Ahoy and adrift? Prevent a failure to launch with these 3 documents

I recently saw a humorous definition of the word “ahoy” that got me to thinking about how similarly related some aspects of boating are to nonprofit management. It read: “The first in a series of four letter words commonly exchanged by skippers as their boats approach one another.”

The connection is illusive a first blush, I admit. And I am prone to making interesting analogies. But when I consider how solitary some nonprofit endeavors can be, especially in the beginning, I couldn’t help but reference the all too common “lone-ship-in-the-night” feeling leadership can develop.

The greeting signals to others in the vicinity that another vessel is nearby, in hopes of being not only courteous in acknowledging its presence and kindred nautical spirit, but proactive in diverting a collision.

The suggestion of discord in the definition could be attributed to the insinuation that one vessel believes it has the right of way over another. But for us landlubbers, that would seem ridiculous, right? I mean, it’s a big, wide (ocean, lake, river …). Shouldn’t there be enough space for both to make their way around each other without much effort?

But what if the “four letter word” reference denotes not discord, but a sense of camaraderie, vision and purpose? What if it highlighted the help, need and role each could provide and fulfill for the other, especially in terms of guidance in navigating the sometimes rough seas of the nonprofit sector.

The fact of the matter is that many nonprofit leaders fall victim to the often self-imposed assumption that they should already know everything they need to know in order to lead their organizations effectively. Like osmosis, once they receive their nonprofit status and begin to administer programs, it’s expected that they instinctively know what to do, how to do it and when to do it.

This, of course, is a fallacy.

As unlikely as it may seem though, oftentimes the best models for learning can be found among your own nonprofit peers. The help they can provide, the needs they can fill and the role they each can play in modeling best practice can be essential in gaining the skills needed to set your organization on the right course.

Now, I know how territorial we NPO leaders can be—I’m not suggesting sharing or trying to obtain trade secrets, though an argument could be made in favor of that as well.

No, I’m referring to something more basic and functional in nature that speaks to the crafting of three foundational documents every NPO needs to function effectively: bylaws, policies and procedures and the strategic plan.

Developing the rules that your NPO will live by, establishing a framework within which to conduct business, and charting the long-term goals you are trying to reach with your programs are cornerstones that the most management-proficient organizations have mastered, and their experiences can be tapped to help your NPO.

And if yours is one of the organizations whose documents can be modeled, sharing your expertise can only make you stronger.

These three documents are essential in keeping you accountable to yourself and the people you serve in the broader community. Sustainability refers to much more than finances. It indicates that you have put a structure in place that will ensure the organization as a whole can fulfill its mission in a manner that shows its fiduciary responsibility in protecting its reputation, its work and its stakeholders.

Isn’t it worth getting (or sharing) some guidance on how to create them, building community, best practice and a sure course to peak performance in the process?

Chances are those documents already contain solutions to many of the challenges your organization is facing right now; from the dismissal of an inactive board member to determining whether or not you should have double signatures on checks over certain amount, to whether it’s time to expand a program.

Right after evaluating the rudders of your ship (board and your ED) and implementing the adjustments needed to enhance leadership capabilities, the next order of business should be ensuring that your sea rules of the road (by laws), compass (policies and procedures) and nautical chart (strategic plan) are contributing to smooth sailing for your NPO.

What’s that you say? You don’t know when last you’ve looked at your bylaws? You don’t have a policies and procedures manual? You don’t know where your strategic plan is?

Well if you don’t have a seafaring mate at another nonprofit to glean some guidance from, using the links above can be the start to getting your organization back on course.

So, do you have a knowledge base on these documents that you’d like to share?