I was always told 10 out of 10 was good but is the number ‘10 a day’ good or bad!
Ten is also a figure related to boxing in some way! Is it 10 rounds or scores out of ten or is it simply that the aim of the game is to knock your opponent out for 10.
Either way the number 10 and boxing set the context for this Blog.
So picture this if you please, in the blue and greenish corner …..
the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC).
In the multi coloured corner…….
the Community Council for Australia
In this scenario I don’t play the role of the referee but in this Blog I play the role of supporter for both sides (as do both the CCA and ACNC). It’s a friendly boxing match!
The purpose for the boxing analogy is to assist with the very important debate that is currently taking the Australian social sector by storm – Why merge? Having played a key role in leading #GoodSave (former CEO of Good Beginnings Australia which became part of Save The Children Australia) in the Community Council for Australia CEO and Board Leaders Forums I share my experiences of preparing the organization to be collaboration ready, the timelines and reflections to be drawn upon.
Yes the CCA has called for charities to consider some form of collaboration and if nothing else to have the dialogue about mergers in their frame. Less division more collaboration is the key message.
“The governance structure and approaches that may have served organisations well during the good days may no longer be appropriate in tight times” David Crosbie
Equally the ACNC has expressed a very clear message that they are not into ‘shotgun mergers’ and are encouraging new organisations to be formed. This encouragement is set within the backdrop that they believe there is a natural balancing out. They will do all in their powers to minimize duplication:
“In addition to the ACNC primary functions preventing charity duplication was always a priority” Murray Baird
In Melbourne last week at one of the CCA ‘Why Merge’ forums I made reference to the fact that on the 1 July 2015 when Good Beginnings Australia became part of Save The Children Australia I was pleased as there was one less Not For Profit in competition or ‘beauty pageant mode’ as I refer to it as. Unfortunately by the next day (2 July 2016) this number had already increased with another 9 (figures have since been corrected 10) charities being set up per day!
Just like a boxing match this is where the (friendly) sparring began as here’s me making a bold statement about reduction and the ACNC promoting the increase as a celebration!
In some way I believe we are all saying the same thing but I will be very clear about my point which in #GoodSave I refer to as the important underlying message. The message is fundamental to preparing organisations at board and CSuite level and sits at the core of an ‘Emergent Strategy’. An Emergent Strategy is phase one of the Social Connect platform;
“Focus on growing the outcomes not growing the organization” Jayne Meyer Tucker
This to me summarises why the boxing match analogy works for this topic. The boxing ring is our shared fight to reduce complex societal issues. No matter what corner you are in, or part you play in the game, the concept of a knockout or complete eradication of the issue represents the preferred outcome.
Just imagine if the necessary changes to both old and new social purpose sector governance arrangements would achieve all that we aspired – surely it would have to be entertained. To me that is the mind set that we enter the boxing ring with.
References
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/11/less-division-more-collaboration
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/12/acnc-won’t-force-charity-‘shotgun-marriages’
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/11/a-new-beginning/
