In a world where we are often rewarded for doing more, going deeper, or moving faster, there is real value in slowing down. In fact, it is the very gift of a pause that allows us to be most effective at more – deeper, wider, and faster. Going slow to go fast has been a truism in the Foraker lexicon for a very long time, but its application only seems to deepen across organizations both in the way we approach the work and in the way we deliver a service. For most nonprofits right now, the needs are only increasing, and the weight of that demand can feel heavy. Doing more with fewer people and less money or energy is not the answer, but often the unspoken expectation. We often need something to disrupt that cycle of thinking and doing so we don’t get caught in a scarcity mindset.
The disruptor can be a thoughtful set of questions, a new leader’s perspective, a collaborative offer of new ways of working, a financial investment that takes away a little extra stress, or it can be the creative disruption of an intentional pause.
To be clear, a pause is not a stop. Rarely is stopping even on anyone’s radar as an option or even realistic, given the promise of mission delivery in our communities. Instead, a thoughtful pause is more strategic and unique to the situation at hand.
Let’s look at three ways of many where we can support our teams and better deliver on mission by pausing.
- In a leadership transition: There are a number of places where slowing down this process would be incredibly beneficial as one leader exits and another one settles in, but the first spot is in the intentional placement of an interim executive. Too often, an interim is only considered during a crisis, not as an intentionally planned tool. For sure, using an interim leader during a crisis is often the best next step. Still, regardless of whether the transition is planned or unplanned, bringing in an interim offers the board the greatest opportunity to not “rush to search.” We see this time and again, and it becomes the road back to the same spot 12-18 months later. An interim instead provides the breathing room for the board to do the most important work in their roles and responsibilities – hiring a mission partner. It also gives a more even playing field for any current staff member who might want the position full-time, rather than creating a scenario in which they are thrust into the role with little planning or support. The intentional pause might start with the board adopting a leadership staff succession plan that clearly makes the case for an interim in both planned and unplanned transitions. It could also happen without a succession plan, but that often takes a few strong board voices to insist that the whole board slow down long enough to consider the options. These factors can often help the board consider an interim:
- There is no clear direction on what mission success looks like for the next few years and beyond.
- There is no clear understanding of the organizational factors – not just people – that caused the transition in the first place,
- There is no alignment within the board on a variety of issues and/or there is apparent self-interest in the way decisions are being managed.
- The financial, political, or programmatic systems are out of sync with the current financial and governance conditions.
- There are clear relationships and reputational challenges inside and/or outside the organization.
- The transition creates a true opportunity to look at mission delivery in a different format through merger, acquisition, or another format.
In any of these scenarios, an interim can be placed to hold the organization steady while the hard work commences, or focus on the difficult decisions of a turnaround, or be a neutral leader to hold new ideas, new partnerships or new structures. The strategic pause that comes with an interim offers the organization, including current and future board and staff, the opportunity to thrive and not just survive in the long run. And, importantly, the organization helps maintain the trust of donors and investors.
- In a board transition. Every organization has a volunteer board, but that doesn’t mean every board is a group of people put in place “on purpose.” Too often we see “boards by accident” because no plan is in place to ensure both strategic recruitment, thoughtful engagement, or graceful exit. The “rush to place and hope they don’t fail” phenomenon is the norm, so much so that too few groups even know that the process could look different. The strategic pause in this case enables documenting the steps of recruitment, engagement, and exit. This document has many names, including a board succession plan, board development plan, or if it focuses on just one aspect or another of the cycle can be a board recruitment plan or board engagement plan, etc. No matter what it is called, without it, the board is quick to “pick and place” the next willing person who may or may not be the right person at the right time to help move mission forward. Unfortunately, waiting until the person is placed on the board is the wrong time to figure out that they are not the right person right now. The steps for removing a board member are emotionally difficult on a good day and can be very involved from a practical standpoint. The strategic pause is in the plan for sure, but it can also come from the board engaging in strategic planning to know who they are and where they are going so that they can ask the “right person at the right time” questions. Or it might come from writing down job expectations and responsibilities in a job description so that the right person is actually prepared to enter with a set of established expectations. There are so many moments to slow down this process and get it right, but the rush to find and place can be so overwhelming that without a strong board development committee or an executive staff leader who encourages a thoughtful process, the culture of fast wins. Leaning into a few tools can be just the reminders you need to make the strategic move, not the fast one.
- In our seeking of financial support. As we continue to learn, relearn, and advance our ability to center the relationship between mission and donors in our efforts to raise philanthropic support, the best strategies are the ones that prioritize transformation over transactional exchanges, and yet, every day, the stress of making budgets work pushes us to embrace the special event rather than the conversation or the quick return over the lasting investment. Burnout and over-reliance on a few people often result as boards, volunteers, and staff struggle to do what they think is the right thing – the things they see others do. Sadly, what they don’t see is the quiet work. The planning work. The relationship efforts over coffee, email or any number of not very public but essential steps to slow down the process that is necessary for longer-term and larger financial investments. Money and trust go hand in hand. Big gifts, long-term gifts, and legacy gifts require donor questions be answered, mission strategies are aligned, and real impact is possible. Go slow to go fast is a mantra of every development professional and executive who is rooted in the science and the art of philanthropy. This means having a fund development plan that is more than a set of asking strategies. Clearly articulating specific audiences and identifying stories and messages that resonate, not just for the organization but for the investor that it is intended for. It also means consistency and follow-through over glitzy and rash. Planning is the root of success, but so is the team’s ability to live the plan. An AI-generated plan or a borrowed plan are just words on a page if there is no ownership and commitment to living it. Plans don’t have to be fancy or complicated. Simple is great if it is real and generated by the team for the specific team. Pausing in revenue generation also gives us the space to ask and answer hard questions about operating costs, human capital, return on investment of time and money, and so much more. Jumping from one asking strategy to another may seem like that is what it looks like to do it, but the strategic pause is the key to success.
These are just three areas where going slow to go fast positively benefits the mission impact we seek, the people doing the work, and the systems where we operate. I invite you to consider other ways where a strategic pause would serve your approach to more strategic relationships that deliver mission, shift public policy, provide more insights for adaptive change based on evaluation results, or recruit more volunteers and staff to the team. The possibilities are endless if you move from an impulsive reaction to a thoughtful and empowered place that supports your pause.
Need an interim or a plan? We have people and resources to help. Contact us to learn more
Standing by your side
Laurie
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