Today is Independence Day here in the United States when we
celebrate our declaration to rule ourselves, which set in motion the building
of our nation. So it seems like an appropriate day to write about the opposite
of successful efforts—the tendency within nonprofits toward dysfunction.
Nonprofits proliferate because established governments are
so bogged down in corporate dealings, politics, and bureaucracies they cannot
provide basic services. Here in the U.S., our government can’t get past the
insurance industry to provide basic health care. In Africa, foreign aid lures
government leaders into massive projects rather than programs to serve their
people. And most recently, immigrant-hating hecklers seem to have convinced the
UK government to break away from Europe and set the stage for years of
rebuilding for no measurable gain.
I’m somewhat glad that governments tend toward dysfunction
because otherwise they would wield too much power. But this leaves the
responsibility for significant societal benefits squarely in the laps of
nonprofits. Unfortunately, as I show in Cures
for Ailing Organizations, nonprofits are just as inclined toward
dysfunction.
Dysfunction seems to be our default setting. Even in
nonprofits, we set out to achieve critical missions only to spend our time in
meetings and developing projects and programs that change nothing. For instance,
at One Street I work with many leaders
of bicycle organization who find themselves in ruts of time-sucking programs
such as bike education events or rides that only attract current enthusiasts.
Worse are the programs that undermine
bicycle advocacy such as pushing bicycle helmets.
Most people are not leaders and prefer finite tasks over
developing long-term visions and the disruptive steps necessary to reach them.
Even those with leadership skills find relief in simple tasks like laundry or
chopping vegetables. But if we expect to change the world, we need more than
chopped vegetables.
Here are some steps you can take toward fighting the
dysfunction default when you realize your nonprofit is spinning in place:
STEP 1: Check your mission. If it does not
clearly state significant, positive change it could be at the heart of your
problem. Consider a rewrite with the rest of your team to change out passive
wording for eyebrow-raising terms that shock casual observers. Read
more about developing an effective mission and vision here.
But a great mission cannot prevent our dysfunction default.
If your nonprofit is not causing measurable results, something needs to change.
Leaving a dysfunctional nonprofit in place is harmful because it prevents an
effective one from being formed.
STEP 2: Find more leaders. Leaders thrive on
long-term visions. Their pulses race when asked to define goals years in
advance and map out the steps to reach them. They understand the intricate web
of experts, partners, and supporters needed to achieve significant change and easily
prioritize the necessary tasks for staff and volunteers.
But talented leaders are deflected away from dysfunctional
organizations. They’ve been burned too often in leadership roles where others
prefer their rut, where current leaders take pride in the wasteful programs
they developed. Friends defend useless efforts by people who should never have
been given responsibility. Even hecklers are defended. And when new leaders who
bruise those egos finally give up and leave, the remaining leaders snap
everything back to their former ineffective ways.
I have a rather sick affection for this video of wildebeests and an alligator
that serves as comedic relief each time I encounter this snap-back reaction in
dysfunctional nonprofits. It shows the value of recording and then believing in
progress made. Use this to present your nonprofit as eager to change. That sort
of humility will increase your chances of attracting great leaders.
Look for those with big ideas toward your mission (be leery
of ideas that stray or suggest personal gain). Those who harp on immediate
tasks will be great volunteers, but not leaders. Guiding task-oriented people
away from leadership roles should not be offensive. Finding the best role for
each individual is not only respectful, it will set them up for success. Read
more about the value of appropriate roles in my last blog post.
STEP 3: Plan to fight
chronic dysfunction. Realize that because your nonprofit slipped into
dysfunction it will always have this tendency. Of course all nonprofits are in
danger of this slip, but once it has happened, some people will defend it. We’re
no better than those wildebeests in that video. Set in place policies that
spell out what progress means and checkpoints that measure progress. Your fight
against dysfunction will never end.
Sue
