It’s human nature to aim for a goal and then assume when you get there life will be easier. In business and in nonprofits, people have a tendency to think that if they just reach some magic size or hit a particular milestone, they not only will achieve success but it will become easier to be successful.
This is not true for organizations or in much of life, for that matter. Variables are always shifting. A political crisis erupts, new social forces and other dynamics disrupt existing patterns and strategies, a competitor stumbles — all kinds of things happen that can help you or hurt you. There are few organizations where managers can push the “autopilot” button and lean back and take a nap.
Food For Thought
- Is there a fixed point where your organization can declare success?
- How have recent events changed your thinking about what success means to your organization?