Gekkoo vzw
An organization’s structure must be supportive, with leaders playing a crucial role. They lead and guide the organization, and inspire, support, and mentor employees to achieve the organization’s impact and ambitions. At Gekkoo, they are fully committed to achieving this.
The customer
Gekkoo, which grew out of Kindervreugd, organizes playground activities and day camps in Antwerp. However, their ambition goes further: they aim to provide all young children in cities with easy access to safe play areas where they can play together in their free time.
The question
In recent years, Gekkoo has focused primarily on refining its impact and further rolling out its mission. During this transition, employees have discovered their talents and, taking ownership, have assumed more leadership roles. However, this has also led to some confusion regarding roles and the risk of an overly bureaucratic organization. When one of the managers resigned, Gekkoo saw an opportunity to optimize its organizational structure. Gekkoo moved up its planned efficiency initiative, thereby setting a course toward a financially healthy organization.
The impact
Together with the managers—who are now referred to as the leadership team—we got to work. Before diving into the details, we set out to identify the core values and driving forces behind Gekkoo’s organizational structure. We then gained insight into the managers’ current roles and responsibilities, which made it clear where improvements were needed. “What aren’t we doing?” was a helpful question. Step by step, we built the most ideal structure, taking everyone’s input into account. The support from S&L in sustaining these changes was helpful, and involving every employee was essential.
The challenge
Taking on a new role and mentoring employees is no easy task. Change can cause confusion and elicit different reactions from employees. Gekkoo’s managers therefore engaged in ongoing dialogue, highlighted the benefits of the new structure, and inspired and motivated their team.
When you change an organization’s structure, it also affects its culture. Seeing your own position change and adjusting your behavior accordingly can create uncertainty. In this process, it’s important to take a stand, bring unspoken issues into the open, and show courage. This requires a balance between vulnerability and confidence.
The collaboration
Trust was the key word that guided our collaboration. Trust in Gekkoo’s knowledge and capabilities, and trust in S&L’s expertise. It made the collaboration enriching for both parties.
“As a leader, you make decisions that not everyone always agrees with. By opening up a dialogue and listening to the differing viewpoints (the ones beneath the surface), you can arrive at a collective wisdom. ”
One for the road – tips from Eva Claes, General Coordinator of Gekkoo vzw
As a leader, you make decisions that not everyone always agrees with. By opening up the discussion and listening to the differing viewpoints (what lies beneath the surface), you can arrive at a collective wisdom. During this short yet intense process, I also realized that, as a leader, you need the courage to persuade employees to take the plunge or make a decision—and to stand by that decision. Creating a safe (work) environment where a sense of ownership and trust is palpable for everyone remains my biggest challenge for the time being.
- KISS is a must-try. Keep it simple, stupid.
- The courage to bring up issues that you personally feel are problematic. You know it won't make you popular, but it's absolutely necessary to take the right steps and make everything open for discussion.
- I'm a huge fan of the "Santiago de Compostela" approach. You have a shared goal, but the journey itself is just as important, and you build toward it together as you walk.
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