I’ve worked with several non-profits, and while most were enjoyable and worthy organizations, I’ve seen a couple that suffered because they weren’t forthright.
The notion of forthrightness should trickle down to every aspect of an organization: its mission, marketing and, most importantly, how it treats people.
That last one is crucial, and it cuts through every touchpoint an organization has with those who want to see it succeed, whether paid staff, volunteers, guests, or donors. Answer this simple question: What incentivizes anyone to join its mission if an organization isn’t forthright?
Sure, it can hire new staff and recruit new volunteers; it can even attract different guests and find others to donate. But if this is how the organization spends its time, it’s not carrying out its mission; in other words, it’s spending more time cleaning up messes of its own making rather than accomplishing the goals that will enable it to grow.
I’ve seen this play out at museums, including one that was nearly all volunteer and another that was a volunteer organization on top of a full-time staff. Despite their differences, they had a common point of weakness: they weren’t forthright.
The all-volunteer organization said yes to every volunteer. While that sounds great, few projects were completed because, despite their best intentions, some volunteers were distracted and didn’t see their projects to completion.
The other organization bowed to political pressures, but rather than take a forthright approach with those volunteers wanting to help, it tried to mitigate any hard feelings by obfuscating the truth, if not downright lying about the situation. Sure, that might be the easier approach while it lasts, but when the truth boils to the surface, it rarely ends well, ranging from hard feelings to lost donations.
Far too many institutions lack integrity; no one needs more. Of forthrightness, Merriam-Webster describes the word “as in honesty” and “the free expression of one’s true feelings and opinions.”
If an organization — particularly its leadership — can’t be honest with those willing to give their time, talents, and treasure, who can it be honest with? If it’s not being true to itself and its mission, is it worthy of support?
Organizations often have one opportunity to prove their forthrightness regarding people’s time, talents and treasures. Taking advantage of people’s willingness to graciously give and do right sets a bad precedent, and it values the easy path over doing what is right.
Don’t we see enough of that from our politicians? Do we really need that in our volunteering efforts?