Last week I participated in an event organized by Thrive Alliance, where leaders of local nonprofits in California met with Superintendent Elect for Education in San Mateo County, Nancy Magee. Sharing experiences, concerns and goals with other nonprofit leaders in this event —  and during the past month in other occasions — made me think further why it is so important to invest in the people and culture in nonprofits and startups.

Nonprofit organizations work for a mission, to support a cause or a community. It is their goal to give back to their community. People who work in nonprofits are driven by something they believe is important. Working for a mission is very demanding and requires a lot of energy. Employees working in nonprofits burn out quickly,  get demotivated and/or want to move out, even though they love what they do. This happens because organizations sometimes forget to nurture and recharge their employees so they can keep doing their work helping others.

I have been working with startups and nonprofits for more than a decade.  One of my observations during this time is that most employees start their job with the best intentions, full of energy and determined to make a difference, they are committed. They are eager to help and contribute and they don’t mind low salaries or long hours. They believe in the mission and they are proud to dedicate their efforts and be part of a mission-driven organization.

One of the most important roles of the leadership team is to make sure their people have what they need to do their job. Keeping the energy and motivation high is is key in every job, but particularly important in nonprofit and startup jobs.

There are many ways to energize nonprofit and startups employees. Some examples are:

  1. Remind employees about the mission they are working on
  2. Make it easier to know how each employee’s work contributes directly to the mission
  3. Foster a culture of trust, empathy, and equity
  4. Lead by example

This applies to all levels and all positions, particularly the ones that are far from the community that they serve. It is easier to remember that you are making a difference with your work when you are a teacher and can see the development of your students every day. It is harder to remember when you work in a support position such as finance (or accounting, or HR, or IT) and you don’t get to see firsthand how the organization’s mission is making a positive impact.

The core of an organization is its values and culture, and these are reflected directly in the employees’ work, their interactions and their energy. It starts with the behaviors and actions of the leadership team and it cascades to the entire organization. The culture and values should be linked to the mission and how the organization delivers its work. No wonder why it is so important to foster a healthy culture that includes empathy, respect, equity, and inclusiveness so people can do their job better and the organization can have a much more positive impact in delivering its mission.

I want to hear from you. Drop me a message if you want to hear more about how I could help you and your organization to foster a healthy and productive culture. I am always happy to meet people, hear about their work and learn how I could support them in their mission.