Institutional Decay Detector — Health Warning Signs

Leadership & Succession

Founder/leader in place 15+ years without succession planningKey decisions require approval from a single personLeadership resists external evaluation or feedbackBoard members serve indefinitely without rotation

Mission & Purpose

Staff cannot articulate the mission consistentlyPrograms expanded beyond scope without strategic reviewRevenue activities take priority over mission activitiesFounding narrative rarely referenced in decisions

Organizational Culture

Dissent is discouraged or punished informallyInformation is siloed between departmentsStaff turnover in key positions exceeds 25% annuallyNew hires describe onboarding as learning by osmosis

Governance Structures

Board meetings are perfunctory (under 45 minutes)Policies exist but are not enforced consistentlyConflicts of interest are known but not addressedFinancial oversight relies on a single person

Adaptability & Learning

Last strategic review was over 3 years agoFailed programs continued without modificationExternal changes met with resistancePost-mortems or after-action reviews rarely happen

Stakeholder Relations

Beneficiary feedback mechanisms absent or ignoredFunder relationships depend on personal connections onlyCommunity perception shifted negatively without responsePartners have reduced engagement or withdrawn