When Your Purpose Becomes a Problem

Is your organization's purpose secretly undermining its impact?In our latest episode of Designing Tomorrow, Jonathan and Eric tackle a provocative question: When does your purpose become a problem?We explore the hidden mistakes that can trap even the most well-intentioned social impact organizations, including:• Relying on wishful thinking instead of hard facts• Letting processes become more important than outcomes • Falling into dogmatic, crusade-like thinking• Overvaluing passion at the expense of skills when hiringThese traps can slowly erode your effectiveness and relevance without you even realizing it. Left unchecked, they may even lead to your organization becoming obsolete.But there's hope. We discuss practical ways to recognize the warning signs and realign your purpose for maximum impact.This episode is a must-listen for any social impact leader who wants to ensure their organization's purpose remains a powerful force for good, not an anchor holding them back.Episode Highlights[00:05] Concept of "purpose becoming a problem" in social impact work[01:23] Wishful thinking, often driven by a single donor, can mislead organizations[02:10] Donor diversification can help with a social impact organization’s resilience[03:59] Your historic purpose may lose relevance over time[06:10] Sticking to outdated processes can stifle organizational growth[08:33] "Crusading" and dogmatic approaches [11:24] Exploration of how passion-driven hiring can sometimes overshadow skill-based hiring[13:12] Hiring practices, the balance between passion and necessary skills in building effective teamsQuotes"[Some] organizations are driven by wishful thinking and not brutal facts." -  Jonathan Hicken [01:23]"Some organizations are built on a house of cards, with one donor propping the whole thing up." - Eric Ressler [03:26]"I think in most cases an 'us vs. them' mentality is lazy marketing." - Jonathan Hicken [10:46]ResourcesNina SimonSanta Cruz Museum of Art & History How We Define Social Purpose BrandsSocial Enterprises: Own Your Purpose-Driven DifferentiatorHow Your Purpose, Vision, and Mission Can Guide Better Brand StorytellingDefeat Mission Creep and Master Your Nonprofit's Messaging to Maximize ImpactListeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at [email protected] Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

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