As I ponder this, I also think about some of my friends in the dating world and have drawn some parallels. My friend Christine (not her real name) entered the world of dating again a few years ago. Like so many now, she uses online sites to introduce her to potential partners. Last time we talked, she was surprised to see so many men in their 40s who had never been married, but are now looking for relationships.
She is frustrated with these same men and their lack of flexibility on characteristics in a potential mate. They have a long list of requirements and deal-breakers. She suspects they are looking for the “perfect” woman, and we all know no perfect person exists. As those of us who have been in relationships for a long while will tell you, good relationships take communication, compromise and a healthy dose of humility. Relationships are hard work. It may just be that after so long on their own, with the ideas about what a relationship should be, that they would rather just go it alone.
Which brings me back to the huge array of nonprofit organizations. When a person develops a passion for a cause and comes up with a great idea to meet that need, they are enthusiastic and very focused. Perhaps so focused that when they go out to look for partners, they are unable to find that perfect one. Doing the hard work of true collaboration and realignment takes tenacity, the ability to keep your eye on what is best for the community (and not for your ego) and a willingness to incorporate new ideas into your program. This is hard work and not for the faint of heart.
I’m working with an organization right now where I believe we could probably string it along for a while, and although that would require some work, the right answer of a merger or strategic realignment will be much harder work and force all of us to really examine what is best for the greater good.
I’ve also talked to a person who is planning to start a new organization to promote safe sex to prevent HIV/AIDS and to help with medical expenses. He says no one else is doing this work in the right way and is steadily moving down the road toward forming his own organization. I appreciate his passion for the cause and his desire to develop more effective programs, but I see his energy as being dissipated by going it alone. If he wanted to maximize his efforts, and work harder, I believe he could do a lot of good working within existing organizations and bringing about quality change on a larger level. But that is not his ideal of the perfect organization.
So, as my yoga teacher says, the easy way is rarely the right way. So stretch yourself and think hard about working together before going it alone.
- Cindy Willard, Private Foundation Sr. Program Officer
Cindy - Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree. In addition, I've seen that a new program often gains extra support and credibility if in its infancy it is part of a more established nonprofit. Lisa Flores
ReplyDeleteCindy - A good post, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI get so many calls from people who want to start a new nonprofit who do not even know what others are doing in their field of interest. These organizations, which are duplicative of what already exists, do put a strain on the sector as a whole.
However, I do think there is room for organizations to innovate outside of organizations that currently exist. Not all new nonprofits or programs are the same and those rare gems of innovation should be encouraged and cheered on, even if they choose to be independent from other existing organizations or efforts.