SacIPA Organizational Philosophy and Structure
SacIPA is a not for profit organization, run by dedicated volunteers. SacIPA has a very unique organizational structure. Simplicity is the key. Simplicity makes the organization agile, so that it can adapt to changes quickly.
We believe in the philosophy of "inspired leadership" as opposed to “assigned leadership”. It means that each team member steps up according to his or her abilities and time constraints as the need arises. For this reason, we stayed away from a hierarchical organization structure. We adopted the concept of Robert Greenleaf’s philosophy of “Servant Leadership” and adapted to our needs.
Robert Greenleaf : "A fresh critical look is being taken at the issues of power and authority, and people are beginning to learn, however haltingly, to relate to one another in less coercive and more creatively supporting ways. A new moral principle is emerging, which holds that the only authority deserving of one’s allegiance is that which is freely and knowingly granted by the led to the leader in response to, and in proportion to, the clearly evident servant stature of the leader. Those who choose to follow this principle will not casually accept the authority of existing institutions. Rather, they will freely respond only to individuals who are chosen as leaders because they are proven and trusted as servants. To the extent that this principle prevails in the future, the only truly viable institutions will be those that are predominantly servant led"
SacIPA organization contains two teams. They are the advisory team and the executive team.
The advisory team has four to six directors who have made significant contribution to their respective fields in the professional community, local or elsewhere. The team provides strategic advice to the executive team and also provides positive visibility to the group. A director in the advisory board may not participate in the daily management of the group and could be remote. The first tenure is for 1 year and then extended to a 4 year term. This may be extendable again based on mutual interest.
The executive team consists of four to six executive directors, who are involved with the active management of the group. There is no specific tenure. Based on the time constraints, a team member may continue to serve the group or step aside for a new team member to come on board.
There are benefits in serving in the leadership team. While there are no direct financial or business benefits, it is very rewarding in terms of networking, community, awareness, and philanthropy. Aspiring business professionals may benefit greatly from the visibility and networking opportunities provided by SacIPA leadership and participation. We have very strict privacy policy and the member database is highly protected; it is accessible to only certain directors, on a need to know basis. Your email address is not transmitted during your RSVP, message board or job board submittals.
How to become an executive director? First, you need to attend the SacIPA events regularly. You need at least one specific skill set that may be useful for the group. An executive director may be requested to speak at the group if a speaker cancels in the last minute.