Leadership and Co-Construction Cultural Pillars for NGO Food Network

In this text you will find the main challenges and lessons learned from the accompaniment process with NGO Red de Alimentos.

Who is Red de Alimentos?

  • Non-profit foundation (NGO) dedicated to the rescue and distribution of food for vulnerable sectors.
  • Organization with about 60 employees
  • It has a network of 140 Partners and Contributors.
  • It has operations in Stgo and in the regions.

 

What was the challenge?

  • Strengthen the dynamics of the executive team in relation to its different leadership styles.
  • Generate an aligned vision to address its strategic plan for the coming years.
  • Define the organizational capabilities to be reinforced and promoted in the organizational culture.
  • Involve the Network's collaborators in the process and its results.

 

What was achieved?

  • Agree on an initial vision of the Food Network Culture, following consensus among the leaders. Unify their visions.
  • Definition of the cultural pillars of the organization, based on the co-construction and participation of all employees.
  • Establish feedback practices among the members of the Executive Team through trust, collaboration and communication.
  • Lay the foundation in the team to generate a "Feedback Culture" through the delivery of methodology, concepts and practice.

 

What were the lessons learned?

  • The connection of the organizational purpose at all times (the work of the NGO) with the accompaniment.
  • The value that a level of Sponsorship delivers in the organization to mobilize its collaborators, placing urgencies and priorities.
  • The perception of contribution and "emotional balance" after performing an ad-honorem process in an NGO.
  • The value of including different stakeholders in the creation of the culture, from the executive committee to the operation's employees.
  • The value of listening to employees and their views on the organization, which were varied and complementary.
  • The value of generating an effective feedback conversation.

Our thanks for the dedication with which they guided us throughout this process and that they saw their beautiful and selfless work reflected in our team! You are a wonderful team: super professional, dedicated and with a tremendous level of empathy! Infinite thanks to Gabriela Prado, Francesca Costa Macchiavello, Gustavo Leoz Duval, Bárbara Pineda Truyol and the entire team of The Change Lab LATAM that contributed to achieve this.

María Eugenia Torres, General Manager of Red de Alimentos.