An organization’s culture is the sum of its integrated values, policies and practices. It is multi-dimensional with processes that can be subtle and even hidden from view. The quality and nature of the organization’s culture dictates the quality and nature of its performance.
Are you operating with a high quality culture? See if you’re adhering to the following principles and what you can do to make adjustments if you’re coming up short.
1. Stretch beyond the operating strategies and tactics you’ve always used
Organizational strategies and tactics need to change with changing conditions. This could occur if, for example, a need has been met, a headquarters is demolished, an executive director leaves or a donor provides a major gift for a specific project related to the organization’s mission.
2. Go beyond selecting and retaining board members with whom you’re comfortable
Boards will ideally have rotating members with diverse backgrounds and insights and staggered terms. An effective chair will elicit member participation, discourage members from dominating discussion and encourage questions and candid dialogue.
3. Allow your staff the flexibility to change projects mid-stream
Projects underway should be observed and modified by those involved, at least incrementally, as conditions warrant. External events are often beyond our control and require adjustment to projects currently underway. As a dramatic example, the recent earthquake, tsunami and spread of radiation in Japan caused businesses, government and nonprofits to modify their operations as necessary.
4. System dynamics requires effective cross-functional teams
The best teams tend to include thinkers from inside and outside of the organization. A great team leader or facilitator can tap the individual insights of members, engage them in dialogue and guide them toward a solution. Anonymous peer ratings help evaluate the contributions and collaborative skills of members.
5. Recognize that innovation can come from anyone — not just the “creative” types
Experts believe any employee or volunteer with average intelligence can be innovative, given facilitating conditions. Managers set goals for each of their staff but it’s important to let those individuals collect information and propose their own ideas as to how goals can be achieved.
6. Allow your stakeholders to critique your operation
Regular feedback from customers, visitors, employees, donors, volunteers and other stakeholders helps keep your nonprofit on course. Many progressive organizations use customers and vendors to help them analyze iterations of models of future products. How can you involve your constituents or beneficiaries?
7. Focus marketing first on your “customer”
As marketing legend Ted Levitt said: organizations should first focus on customer needs and satisfaction, then develop products and services to meet them. What do your beneficiaries need?
8. Value your donors beyond their financial contributions
Donors have talents, insights and stakeholder interests that can be useful on boards, advisory roles and as survey respondents. They are often more interested in substance than recognition. Their ongoing engagement with your nonprofit builds positive relationships, creates community and can have positive repercussions for your organization throughout their own networks.
9. Remember volunteers are working for you, just like staff
Though they may put in fewer hours than employees and receive no pay, volunteers should be held to the same high standards of performance. It will enhance their motivation, effectiveness and loyalty. Everyone should be passionate about their work.
10. Keep sustainability top of mind
For a nonprofit organization, sustainability should be seen as a top priority. It means balancing programmatic, environmental and human needs for present and future generations: whether this is operationalized by recycling solid waste or retrofitting buildings with green features.
Formally executive director of The Honeywell Foundation, Inc. and Honeywell Center in Indiana for 25 years, Don Knapp is now a writer and consultant to nonprofits based in Port Townsend, WA. He can be reached at www.innovative-nonprofits.com.
