-
Organisational instability in mission-driven entities is often fragmentation, not failure, and requires structural alignment rather than superficial change -
Alignment reconnects vision, governance, leadership capability and execution, restoring coherence in seasons of acceleration -
When discipline and mission are integrated, organisations are positioned for generational stewardship rather than short-term survival
A Conversation with Mark Markiewicz, CEO of Urban Saints
There are seasons in the life of an organisation when conviction and purpose are no longer enough. The mission remains compelling, the history is strong, and the people are deeply committed, but a lot of “somethings” just aren’t working anymore. Strategic priorities blur. Leadership transitions accumulate. Energy is expended, but momentum stagnates.
When I spoke with Mark Markiewicz, CEO of Urban Saints in the United Kingdom, this was the season the organisation had been in before connecting with LCP Global. What unfolded was not cosmetic adjustment or programme refinement. It was structural realignment at the level of leadership, governance and execution.
A Century of Faithfulness Meets Acceleration
Urban Saints has been serving young people since 1906. Over more than a century, it has navigated war, generational change, and cultural shifts. Longevity has shaped resilience, but it did not insulate the organisation from technological acceleration.
“Young people aren’t going where they don’t want to go, to be with people they don’t want to be with, to hear what they don’t want to hear,” Mark reflected. “They have to go to school. They choose to be online.”
That observation captures the structural shift taking place. Influence is no longer primarily location-based. Attention is fragmented. Decision cycles are shorter. Expectations of governance are sharper and more visible.
Urban Saints was not questioning its purpose or theological foundations. It was confronting pace. And when pace increases, any lack of coherence between vision, strategy and people surfaces quickly. And that’s an uncomfortable position for any institution, whether in the not-for-profit or corporate sector.
Fragmentation, Not Failure
When Mark stepped into the CEO role, the organisation had experienced multiple CEO and board transitions within a short period.
“A year ago, the whole organisation was in chaos,” he said. “People didn’t know whether they were staying or going. They didn’t know what they were doing.
It felt directionless.”
It would have been easy to interpret the instability as failure. Yet what Urban Saints faced was not a collapse of mission or conviction. It was fragmentation. Vision, governance, structure and leadership capability were no longer operating with shared clarity or rhythm.
The leadership team began with disciplined strategic work.
“We started with strategy, then structure, then systems,” Mark explained.
“We wrote a new strategic plan, stopped doing what wasn’t working, started doing what we needed to be doing, and clarified what had become confused.”
Then he captured the essence of the shift: “New strategy, same vision.”
The calling remained constant. What required attention was alignment.
The Surprise in the Sector
When Mark shared with other not-for-profit leaders that Urban Saints was engaging in an alignment process, the response was revealing.
“They weren’t saying it wasn’t for them,” he said. “They were just shocked that we were doing it with our staff and couldn’t understand how it could work for them.”
The assumption beneath that reaction is common: structured alignment frameworks are often associated with corporate environments and perceived as incongruent with mission-based organisations. Yet that perspective confuses sector with structure.
Alignment is not corporate. It is organisational and cultural.
Any entity navigating growth, disruption or leadership transition requires clarity between vision, governance, talent and execution. That requirement does not diminish because the organisation is faith-based. In many cases, it becomes more important precisely because the mission carries generational responsibility.
Seeing What Was Already There
One of the most significant outcomes of LCP Global’s alignment process was relational rather than merely strategic.
“We had someone in a fairly junior administrative role,” Mark told me. “After they completed their talent alignment scan and we read it, we all looked at each other and said, ‘Wow. This person should be on the leadership team and taking responsibility for a major area of the organisation.’”
The capability had always been present. It had simply not been recognised within the existing structure.
“We didn’t need to hire externally.”
That individual stepped into leadership and, as Mark described, “they’re absolutely flourishing. We wouldn’t have known that without the process.”
Alignment in this instance was not about importing corporate systems. It was about stewarding people wisely and positioning strengths where they could contribute most effectively.
Integrating Care and Accountability
Faith-based organisations rightly value pastoral care and relational depth. That instinct forms part of their strength. Mark did not diminish that dimension; instead, he expanded it.
“Every organisation says they value their people. We care for our people. But often that care is pastoral. Actually helping people know they’re achieving strategic objectives, understanding their strengths, and knowing their contribution and their KPIs, that’s really caring for your people.”
Clarity does not undermine compassion. It strengthens it. When individuals understand how their gifts connect to the organisation’s strategic intent, confidence grows, and contribution becomes purposeful rather than reactive.
Alignment integrates care with accountability in a way that dignifies both.
Discipline Restores Coherence
Urban Saints now operates within disciplined 90-day cycles that anchor executive focus and board oversight.
“We ask, ‘Here’s what we said we’d focus on for these 90 days. On a scale of zero to ten, where are we?’”
Mark was careful to distinguish this discipline from operational micromanagement.
“It doesn’t look at the everyday things you just have to do. It focuses on the strategic work that needs attention.”
That rhythm has reshaped leadership conversations. Strategic drift has reduced. Priorities are measurable. Accountability is shared rather than siloed. The organisation that once felt chaotic now operates with coherence because its decisions are framed within shared clarity.
Leadership Context Matters
When I asked Mark what it had been like working directly with Glenn, his answer reflected something important.
“Glenn understands the not-for-profit and faith-based sector because he has led within it. He’s also worked extensively in corporate contexts. That dual exposure shapes how alignment is applied.”
He went on to explain that the tools are structured, but they are not imposed mechanically. They are contextualised within governance realities, board dynamics and the pastoral sensitivities that characterise mission-driven organisations.
That integration builds confidence among senior leaders and Boards because it recognises that mission and discipline are not competing priorities, but mutually reinforcing foundations of sustainable impact.
Positioned for Generational Stewardship
As our conversation drew to a close, I asked Mark what he would say to another not-for-profit leader considering whether this level of alignment work is appropriate in their context.
“It’s transformational to have alignment of every single member of your team to the vision, mission, strategy and values of the organisation,” he said. “I’ve been leading nonprofit organisations nearly all my life. I’ve never come across something that enables alignment like the SLIK rapid alignment process and the LCP tools do.”
Urban Saints is not merely stabilised. It is positioned to navigate technological acceleration with clarity, to steward leadership transitions responsibly and to serve young people for decades to come.
For Boards and senior leaders in mission-driven organisations, the implication is significant. Conviction alone does not guarantee coherence. Longevity does not prevent fragmentation. Governance requires more than oversight; it requires alignment across vision, strategy, leadership capability and execution.
Where mission meets velocity, alignment is what protects legacy.
If your organisation is growing, transitioning, or feeling the strain of complexity, LCP Global provides a structured, evidence-based alignment process that strengthens clarity, capacity and execution.
Connect with LCP Global to begin a conversation about what alignment could unlock in your next season.
About the Author
Renée Geddes is a freelance writer and leadership communications specialist who has partnered with LCP Global for several years to articulate its thought leadership and executive insight. She works closely with Dr Glenn Williams to shape and communicate LCP Global’s leadership frameworks and executive insights across sectors.
The post When Mission Meets Velocity: Why Alignment Matters in Every Organisation appeared first on LCP Global.