3 Life-Saving Vaccinations Every Nonprofit Needs Now

Here’s the best shots to protect your future.

As needs continue to climb, many nonprofits have become more fragile- or even failed.

Still the hungry must be fed. The homeless must have shelter. The oppressed must experience justice. The forgotten must be given attention. The weak must be lifted up. The persecuted must experience righteousness.

Has your nonprofit created a sense of urgency about its mission? Or is it taking this responsibility lightly? And is it appreciating the meaning of the moment all the while keeping a close eye on its moral compass?

Any of these sound familiar to you?

“We don’t have enough money for that.”

There’s no question more money can be advantageous if it’s funneled into the right directions. But the impoverished identity can also serve as an excuse.

“There’s not enough time.”

Now we have given the impoverished identity, increased momentum. Poor time management leads to loss of focus and is the second crutch.

“We feel hopeless.”

A single thread of hope is a very powerful thing. But the impoverished identity ultimately takes aim at the heart of it.

“Our Board doesn’t get it!”

They are rubber stampers who are clueless about our true needs. Then they leave and the cycle repeats itself with a new batch of disenfranchised leaders.

“We don’t have the connections.”

Funders don’t know about us. Donors don’t care about us. Volunteers don’t choose us. The local community discounts us.

“It’s not what you do that matters.”

Who you know is more important than the outcomes we produce.

“There’s no room for failure.”

When a new program or initiative doesn’t get off the ground, we are doomed. Funders will surely abandon us.

If we show who we really are-imperfect- donors won’t approve of us. They will certainly think less of our nonprofit and its mission. Then they will redirect their giving elsewhere.

Staff members that make mistakes don’t belong here either. It shows they really don’t care.

Anybody with a new idea is just rocking the boat. We know how things need to be done. Besides, we have probably already tried it anyway.

Money is tight and squandering it on experiments is a terrible idea. Time is in short supply and we can’t be wasting it on pipe dreams.

“We’re awesome.”

Funders will always support us, those in need will always flock to us and employees will be forever loyal to us. Because we are awesome, we have good reason to call the shots with anyone. Those that don’t like it can go elsewhere. Then they will find out what a terrible mistake they made.

Our nonprofit is so awesome that it controls the environments it operates in. We know the real truth. We have the answer to any dilemmas that may arise.

Our leadership is awesome too. Its knowledge is simply unmatched. What more can we say? Really, we are awesome.

Common limiting beliefs create boundaries for nonprofits that can prove to be a greater danger than any virus.

*Got more limiting beliefs to add? Share them in the comments!*

So what’s it take to start overcoming these limiting beliefs and create positive turning points?

Here’s your immunization schedule to inject new possibilities into your nonprofit organization.

Vaccination #1/ FORGIVENESS

Why?

Forgiveness and the purification that results from it, are a prerequisite to your nonprofit moving forward.

When people don’t get along, progress is slow or completely stalls out. The workplace becomes uncomfortable, fundraising has a hard time getting off the ground, and the seeds of disorganization are watered.

We have all seen situations where stakes are placed in the ground by individuals, sometimes over trivial matters. Those “stakeholders” help to create the often talked about silo mentality.

Think about it like this. We never know when it may be the very last time we see a person. So why cling to resentments and hold grudges? Many people expect to be forgiven but are sometimes reluctant to extend forgiveness themselves. This is not exactly a core value any person, or charitable organization wants to display.

People do not feel free to contribute their passion, innovation and unique talents in an unforgiving culture. A lack of transparent communication, unfulfilled expectations, and thwarted intentions, result. Energy is wasted on avoiding potentially unpleasant interactions and situations. Even the most carefully-crafted strategic plan will be doomed if forgiveness is absent.

So get this vaccination first because forgiveness should be a priority that is viewed as an opportunity. The costs of not forgiving are great.

Giving up blame and faultfinding are central to forgiveness. It is far better to focus on clusters of strength, than specks of imperfection. When cultural norms do not support acts of forgiveness, the mission itself is threatened.

