Let’s suppose you have come through a hardship. This can be loss of membership, unexpected (or even anticipated) changes in leadership, loss of income or rehearsal venue. Or, perhaps a loss of enthusiasm.
One thing business owners quickly learn, many times the hard way, is to not put all their eggs in one basket, or not to have all their business come from a single source. In the chance that that source goes away or limits their buying, the business is now in peril.
This is the same theory to be used in non-profit organizations. Although your focus is likely single-minded, mission established, the ways in which you do your business or accomplish that mission does not need to be linear or limited.
For instance, have backup plans, and be working them constantly! Train assistant directors, visual directors, rhythm & sound coaches, even have a great audience advocate you trust. Besides a continual influx of new ideas, you now have sustainability-you also have succession planning, even if unintended. This takes you from survival mode into a thriving mentality-which is, of course, attractive to new members.
This gives you other significant advantages:
- You are constantly reinforcing to overcome weaker spots, eliminating some previous limitations
- A greater number of actions (or people) will bring patterns into evidence-desired patterns to reinforce, or patterns wishing to be downgraded or eliminated.
- A greater number of members means greater compassion-due to greater individual understandings and support
- You are prepared for new members-who don’t know as much as you do, but are anxious to learn-what better than new enthusiasm?
- You prepare existing members to step up and become mentors–and shine another great light on your organization
- You learn that very little is unchangeable. So laugh, get to work, and begin the change.