A year ago, as we celebrated our 10th anniversary as an organization, the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) transitioned to a Worker Self-Directed Nonprofit (WSDNP). This shift was made in an effort to enhance collaborative decision-making and democratic participation within the organization. Our new structure includes creation of an Admin Circle and staff-led committees, as well as a dissolution of previously-held Co-Executive Director roles. These changes were aimed to better align organizational practices with PLAN's mission. You can read more about the whole process on the blog post we released last year, and through the Nonprofit Quarterly webinar conversation PLAN staff recently participated in!

After a year since we moved to a Worker Self-Directed Nonprofit (WSDNP) model, we wanted to share how things have been going. This process has not been easy, but it has been rewarding and we as an organization have grown immensely because of it!

Overall, our staff now feel more connected to PLAN, actively participating in decisions that shape our future. This sense of ownership has fostered a deeper commitment to our mission. With all of us operating as leaders, we enrich our strategic goal-setting, our decision-making, and our internal processes such as budgeting and hiring. Additionally, staff enjoy greater independence in their projects, which has led to innovative approaches and a strong sense of empowerment.

However, we've faced some challenges. Without an Executive Director, agreeing on a unified vision can be tough, and we’ve wondered if sharing this responsibility ultimately slows us down. Determining who makes decisions, which was once handled by 1-2 leaders, has been complex and often requires extensive discussion. We've had to create a lot more process documents to ensure clear decision-making structures in the absence of traditional leadership roles, and that has led to some confusion along the way.

To address these challenges, we're adjusting the roles and responsibilities within our Administrative Circle to ensure a better balance and fit for our needs. We want to make sure that these roles feel more balanced for those stepping in to them, and ensuring that transitioning out of them and passing them on is easier as well. We also aim to outline where hierarchy exists and doesn’t, shifting towards a “fluid” hierarchy that adapts based on the decisions at hand. We're committed to creating more transparency in our decision-making processes, ensuring that decisions are openly communicated within the team. Additionally, we're excited to add more opportunities for staff to build soft skills and enhance our capacity for effective communication, cross-project collaboration, and problem-solving.

Thanks for being part of this journey with us. We’re enthusiastic about the future and the continued evolution of our organization.

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Best,

The PLAN Team