Change management issues can be just as serious in the private nonprofit sector as they can be in corporate America. Change management is not often talked about in the nonprofit sector but I have seen firsthand how some groups slide downhill very quickly when a smooth transition to a new management team in a civic franchise service club happens incorrectly.

We have seen where service clubs will lose 10 to 20 percent of their membership simply because a new set of leaders has come into the circle due to the normal changes with presidents, vice presidents, secretaries and treasurers. If the attrition rate in the service club speeds up, then often there is a net loss of the total number of members and the service club goes into decay. However, none of this has to happen at all.

Change management issues in small service clubs can be a real tough deal and it is important that during the interim of the transition that the powers to be coming in work closely with that group that is leaving the leadership position.

All too often if there is not a smooth transition during the change management period then you will notice that many other members are agitated and some will actually quit. We need to consider these issues when discussing change management in the nonprofit sector. Please consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow