In delivering management and leadership training for our clients, we come across people grappling with similar issues, irrespective of the organisations they work for.

Here we’ve set out ten of the most common challenges that come up for people in the voluntary sector. Of course, many of these are similar to the management issues in any sector. However, m2's experience suggests, that the challenges can be more acute in the hard-pressed, resource-poor and politicised context in which we all work. We also know that new managers are often not given the training and support to deal with these challenges effectively. This is why when we worked with Clore Social Leadership to develop the Management Essentials programme, these experiences were front of mind.

1. Insufficient time and capacity dedicated to management: managers are frequently promoted because they are good at their jobs, without the necessary support in place to grow into their new role. In a sector with tight capacity, taking on management responsibility can be the only route to promotion but there is often little acknowledgement of the challenges in holding a delivery and management role.
2. Discomfort with power dynamics: understanding, naming and discussing the power dynamics inherent in a management structure is often particularly difficult in a sector where there can be a discomfort about wielding power. This can be even more apparent in non-hierarchical organisations, where a deliberate lack of formal structure does not always equate to an absence of the interplay between authority and autonomy. These dynamics can make it more challenging for managers to feel comfortable questioning performance or offering advice.
3. Decision-making: making decisions can also be impacted by this lack of clarity over power and who holds it, leading to over-consultation and under-engagement. For managers, not being clear as to which decisions they are empowered to make - and how - can be a significant source of stress. At the same time, team members can feel very frustrated by a vacuum created by indecision and procrastination.
4. Balancing empathy and effectiveness: how to manage individual needs and the opportunity for flexibility whilst at the same time delivering an effective service is an ongoing challenge for many managers. It is one that has been particularly highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic where personal circumstances became (literally) visible and have required additional support from managers. We have heard many managers and leaders talking about how they have taken on more work themselves during this period rather than place yet more pressure on staff. This may be a particularly acute issue in the voluntary sector where staff are deeply aware of the impact of reducing services upon the people they work with and for.
5. Lack of consistency: finding ways of ensuring that difference is respected whilst equality is ensured can feel challenging to managers. Holding the balance between individual, team and task is not always easy - and made harder where there are any historic inconsistencies between teams or departments. 
6. Differing communication styles: organisational cultures can inadvertently prize particular communication styles over others without this being made explicit. This can prevent people with a different style from effectively contributing their ideas and energy, particularly in team or organization-wide meetings
7. Organisational values in conflict with practice: challenge, disagreement and discussion are a necessary part of a sector grappling with systemic issues. This can, however, lead to situations where the values espoused are not put into practice, or as the recent controversies over racism, sexism and bullying in the sector have revealed, are in direct conflict with the reality staff are experiencing day-to-day. There can be a deep sense of betrayal for staff caught up in this - and stress for managers supporting them through this.
8. Giving constructive feedback: giving feedback that enables people to develop and grow, without knocking their confidence, is an issue that arises in every training session we run. There can be particular anxiety attached to giving feedback around issues perceived to be about behaviour rather than performance, as this can feel so personal. Using organisational values as a means to open these conversations up can be a valuable tool – many organisations however (particularly smaller ones) have not necessarily had the capacity to formally set out their values, or as set out above, values are not widely put into practice.
9. Lack of support for ‘middle managers’: particularly where values and practice are not aligned, middle managers can feel trapped and unprotected - caught between supporting their teams, and defending organisational approaches they may not agree with. Finding ways to manage upwards effectively is a key skill, but not one that is often nurtured.
10. Lack of space and time for reflection: the pressures to deliver, and awareness of need, can make finding time to pause feel impossible for managers. Again, the pandemic has exacerbated this with the resulting lack of in-between spaces - time spent walking between meetings, travelling between client visits or commuting. This has made the opportunity to think about practice, self-awareness and strategy - rather than delivery - even more scarce.

Miranda Lewis is a Director and Partner of m2 consultants (www.m2consultants.uk) who deliver the Management Essentials Programme on behalf of Clore Social Leadership.

• Numbers and profile of users (ethnic origin, gender, age, residence, background regarding service provided e.g. employment status for job-finding projects)
• Inputs, against targets, namely actual services provided to different clients (e.g. reaching the right client group, courses and support provided)
• Outputs against targets (e.g. starting work, qualifications)
• Outcomes against targets (e.g. staying in work, changes in behaviour)
• Feedback and self-assessment from clients and stakeholders and partner agencies

Another way to ensure that monitoring and evaluation are soundly based is to use a framework known as the Theory of Change (TOC). Developed by the Aspen Institute, it defines long-term goals such as the actual changes that are desired, and works backwards to identify critical success factors that are necessary to achieve the long-term goal. The table below shows a TOC mapping exercise, outlining the various outcomes, outputs and activities necessary to achieve long-term outputs.

Theory of Change showing the mapping of a reduction in offending project

Activities

Action planning, information & advice, one-to-one counselling, positive change course & skills training for 100 offenders & ex-offenders from one region

Inputs

Programme attended by 90% of participants for 75% of sessions

Outputs

75% of participants complete positive change course & also achieve a skills qualification

Outcomes at end of programme

75% of completers progress into work, further education or self-employment, with a reduction in reported offending

Long-term wider impact

Lower levels of offending, greater levels of employment, better health and well-being in the community

It is important that staff, volunteers and beneficiaries are consulted in development of evaluation systems to bring a wide range of ideas crucial for the success of the project. If you can organise a thorough evaluation, it is also useful for publicising your organisation’s work and effectiveness.

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