Are Nonprofit Organizations Really Dysfunctional? Critical Thinking from a Viewer

Forwarded by Eugene Fram

By: Liz Swanson, Trusted Consultant to Non-Profit Leaders

I believe a good reason for nonprofits (being viewed as dysfunctional) is due to the scarcity mentality that many non-profits and their boards have. There is a mindset out there that non-profits are to be lean or intentionally do with less—or even the “joyful sacrifice” around pay. Our communities also embrace this mentality with the thinking that “overhead” is bad. Scarcity thinking drives the attitude of leadership, which then drives the behavior and ultimately the results we see (dysfunction, low or no growth.) If you don’t think you have enough time or resources, then you don’t. But if you believe you do, then you act differently and make different decisions about the investment of your time and resources.