What are we best in the world at? This was the key question that the Girl Scouts of the USA asked as they began their transformation several years ago. www.girlscouts.org. It’s a great question that Organizations should ask periodically to refocus on their core mission.
Over time, nonprofits can find that they have drifted from their mission. Whether it’s following the greatest need or chasing the greatest dollars, an Organization can realize that they aren’t exactly doing what they initially set out to do. This is not necessarily a negative. If the needs of the community have changed and the Organization has changed to meet those needs, the nonprofit is relevant to its community. However if the mission changed in the process of pursuing funding, the nonprofit may be off track. Depending on the cause of the mission drift the Organization may need to restate its mission to better communicate what they do or get back on track.
The luncheon speakers at the BoardSource Leadership Forum were Kathy Cloninger, the CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA and Connie Lindsey, the National President of the Girl Scouts of the USA. In their own words they shared the process of “taking a deep look at the brutal truths facing the movement”. It was a challenging process but they were committed to complete transparency and steadfast in making the changes happen. Their goals were twofold: 1-to have a relevant purpose; and 2-to create a simple, faster business system. The process is described on their site.
The answer to the question? Girl Scouts creates leaders. 75% of women in leadership positions were once Girl Scouts. In the end the Girl Scouts emerged with some significant structural changes and a new definition of Girl Scouting—“Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
What are you best in the world at?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment