TRUSTe

http://www.truste.org

San Francisco

Round –

Fall 2005

Project Type –

Full team

Project Focus –

Organizational Development

Organization Type –

Government / Public Services

Organization

TRUSTe® is an independent, nonprofit enabling trust based on privacy for personal information on the internet. We certify and monitor web site privacy and email policies, monitor practices, and resolve thousands of consumer privacy problems every year.

In 2007, TRUSTe celebrates its 10th anniversary as the world's largest online privacy seal program with over 2,400 websites relying on TRUSTe to provide best practices for consumer choice. TRUSTe has also expanded its standards for consumer choice to address issues in email and downloadable software and counts internet leaders AOL and Microsoft among its sponsors.

Project Objectives

By 2005, TRUSTe had achieved considerable market leadership in privacy and entrepreneurial success, including the recent introduction of a major new product. Anticipating a period of potentially rapid growth, TRUSTe's leadership recognized the need for an objective examination of the best use and expansion of current human resources to achieve the next level of success.

TRUSTe's Executive Director engaged the ACT Team to determine how best to expand TRUSTe's current organization and organizational structure to most effectively meet its business initiatives.

Project Overview

The Team interviewed the Management Team, then staff, to examine the effectiveness of TRUSTe's structure, leadership capacity and succession planning, recruitment and retention. The team worked collaboratively with the Executive Director, frequently sharing findings and hypotheses and jointly crystallizing recommendations for restructuring and expansion of leadership capacity. After March, the Team fine-tuned the new organization, suggesting new organizations and positions, and further developed recruitment strategy and resources.

Key Recommendations

To best meet its next level of performance, the majority of TRUSTe's functional areas should be consolidated into two major organizations directly tied to business initiatives.
In hiring new senior leadership for these areas, TRUSTe should seek candidates with specified functional requirements and interdisciplinary capability, as well as designated behavioral attributes that will fit successfully with the TRUSTe organization, its leadership and its culture. This applies, as well, to other hiring.
The ACT Team did not view employee retention as an issue; there are sufficient resources within TRUSTe to motivate and engage the people who are right for the organization.
The Team recommended a recruitment message highlighting the unique aspects of the TRUSTe organization.
For the future, the team recommended the creation of a new third organization, led by a current management team member, and several new positions throughout the organization.

Final Report Outline

In order to help the Executive Director anticipate change and begin its socialization throughout the organization, the ACT Team provided four reports throughout the project:

Summary of Management Team Interviews-December

Employee Interview Format
Organizational Strengths and Challenges
Leadership and Succession Potential and Career Pathing
Required Attributes for a Successful TRUSTe Leader
Rough draft of organizational restructure with senior leadership requirement

Summary of Staff Interviews-January

Definition and ownership of operational and product responsibilities within and between the two proposed organizations

Propose the new organization at the Management Team level, criteria used to restructure, resulting benefits and hiring of new senior leadership for the organization.

Further Recommendations Organization and Recruitment Strategy-May

Proposed Additional Organization/Positions

Recruitment Messaging

Recruitment Resources

Useful Items

Building a Successful Team

The best "toolkit" for an ACT Team in Organizational Development is differing "deep expertise" in its members. The TRUSTe ACT Team had deep expertise in Organizational Development/Human Resources, Venture Capital, Technology and Marketing. As a group, they were able to examine each organizational decision from all vantage points of a business and, as individuals, make substantial contributions in their own areas.

Learn More About ACT for Nonprofits

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