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Organizational Assessment Tools and Resources

Questions that are important to answer as part of an organizational assessment include:

• What is the pattern of responses when an individual or a group raises a difficult issue, especially one involving inequities, power and/or privilege? Are there different patterns of response by various staff groups? By race/ethnic identity groups?
• How is information (procedures, policy changes, public announcements) controlled or not controlled within the organization? If controlled, what are the roles and racial/ethnic identities of those individuals?
• Within the formal decision-making process, who is included and excluded from the process? What are their roles within the organization and what are their racial/ethnic identities?
• How do different groups (board, senior staff, administrative staff) respond to conflict? Is it different based on the identity of the persons involved in the conflict (race, gender, age)?
• How are ideas and/or concerns legitimatized within the organization? What are the racial/ethnic identities of the individuals who may legitimatize an idea or concern?
• What are the opportunities for new leadership to emerge within the organization? What are the barriers for new leadership to emerge? Which characteristics of leaders and leadership are most affirmed?
• How is the organization currently perceived by constituents? Are there different perceptions based on race or ethnic identity groups?

  [FN: questions from Concentric Circles: Unpacking Privilege and Power Diagnostic Tip Sheet, Maggie Potapchuk, MP Associates, 2007.]