National Non-Profit Headquartered in San Francisco

Sep 16

Leading Through Change: Building Leadership Alignment at a National Workforce Development Non-Profit

Background

Organizational transition places added demands on leaders. As priorities, structures, and decision-making processes evolve, Directors must continue delivering results while helping their teams interpret change, coordinate across functions, and remain accountable for shared goals.

Research from The Bridgespan Group emphasizes that maintaining organizational alignment requires leaders to communicate priorities consistently and monitor progress over time. For mission-driven organizations, these leadership practices are especially important when teams are navigating change while continuing to deliver essential programs and services.

During a significant period of organizational and leadership transition, a national workforce development nonprofit partnered with Reimagine Talent to help a cross-functional cohort of Directors establish clearer leadership practices, navigate shared challenges, and work more consistently across functions.

“[can insert quote here]”

The Business Need

The leadership team identified capability growth areas including: leadership alignment, shared accountability, communication, and feedback as critical priorities during its transition. Directors were responsible for guiding their teams through change while responding to evolving priorities, managing competing demands, and coordinating work across the organization.

Stakeholder conversations and leadership intake findings revealed recurring challenges involving unclear ownership, communication overload, inconsistent follow-through, and uncertainty about how to provide feedback or influence decisions beyond a leader’s direct authority. Participants also wanted practical ways to navigate competing priorities and improve coordination across functions.

The organization needed more than a traditional leadership workshop. It sought a sustained development experience that would give leaders space to examine real challenges, receive individualized support, learn from their peers, and establish shared practices they could apply across the organization.

Our Solution

Reimagine Talent designed and delivered a six-month group leadership coaching experience for a cross-functional cohort of 10 Directors and senior managers. The engagement included:

Stakeholder discovery conversations and a leadership intake assessment.

Individual coaching sessions to establish personalized leadership goals.

Five group coaching sessions focused on accountability, communication, feedback, and collaboration.

Leadership scenarios and peer coaching grounded in real organizational challenges.

Between session reflection and application activities.

A co-created Communication & Collaboration Playbook to establish shared leadership practices.

Individual integration coaching and an executive leadership debrief.

Our Results

The final evaluation will assess participants’ immediate learning, reported application, and experience with the coaching program. Results should distinguish between participation, perceived value, self-reported learning, intended application, and evidence of behavior change.