We have attained what we were trying to do.
First, the public-service institution needs a clear definition of its mission. What is it trying to do? Why does it exist? It needs to focus on objectives rather than on programs and projects. Programs and projects are means to an end. They should always be considered as temporary and, in fact, short-lived. Second, the public-service institution needs a realistic statement of goals. It should say, “Our job is to assuage famine,” rather than, “Our job is to eliminate hunger.” It needs something that is genuinely attainable and therefore a commitment to a realistic goal, so that it can say eventually, “Our job is finished.” Most objectives can and should be phrased in optimal rather than in maximal terms. Then it is possible to say, “We have attained what we were trying to do.” Third, failure to achieve objectives should be considered an indication that the objective is wrong or at least defined wrongly. If an objective has not been attained after repeated tries, one has to assume that it is the wrong one. Failure to attain objectives is a prima facie reason to question the validity of the objective—the exact opposite of what most public-service institutions believe.
ACTION POINT: Write down your nonprofit institution’s mission. Is it attainable or is it an open-ended, wishful statement? If it’s the latter, replace it with a realistic and genuinely attainable statement of goals.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
* Source: The Daily Drucker by Peter F. Drucker