Energizing New Growth with Shared Vision
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In jazz, hierarchy is
determined by your ability to play, not your position in the
band. –Winston Marsalis |
“When a group of people working together trust that all are
concerned for the common good, then they continue to be in sync
no matter what happens.…. It's the feeling that our way is more
important than my way. This philosophy extends to how to treat
audiences, consumers, staff or dysfunctional families. Groups
who work together ‘swing.’ They believe ‘we’ is more important
than ‘me,’ and by doing so, absorb mistakes.”
The philosophy of jazz artist Winston Marsalis applies as well
to creating shared vision within nonprofit organizations.
A sense of community is no stronger than when collective
energies are focused on a common goal. When that goal is for the
greater good, the momentum is magnified and positive outcomes
are only a matter of time.
Sworn enemies move closer together when they share a goal, says
Johann Olav Koss, four-time Olympic gold medalist in skating. In
his skating career, Koss broke 11 world records. “As a
professional skater you ride around and around the track. You
ask yourself what you’re doing it for. At a certain point you
want to see the greater meaning—the greater whole.”
Koss found meaning by forming Right To Play, an international
organization that uses sports and games to promote health and
safety in poor areas of the world. By making teammates of
children from different ethnic or religious backgrounds Koss
sees them forget their differences and focus on a collective
goal with positive outcomes for the whole team.
“I can’t not do this,” is a familiar refrain when someone has a
vision stirring in their heart that serves the greater good. And
this passion bubbles with increasing volatility until some
action step is taken. Ignoring it doesn’t work - it continues
pushing from the inside out. When the vision serves more than
any one of the people building it, the energy takes on
incredible force.
As it combines with the vision and passion of more and more
like-minded people who are also fueled by that driving force,
creativity, ingenuity, and focus all increase exponentially and
the goal becomes accessible.
Innovative nonprofit programs for emerging challenges are seeded
by such passion. If you’re reading this article, you know it
well.
Astronaut Edgar Mitchell acted on that passion when he returned
from outer space and founded the Noetic Sciences Institute, a
nonprofit membership organization that promotes universal
connectedness.
Molecular biologist Candace Pert researches non-toxic cures for
AIDS, schizophrenia, and autism. Her passion burns boldly as she
cultivates donor networks for the nonprofit that supports her
research through her speaking engagements, best-seller Molecules
of Emotion, and the documentary film that swept across the
country in unexpected popularity- all generating momentum she needs
to advance.
Large nonprofit institutions we know today started with seeds of
passion. Little did the late Bonnie Cone, founder of UNC Charlotte,
realize the outcome of her work 40 years later would be a regional
university – all she knew was that returning soldiers needed
education. She became the bridge between the veterans and the
resources to provide education they needed. Joining her were
corporate leaders and influential civic citizens who shared her
vision for accessible public education and continue to pass it on to
others.
Local nonprofit leaders act on it everyday resulting in humane
sanctuaries for animals, home-like environments for people at the
end-of-life who have no insurance and no one able to care for them,
conservation initiatives, pilot programs for non-violent young
offenders, cultural arts and faith-based organizations, shelters for
homeless families, and so many more.
The key to growth and sustainability is understanding
that the vision is beyond one person’s dream – it is a common vision
under construction by a community of like-minded people, open and
inclusive. And the vision is fluid – so that it’s adaptable to
shifting pressures like the economy, natural catastrophes, and basic
human needs.
When the vision is shared with ever-expanding
networks of creative, caring people, attracting resources for growth
is inevitable – and it is a principle of sustainability.
Creating shared vision is an on-going process with variables.
It’s more than a retreat agenda. It’s the difference between
handing out a report to the board and facilitating debate among
diverse viewpoints. Compare the difference when board members
walk away with copies of reports in hand versus new questions in
their heads and different perspectives to discuss.
It’s why board leaders choose service. It’s what motivates staff
everyday to address issues and patterns of unhealthy lifestyles.
It’s why volunteers gather for hands-on experiences in service
and the love that people get on the receiving end. It’s
what happens as a result of all of these things that changes
cascading crises into upward spirals, breaks self-defeating
cycles, improves lives, creates relief and happiness. And, how
effectively these things are communicated to the public
determines expansiveness of the shared vision that then seems to
take on a life of its own.
Principles of Shared Vision
The nonprofit vision is beyond any one person; it must be
shared by a collective.
The vision is fluid.
Energy behind the vision increases as the network of
resources expands.
Shared vision attracts resources.
Shared vision is an on-going process embedded in all
activities.
Creating shared vision in service to others aligns with
global goals of connectedness.
Start with your nonprofit.
- Does your board share a vision?
- What meaning does the organization’s purpose hold for them
personally?
- How closely aligned are personal values of the board and
staff with the core values of the organization?
- Where is the board in synch and where are areas of conflict?
- Do activities relate to the mission?
- How might pressures of the next 3-5 years challenge the
vision?
- What do you know about the vision of stakeholders not on the
board?
These questions might serve as guidelines for the role of shared
vision in your nonprofit. What do you learn from the answers?
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copyright©
Jean Craig Long