Innovation, Inspiration, and Impact: Global Communities

Just as COVID hit, Insyte was invited to support the merger of one of the largest international NGOs based in the US, Global Communities, with a smaller but impactful partner, PCI. Our task: change management for their merger, a new strategic plan and an intentional focus on unifying the culture.

The group had high aspirations: Set a standard for the field of iNGOs. Make tough decisions. Make sure everyone across the globe has a voice. Generate financial strength. Transparency in decision-making. Generate pride among our staff and help them make meaning of our world.

In less than a year, Insyte closely engaged over 100 employees (entirely on Zoom!) to lead the work of introducing the two organizations to one another, building shared understanding of a dramatically changing world (particularly the trend toward “localization” and decolonization) and making those tough choices about what would define the new merged organization.

Global Communities went through the entire cycle of the U, including clarifying core questions among their 60-person Vision Team, Zoom-based “learning journeys,” turning the camera back for individuals to discern their leadership call in the new organization, and concentrated work on culture co-creation among an international group of younger members of both organizations.

Today, 3 years later, the mission, vision, values, and strategy that shaped that intense merger year are reliable guides for leaders across Global Communities. Its unified mission continues to inspire and drive strategic choices: “Global Communities brings together local ingenuity and global insights to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures.” Its values continue to resonate as authentic and grounding: dignity, integrity, humility, creativity and connection.

In concluding our work together, the words of one of the organizational leaders says it all:

“Across the span of five months, every voice here has been heard, loud and clear. And that's really important. I think that's what's made this such an enriching process. We have made enormous progress to set up our combined organization through this planning work to achieve our mission and lead our sector for years to come. I feel that I've come to get to know this team really well. And in a pandemic, meeting completely virtually, that was no easy task. Thank you to Insyte for helping to facilitate that.”