As difficult as it can often be, asking for forgiveness does present a chance to use the mistakes and breakdowns in life, to awaken greater wisdom and capability in others, and oneself. With forgiveness as a piece of the culture, meaning can be brought to the workplace. But without forgiveness, any loss of trust cannot be restored.

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Vaccination #2/ TRUST

Why?

No organization can become truly successful in an environment of distrust.

When secrecy is the operating mode, people are hiding their true thoughts and feelings. Protecting one’s turf becomes important when assuming the worst. This leads to a hyperactive rumor mill, burnout and high employee turnover. It becomes a great struggle to accomplish even the smallest of tasks.

Trust can take a long time to build and maintain. But here are some ways it can be destroyed very quickly.

◘ Covering up mistakes ◘ Leaking confidential information ◘ Low transparency from leadership  ◘ Cutting special deals with certain staff members  ◘ Rewarding poor performers ◘ Shutting down ideas  ◘ Taking credit for others’ work  ◘ Throwing others under the bus

These are all examples of crippling actions that damage trust. Low self-esteem and the absence of strong core values at the individual level, are many times driving these actions.

There are adverse consequences resulting from a loss of trust. Most importantly, relationships can be impaired.

Acknowledging broken trust is the first step in repairing it. People have likely been hurt. Leadership must demonstrate that it will dig deeper to help individuals release bitterness and resentment.

Releasing the organization from the grip of distrust is needed to produce uncommon outcomes. Steps must be taken to advance partnerships and create deeper personal connections with all of a nonprofits’ stakeholders.

“Observe all men; thyself most.”

Vaccination #3/ AUTHENTICITY

Why?

When actions don’t match up with words, your nonprofit quickly loses credibility. And when individual actions do not line up with beliefs, internal conflict results.

Does your nonprofit identity look like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces made to fit? Or does it resemble a masterpiece painting that reflects the spirit of the artist?

Core values get talked up a lot. And they get publicized a lot too. In the Annual Report. On the website. In the employee handbook. In appeal letters. On the refrigerator in the lunch room. Even on flashy, modern billboards. Plenty of sizzle, but sometimes a lousy steak.

You see, nonprofit organizations can’t just cook up core values to make themselves look attractive. Those values must be consistently exemplified over the long-term by the individuals connected to the mission. And, when they aren’t, it will be easy to see through the smoke screen.

Sure, we all fall short from time to time. That is to be expected. But the need to walk the walk is critical. So, with that in mind, here are authentic values that have the potential to produce outcomes beyond your expectations.

⁍ Inquisitive.

Take the time to explore your curiosities about stakeholders, their thought processes, beliefs and visions. Take a look at old problems and scrapped ideas from diverse vantage points. Don’t conduct your examinations to simply be nosy either. Rather, aim to earnestly learn more about the environment surrounding you.

⁍ Immersed.

Act as a sponge. Listen more than you talk. Fully absorb each moment, each action and each message. Obtain the knowledge you will need to ignite your passion. That includes the “obvious.” Awaken the magic and see the possibilities to make a difference.

⁍ Zealous.

Let your passion be contagious but don’t allow the excitement to blind you from the charitable acts that are the essence of your nonprofit. Zeal can provide the fuel to continue moving forward. Always bring a burning desire to what you do.

⁍ Elastic.

Be quick to recover like a rubber band that has been stretched to the limit, but did not break. Your flexibility will help you to successfully navigate difficult situations. Fearlessly move into uncharted waters through innovation. Just be sure to always know your boundaries.

⁍ Altruistic.

Find a higher meaning by putting the needs of others ahead of your own. Do your work in a true spirit of service. Openly make suggestions that incentivize you-and others around you- to make greater use of your altruistic capital. But, in the end, do it because you really want to.

⁍ Grateful.

Create good vibes with simple acknowledgements and tokens of appreciation. Start a grassroots effort to make gratitude a standard in your nonprofit. Then brush up on how to accept a compliment. Thank you.

Let these values forge your way, but not on paper alone. Patiently develop the tranquil lightness that can move you and your charity to higher ground. Sure, there will be side effects. But when you begin to experience the surprising outcomes, be sure to share them with a comment below.

Hey, and thanks for reading!

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”