5 Keys to
Structure for Growth

Key 5: Fill from the top down.

Comparison chart showing two organizational structures for team management. The left structure, marked correct, has a director overseeing coordinators, who then manage team leaders. The right structure, marked incorrect, shows a director supervising both team leads and coordinators directly. Title: 'Fill from the Top Down', by Focus 412.
  • Start filling your organizational structure by installing capable leaders at the highest levels and empowering them to build the leaders and teams needed beneath them.

  • A healthy structure that people can be developed in and progress through is the most effective leadership pipeline.

  • When identifying leaders, evaluate both their competency (skills, experience, etc) and their cultural fit (ask–is this someone we would hire?)

  • Aim for filling 40% of your director-level volunteer roles with people that could be staff candidates.

Questions to Ask

  • Are there any areas in our structure where we are “bottom heavy”? How can we begin filling the highest-priority leadership roles from the top down first?

  • Do we have a process for evaluating potential leaders for both competency and cultural fit?

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