improving organizational capacity. While mission focus is important, the organization has to be functional before it can do deeds. The environment for all missions will change with time, and organizations need to conduct regular reviews to ensure leaders, team members, resources, needs, and perceptions align.