Do you believe in the mission of your organization? Do your people believe in the mission? It turns out that mission driven organizations can move faster to achieve their goals because the team is aligned. They are focused on where they want to go. They have passion.
Perseverance is getting up every day and doing it again. Perseverance is starting again when you lose a bid, systems break down, the car won’t start, the kids are sick and you got 3 hours sleep. You do it anyway. Everyday hero kind of stuff.
Put passion and perseverance together and you get GRIT. The single factor that Angela Ducksworth author of GRIT says distinguishes those who excel. Friday night I was invited to attend a surprise retirement party for Barbara Hines, CEO of QueensCare, who has been a leader at QueensCare for 27 years and is in the midst of hiring her successor. How her husband Pat got her to the California Club without her knowing the party was for her is another story. Leave it that she was surprised and her Board, her team and her family were delighted to honor someone who always gives the credit to others.
Yet, it is a very complicated business running a non-profit. Your financials must meet a higher standard than for-profit organizations. You must be highly lean to get 4 star charitable navigator ratings. For QueensCare, their charter requires State of California approval to move grants from one silo to another, even though the health care needs of the LA community change. Guiding that ship takes more than alignment to the mission. Not just passion but perseverance. For over 10 years I have watched Barbara push the mission, drive the execution, stand for the purpose and live the values of QueensCare with grace and grit. Whoever follows in her footsteps need only say “what would Barbara do?” What a legacy!
If you are not a subscriber to BIZPIE blog, you can subscribe here. If you want to learn more about Vistage, click here.