What is at the center or heart of your organization? The board of trustees is responsible for recognizing where their nonprofit falls in the realm of  Centricity and to shift the organization when necessary. Let's look at the three possible ways an organization expresses its  Centricity.

 

Some organizations are centered around a person. I call him Mr. Big Guy. Many times it is the founder, but not always.  The priorities and performance of this kind of organization reflect the personality of one Person.  Everything needs to line up with that Person, and as long as it does, things are great!  But when someone steps out of that line, it can spell trouble.  The key problem is this: the priorities can change too quickly and too frequently, depending on the whims of Mr. Big.  

Boards of problem-centric organizations find their organization identity is wrapped up in what is going wrong or what could go wrong. They see only problems. These boards constantly function in crisis-mode.   I've even seen organizations create new problems, just because they needed a problem to function!  They lose their strategic focus and tend to have very short-term ideas of success.  

The third kind of organization is centered on purpose. When a problem arises, they look first at the mission and then decide how to act. These entities aren't easily swayed by people or problems because they are firmly grounded in their mission. They adapt and adjust, all while keeping their mission in focus. A purpose-centric board doesn't lose sight of the big "why" question.

Kent Stroman

America's ASKing Coach