Friendship and Core Organizational Values
John Adams described friendship as being one of the “distinguishing glories of man.” Although we may prefer that he had utilized more inclusive vocabulary (Abigail Adams certainly asked him to), his elevation of the human capacity to form friendships is the focus of this blog; an especially important theme for focus among nonprofit leaders, as the USA is about to celebrate its sesquicentennial anniversary.
How do we define friendship, and how can our capacity for friendship strengthen our nonprofit leadership?
In her blog, Thirteen Essential Traits of Good Friends (Psychology Today, 2015), Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D, presents three general categories of relational behavior:
Traits of Integrity
Trustwortyess
Honesty
Dependability
Loyalty
Traits of Caring
Empathy
Non-Judgmentalism
Listening
Supportiveness
Traits of Congeniality
Self-confidence
Fun to be around
Ability to see humor in life
We’d like to suggest that the traits of friendship should act as a guide for conduct for nonprofit organizations. In some ways, many nonprofit organizations adopt these (or similar) traits, which find form in their Core Organizational Values that often include inclusivity, collaboration, transparency, and integrity. These values are as important at the organizational level as the traits of friendship are on a personal level.
In a recent interview with Dr. Clara Mattei (Freedom Podcast), Roberto Mendoza, a veteran of Indigenous people's struggle for liberation in North America, emphasises the importance of community values by comparing them to the foundations of a house. The question that he poses is what set of values you might choose to adopt, because that decision will inform all the future development of the community. He references Dr. Martin Luther King’s call for a radical revolution of values to address the divisions inherent in society today.
Nonprofit organizations play an important role in shaping community values by elevating our Core Organizational Values. Here are some steps:
1)Audit your core values: Pull up your organization's official values and document them in one place. Note any that feel vague or undefined.
2) Map how each value shows up in practice: For each value, list the specific policies, behaviors, rituals, or decisions that currently reflect it. Flag any values with no clear real-world expression.
3) Gather constituent feedback: Design and send a short survey asking constituents whether they experience your values in action, and where they see gaps.
4) Brainstorm new ways to close the gaps: Based on the feedback, generate concrete ideas for how underrepresented values could be better embedded in day-to-day operations, decisions, or programs.
As Adams elevated the human capacity for friendship, nonprofit leaders can elevate Core Organization’s Values and, in doing so, strengthen the entire sector because, as with friendship, core values challenge us to form meaningful and genuine relationships that help all of us to thrive.
If you are seeking a fresh starting point for the rejuvenation of your nonprofit organization, consider holding a day retreat with your board and staff, specific to this theme. Reach out to us (The Nonprofit Strategy Group) if we can help plan your retreat. We are skilled facilitators with particular expertise in helping organizations develop and operationalize their core values.