HeliaConnects Snapshot: When data doesn’t tell the whole story
Holding accountability and honoring feelings at the same time
HeliaConnects brings together social sector leaders to tackle real challenges through peer consultancy. This session focused on building strong board and leadership partnerships.
Peer Consultancy Challenge
I lead a mid-sized, mission-driven organization. We recently made a significant change to increase efficiency — our frontline staff now carry much larger caseloads than before. This was driven by funding pressures, but also by data showing we could serve more people without sacrificing quality.
Here's what's happening:
The metrics look good. Utilization is up, impact indicators are strong. By the numbers, this is working. But our staff say they're drowning — they feel like they don't have time to breathe, even though the data doesn't show them working more hours. There's a gap between what we're measuring and what they're experiencing.
We recently implemented a new accountability system to track when things aren't on pace. We called it "escalation." In retrospect, that word is landing badly.
The managers caught in the middle are struggling. They were brought into the decision to increase caseloads, but they didn't help design the accountability process. Now they feel guilty — they agreed to this, and they're watching their teams struggle.
The "morale problem" feels big, but when I look closer, only 2-3 people are actually struggling with the metrics. There's also a generational tension I don't quite know how to navigate — our leadership team has one set of expectations around accountability, and our younger frontline staff have different expectations around authenticity and being heard.
What I'm trying to figure out:
How do I honor that this feels hard while also holding the line on accountability?
How do I support my managers who are stuck in the middle?
Is there a way to reframe this that doesn't feel like "top-down decision, deal with it"?
Collective Wisdom
On creating space to listen:
Gather qualitative data to balance the quantitative. The numbers might show success, but if you're not asking about satisfaction, time management, what's actually hard — you're only seeing half the picture. And people don't feel heard when you only measure outputs.
Use a framework like "I like, I wish, I wonder" to gather feedback. One person suggested doing it live — everyone in a room, writing at the same time on their own screens, then sharing everything back. It feels more real than an anonymous survey that sits in someone's inbox.
Co-design a survey WITH the managers, not just for the staff. Get them involved in figuring out what questions to ask. This gives them ownership AND surfaces what they think the issues actually are.
On framing the change:
Name that you're charting a "third way" — not going back to the old approach, not defending every piece of the new one, but taking the best of both and figuring out what's next together. This reframes the conversation from "we decided, you deal" to "we're all figuring this out."
Invite staff to give feedback on what's being measured. What else should you be tracking? What data would help them feel like the story is complete? When people are part of defining accountability, it doesn't feel like something being done to them.
On managing workload:
Be clear about what people can do LESS of. If you're adding significantly to someone's load, what's coming off? Even if it's not a perfect trade, naming it matters. Otherwise it just feels like "ten pounds of flour in a five-pound bag."
Consider tiering. Not everyone needs the same intensity of support. One organization built a system where staff classified cases by need level, with caps on how many high-needs cases anyone could carry. That made the math work without pretending everyone could do more at the same intensity.
On supporting managers:
Invest in manager development. The people in the middle need skills for holding both — the feelings AND the accountability. That means coaching on difficult conversations, not just dashboards and protocols.
Rethink the language. Words like "escalation" sound like threats, not support. Language matters when you're trying to build trust during change.
On perspective:
This is part of learning to be a manager. The challenge won't go away — what changes is how equipped your people are to navigate it.
The Key Thing
Find a way to hear from staff about what's actually hard — whether that's 1:1 conversations, a team discussion, or a survey. And bring your managers into figuring out how you'll do it and what you'll ask. When they help design the process, they're invested in what you learn.
Want To Go Deeper?
Want to be part of conversations like this? Start or join a HeliaConnects group
Want a thought partner on board dynamics? Leah Peters, a Helia Collective Member, helps leaders navigate tricky team dynamics while getting results. Book time with her HERE!
Related reading: Helia's resource A People Manager’s Job Description — for helping your managers lead people
This Snapshot comes from a HeliaConnects peer consultancy in January 2026. Take what's helpful, leave what's not, and make it your own.
Article & Resource Tags
