One of the exciting opportunities created through the OneFPA Network Plan is participatory governance. The goal of participatory governance is to invite more leadership voices into the strategic direction-setting of FPA. In addition to the OneFPA Advisory Council, which is comprised of representatives from all FPA chapters, several OneFPA committees and task forces have been and will be formed to serve and shape the OneFPA journey. One of these committees is the OneFPA Staffing Coordination Committee
A core element of the OneFPA Network plan is ‘centralized staffing’ where all paid staff of the chapters are employed by FPA nationally. The goal is to better integrate all staff―national and chapter―so they are working together in a way that elevates the work of the association at all levels and provides a more compelling membership experience. To help facilitate this, the OneFPA Staffing Coordination Committee that is being formed will work throughout the beta-test to appropriately test staff integration and develop tools, resources and training to support all staff.
This new committee is being chaired by Molly Balunek, CFP®. Molly is a longtime leader in the FPA of Northeast Ohio and a current member of the FPA Board of Directors. We asked Molly some questions about the work of the committee and what she sees as the goals of their work throughout the beta-test.
What is the OneFPA Staffing Coordination Committee?
This committee provides general oversight and guidance concerning the orientation, training and support of the FPA staff of beta-test chapters. It provides oversight over the structural components concerning beta-test chapter staff, including the appropriate legal classification of staff. And it reviews the hiring, training, assessment and support practices of beta-test chapter staff. While FPA retains legal responsibility for beta-test chapter staff, beta-test chapters manage the day to day oversight responsibilities of their local staff and drive the hiring and performance decisions.
In keeping with the OneFPA Network plan, the committee will be composed of an equal number of members from beta-test chapters, recommended by the OneFPA Advisory Council Executive Committee, and the FPA Board of Directors or its designees.
Why are chapter executives critical to the success of FPA and the OneFPA Network vision?
The OneFPA Network vision is to usher in a new age of organizational effectiveness through enhanced collaboration, cooperation, integration and alignment. Chapter executives provide continuity and consistency for the chapters, and they will play a central role in the beta-test as the OneFPA Staffing Coordination Committee gathers data from beta-test chapter executives about their day-to-day activities and best practices for effectiveness and success. The chapter executives will form the core of a consistent volunteer leader and member experience throughout the entire organization.
What will the committee be working on in the short term as we prepare for the start of the beta-test in January?
The committee is currently seeking nominations from the beta-test chapters for participants. There will be a training call once the committee is formed and the committee will prioritize the goals for the beta-test and agree upon a process and timeline to gather data and develop a program for orientation, training and support of the FPA staff of beta-test chapters.
What will the committee be working on throughout the beta-test?
The committee will assess the current hiring, training, assessment and support practices of beta-test chapter staff. Based on the data gathered, the committee will develop a program for orientation, training and support based on the goals of the OneFPA Network plan. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and measurements will be used to assess the success of centralized functionality. Comprehensive reports will be provided to all chapters throughout the beta-test.
As the beta-test results are gathered and assessed, there may be opportunities to roll out the successful aspects of centralized functionality to more chapters. Benefits of greater collaboration and cooperation may have significant benefits in other areas, including education, advocacy, member recruitment/retention, and media/PR effectiveness. All areas will be tested and measured for potential improvement throughout the process.
What are the goals of the committee and how will we know if the work of the committee is successful?
One of the goals of the OneFPA Network vision is to create an enhanced and more meaningful experience for members and prospective members by increasing and unifying collaboration and support locally and nationally. In addition, the committee seeks to provide ongoing peer guidance among chapter executives and to reinforce a collaborative leadership culture throughout FPA. The Key Performance Indicators will provide a means to measure progress throughout the beta test, and to make adjustments along the way that will ensure success.
The successful work of the OneFPA Staffing Coordination Committee will contribute to the development of the Leadership Institute, whose purpose is to provide fundamental and enhanced skills training to all FPA volunteer leaders. The benefits of greater collaboration and cooperation may have significant benefits in other areas, including education, advocacy, member recruitment/retention, and media/PR effectiveness.