Implementation

Enabling great performance

Led by: Anita McGahan

Organizations take on lives of their own.  They have cultures, routines, and obligations.  They become known for doing things in certain ways.   Over time, these qualities of an organization may lose their relevance.   How can an organization be designed and redesigned for great performance?  

In this session, we will look at the challenge of adapting organizations over time in ways that both preserve core values and reflect what’s currently important.   Most public organizations are designed to fulfill mandates with equanimity, transparency, and accountability.   Because resources are scarce, efficiency becomes paramount.   We will look at how you can innovate despite all the obstacles that come with responsibility and scale.   You will leave inspired and strengthened for taking on critical challenges in ways that you may not have previously considered.

Participants will:

  • Understand the organizational features, such as culture, routines, and legacy structures, that can support performance or make adaptation more difficult over time.

  • Explore how public organizations can balance innovation with core responsibilities such as accountability, transparency, equity, and efficiency.

  • Identify practical approaches for redesigning organizations in ways that respond to new challenges while strengthening long-term effectiveness and mission alignment.

This workshop is part of an InnovateUS Series called : Foundations of Leadership: Leading Teams, Change, and Public Impact
Click here to view all workshops from this series
Anita McGahan

Senior Research Scientist, The Burnes Center for Social Change

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Format: online

Date & Time: May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM ET

Duration: 60 minutes

Register for free

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