“I don’t know, Josh. I think we need to take a wait-and-see approach…”
It’s perhaps my least favorite phrase in social good — the dreaded “wait and see” that often rears its ugly head toward the end of an ambitious strategic planning activity.
The process of strategic planning is fascinating. Over the course of many months, the leadership of an organization invests time, energy and resources to move through phases of research and business plan development. Then, once the implementation plan has been finalized, the organization’s leaders are onboarded as the “owners” of following through with the well-defined, insight-informed next steps.
It’s the exciting part — when the rubber meets the road and theory prepares to transform into action. And yet…
When the time comes to roll up the proverbial sleeves and get motivated to advance the strategy, too often leaders get cold feet. Why?
When thoughts of risk creep into the room, concerns for public perception can overtake passion for impact.
“We’re still committed to it directionally, but we just want to slow down and wait and see what happens…”
Ugh.
What “Greatness” Really Looks Like
Unwillingness to commit to solutions and action contributes to the erosion of faith in social good organizations.
Much of Next Stage’s decade-long focus on trust-building is reinforced by ongoing research conducted by Gallup. As noted in our recent community report, trust is at an all-time low, with significant declines in public confidence in America’s systems. It continues a 40+ year trendline of eroding public trust.
But this isn’t the way it always was.
Once upon a time, people banded together around common causes. Those who work in social good often pine for “the good old days” of the Greatest Generation — the people who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II. It was a generation of great empathy and is widely considered the most generous generation in modern times. Much of fundraising methodology was created with the Greatest Generation as its muse.
The Greatest Generation “walked the walk” on sacrifice. During World War II, the federal government instituted a rationing system for basic materials like food, shoes, metal, paper and rubber. All citizens, rich and poor alike, were issued ration books with stamps that could be traded for goods many of us today take for granted.
Can you imagine that level of sacrifice today? During the recent pandemic, many of our neighbors demonstrated a marked inability to work cohesively or take the actions necessary to further the common good.
Leadership is galvanized not in what we are against, but in what we are for. And when it comes to meeting the needs of people directly impacted by social and economic inequity, we too often send a message that our commitment “depends.”
A Season for Reflection
As we sit here today, mid-August 2024, there are many factors contributing to fence-sitting by those we depend on most for leadership.
We are in the midst of a political season in the United States unlike any other in modern times, with shifting narratives sowing disruption and confusion. I’ve seen leaders’ confident predictions about the country’s future proven inaccurate, causing all their planned next steps to grind to an unexpected halt. That’s why election seasons in particular trigger too many leaders to adopt wait-and-see practices.
But it’s not just political uncertainty that invokes pause among social good leaders. The status of the economy is evoked almost as often as the reason ambitious — and much-needed — social good strategies get stalled. But the potential for an economic recession has been a bogeyman for years, with a belief that the 8% inflation in 2022 would eventually lead to a market correction.
Another factor that causes some leaders to stay flat-footed is public perception. With concern for how supposed “wokeness” can be interpreted by others, previous commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts are being quietly sidelined.
It’s against this backdrop that many institutions are considering how best to meet the needs of the people their missions call them to serve. Perhaps that includes you.
How will you lead at this critical inflection point?
Building a Culture of Leadership
I’ve never been more convinced of the importance of leadership. As someone who prides himself on strategy built from quantitative and qualitative research, I can say without any hint of irony that understanding a trendline is only as useful as the action it informs. And getting actionable is the only way to make progress.
Fostering a culture of leadership within your organization requires embracing practices that inspire proactive engagement and accountability.
A few methods to building and sustaining a culture of leadership that don’t succumb to the temptation of “wait and see” include the following:
- Adopt a commitment to Community Voice. One of the most powerful ways to ensure your organization is moving in the right direction is to prioritize the voices of those most affected by your decisions. Data and financial forecasts are crucial, but they often fail to capture the lived experiences of the communities you serve. By integrating community feedback into your decision-making process, you can create effective strategies that resonate with the needs and aspirations of those you aim to support. This approach not only fosters trust but also empowers the community, including your frontline employees, to become active participants in your mission. To learn more about how to implement a feedback process in your organization, register for our free community voice webinar on August 29.
- Embrace measured risk-taking. Leadership is often about stepping into the unknown and making bold decisions in the face of uncertainty. That doesn’t suggest moving with reckless abandon but rather calls for a calculated approach. Measured risk-taking is about understanding the balance between caution and courage, risk and reward, and moving forward with confidence when the benefits outweigh the risks. By encouraging a culture where thoughtful risks are valued, you empower your team to innovate and drive your mission forward, even in the face of uncertain times.
- Create accountability for inaction. Inaction can be as consequential as action, yet it often goes unexamined. Establishing a system of accountability that revisits decisions not to act is crucial for future improvement. By regularly assessing the outcomes of inaction, whether they’re missed opportunities or successfully avoided pitfalls, your organization can learn and adapt. This practice not only prevents complacency but also ensures that every decision, including the choice to wait, is made with full awareness of its potential consequences. Leaders who hold themselves and their teams accountable for inaction demonstrate a commitment to progress and a refusal to let fear dictate their strategy.
In leading your organization or department forward, it’s important to remember that leadership is not just about making decisions — it’s about making the right decisions at the right time with the right people in mind. By adopting these principles, your organization can move beyond the paralyzing effects of “wait and see” toward a future of intentional, impactful action.
My colleague Helen Hope Kimbrough reminded me recently of a seminal quote from one of America’s great leaders, Martin Luther King Jr.:
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
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Is your organization at an inflection point? Need help figuring out your next steps? Reach out today to set up a consultation, and check out our website for more information.
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Next Stage CEO Josh Jacobson launched Next Stage as a social enterprise in 2014, bridging his professional experiences as a nonprofit practitioner with his consulting expertise. He has led Next Stage’s work with 200+ clients, including nonprofits, private-sector companies, municipalities, faith institutions, philanthropies and community-based organizations. Josh’s skills in strategic positioning and tactical design help clients achieve their goals. He guides Next Stage’s work in strategic planning and collaboration management and is a major contributor to the company’s thought leadership efforts.