Transformation of a state fish and wildlife agency: Missouri Department of Conservation's effort to remain relevant in a changing world

In 1935, the citizens of Missouri established the Missouri Conservation Commission in the state's constitution and in 1976 approved a conservation sales tax to ensure sustainable funding for those priorities. These two major citizen-led initiatives have been the cornerstone of the Missouri model of conservation and key to the successful implementation of The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) mission for more than 80 years. Even with a successful track record, the health of an organization is only ever in two operating modes-growing or decaying. Beginning in 2017, the department began a focused and intentional effort to transform the agency in an endeavor to remain relevant to a changing citizenry and to better equip the agency to meet current and future challenges. The agency first developed a new strategic plan with three identified goals: 1) MDC takes care of nature, 2) MDC connects people with nature, and 3) MDC maintains public trust. Next, a team of internal staff were charged with creating an organizational design that empowered employees to work in a highly interdependent, team-oriented environment that ensured efficiency of operations, supported the fulfillment of the strategic plan, and placed Missouri citizens at the center of everything the agency does. The new organizational model establishes a system of governance and organizational structure based on centralized guidance and regional implementation of the strategic plan utilizing interdisciplinary cross-functional teams.