The Value In Pressing Pause: A Map of Your Organization’s Landscape:
Have you heard the myth that sharks must keep swimming or they will drown? How about the one that ants never sleep?
The truth is most species of shark are able to be still and rest without issue, and ants take about 250 one-minute power naps a day.
Myths like these stem from usually only being able to observe sharks in motion hunting for prey, or ants in motion gathering or building their colony. Rarely are we able to witness sharks on the seafloor taking a break, or ants in their colony grabbing 60 seconds of shut-eye.
Organizations are frequently perceived in the same way; whether externally for your clients, funders, and partners, or internally by the dedicated staff or volunteers doing the on-the-ground work. Even the general public who support the cause expect to see never-ending growth, unrelenting advancement. The idea of serving more people in larger areas for longer hours, while admirable, may not be sustainable.
Pressing pause doesn’t mean the end of productivity, but can be a wonderful opportunity to take a map of your landscape. A time to take a look at how you have been working to follow your mission.
Has there been a shift in the environment your organization operates in that may require some course correction?
What’s the morale of the team? Is there bloat? Are you stretched too thin?
Are there programs that aren’t producing the expected outcomes that require a deeper look?
While there are a few species of sharks that must keep swimming in order to stay alive, we aren’t sharks. Take a small moment to step back and grab a break. As you continue to build your community, gather more resources, and hunt for more of those in need of your services, don’t forget to take a moment to press pause. 60 seconds of shut-eye can make a world of difference in sustaining the effort.