A living organism
Transformation does not just require a new way of doing things, it requires a new way of seeing things. It has become all too easy to view organizations as machines, with discrete cogs and gears—driven by different mechanisms, and fueled by different things. Problems can be isolated, and “fixed” by repairing specific components. It is time to embrace the idea that organizations are organisms. A living, integrated system of vital organs, each fueled by the same thing, all playing a critical part in the health of the whole. And pain points are merely signals of an imbalance in the system itself.
"The task is...not so much to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought, about that which everybody sees."
—Erwin Schrodinger
Inside the cocoon
The potential for leaps in progress has never been greater. But so too is the kind of confusion, anxiety, and inertia that can challenge progress.
Meaningful transformation requires seeing an organization much like an organism undergoing a metamorphosis.
Successful leadership through this chrysalis process requires an integrated, systemic understanding of how all the organs in an organization must evolve—together. The greatest catalyst for that reinvention can be found in a recommitment to the sacred principles and values that gave the organization life in the first place.
The Matale Line is purpose built to help management teams provide that kind of leadership.
Manifesto
Turning a transition into a true transformation does not require radical disruption, it requires radical commitment. A reinvestment in the sacred principles and beliefs that created your organization. And a reassessment of “habits” that have become so entrenched that they have begun to feel sacred. A Manifesto helps organizations understand the difference, and reignite passion and focus around the mission.
Leadership
Managers seeking comfort in roadmaps will find ever-more dead ends. Leaders must be able to venture into uncharted territory. Having faith in the “compass” born from their beliefs and values. Wielding a “machete” sharpened by the courage of their convictions. We work with leadership teams to ensure they are asking the right questions, guided by the right things, and building the team-of-teams that will find the best path forward.
Culture
Your mission is entirely dependent on unleashing the creativity and potential of your people. Helping them see past obstacles. To hold a tension between your current reality and your highest aspirations. And, most importantly, to believe that ambition and achievements are not only possible, but a moral obligation. We help rekindle passions, and channel everyone’s talents toward having the greatest possible impact.
Strategy
Our clients are agents, rather than victims, of change. They do not put faith in predictions about the future, or pre-packaged formulas for success. They want a dynamic plan of attack, and guidelines to make solid leadership decisions as circumstances unfold. Our approach ensures current reality never restrains your vision, nor that the vision becomes hopelessly disconnected from current reality.
Operations
The pressure to be conservative stewards of other peoples’ money is greater than ever, just as there are unprecedented opportunities for breakthrough program innovations. We help organizations design prototype programs that are built around coefficients of acceleration—where success is not measured by how much money is “wasted” through overhead, but by how many times an investment can be multiplied.
Voice
Social impact organization have become too skilled at adapting their message to fit the fleeting facts of public opinion, rather than using their voice to speak to the transcendent truths that will shape public will. Whether for advocacy, education, or fundraising, our communications campaigns create lasting relationships around shared beliefs, instead of a one-off transaction to meet a specific objective.
Funding
Creating a critical mass of support requires building communities of shared values, rather than frantically selling the value of a social impact “product.” Today it is possible, and essential, to build a portfolio of funding sources from an entirely new ecosystem of supply and demand—from social enterprise to crowdsourcing, from venture-style investments to new ways to do traditional fundraising.
Retreats & Training
There are precious few opportunities to step out of the day-to-day work. A chance to learn anything must be approached as an opportunity to reaffirm everything. Whether a weekend board retreat, or a global training program, The Matale Line is expert in striking the balance between information, inspiration, and interaction to ensure people stay engaged long after a gathering ends.
Keynotes
Our executive director, Bill Toliver, is a widely sought after speaker on social impact, and transformational change. His unique worldview is rooted in a childhood spent in the developing world, a degree in systems engineering, and a 30-year track record breaking down organizational and cultural barriers to progress. His keynotes are inspirational, provocative and sure to stimulate conversation and debate.
