Pros
Fundamental strengths remain: global experience, knowledgeable and experienced staff, and history of innovation and thought leadership. Recent critical examination of institutional direction, strengths, and weaknesses resulted in a change initiative that included a new organizational structure and process improvements. This change initiative was likely a good idea to ensure Winrock remains a leader in today’s marketplace. However….
Cons
The execution of the change process has been a tremendous disappointment, and the results to date for the majority of staff remain decidedly unimpressive. Instability at the senior director/senior manager level has contributed to a pervasive feeling of disorientation and lack of appropriate direction. Senior management provides very little information (and even fewer updates) to staff. In a time of constant and significantly disruptive change, the lack of communication with staff is utterly baffling. Result? Rumors, misinformation, and a stressed out, demoralized, distrustful staff who have adopted a posture of “just keeping our heads down”. There seems to be a fundamental disconnect - what management sees as positive direction, many staff see as misguided and ineffective, while priority actions for staff seem to be met with indifference by management. The resulting tension between staff and management is untenable and a morale killer. This is no way to “position for the future”.