Something Bigger Than Ourselves

Public and nonprofit work is typically people centered. As such, it is ripe for drama. With so many competing agendas, needs and desires, the work is fertile for wicked problems. A tendency of public and nonprofit leaders is to feed the drama in your dialogue with others. Don’t let drama be your conversational currency. Instead, see how well your vision shows up in every meaningful conversation you have with your team and your stakeholders. Notice whether you are actively moving conversations away from drama and toward vision. Reflect on how well you prepare to ensure vision is the noticeable currency of your exchanges.

There is no better way to maintain focus than to relentlessly prioritize your work and attention. In public and nonprofit work, there is a never-ending pull for one’s attention. Prioritization is a practice, and you as leader set the level of importance and discipline of prioritization in your organization. Your practice must use your internal compass to sort through what is important and what is not. And then help others do the same. Your internal compass should point to a need for wellbeing and productivity and move you toward feeling whole and confident in your decisions. In time, your sense of commitment and conviction will strengthen because prioritization pushes you to clarify your values and make tough choices as to how you spend your time and energy.  

Differences always exist between you and those you lead. But differences also live inside you. As a public or nonprofit leader, taking time to wrestle with and reconcile within yourself your own desires and convictions will prepare you to do the same with others. Start by acknowledging reality. Often reality is obstructed by personal desires, promises and fears. These natural aspects of us are legitimate but sometimes must be set aside to take stock of our current state so that we know exactly where we stand today. As the leader you are responsible for acknowledging reality and getting those around you to do the same. By doing so you begin to create a shared context with others, which makes the work of addressing differences more manageable.  

There is no more empowering action a public or nonprofit leader can take than to set clear standards. What sounds so simple is not so easy. An arbitrary standard will not hold up to scrutiny. An arbitrary standard has no meaning, but a standard set based on experience or tied to vision or values, the care of others and the recognition of excellence has no match. It moves others to pursue better and to share in the pursuit of what is good for self and for others. As a leader, build your standards from your expectations. Notice what you expect from yourself and others and let that ground your standards. Lastly, confirm your standards are aligned with the purpose of the organization and benefit the people who are needed to move the organization forward.