It’s called a “Goldilocks Zone.” Planets have them. Sand dunes have them. NASCAR drivers, too. That narrow range between too much and not enough. What becomes possible when you find your nonprofit’s Goldilocks Zone?
In the Zone
Our planet is like it is, in great part, because it’s just the right distance from the sun. Not too close, not too far away. Not too hot, not too cold. Things are just right for the life forms like us to exist, persist, and thrive.
Sand dunes look like they do because wind piles the grains higher and higher until gravity pulls a few back down. Dunes balance at a slope that keeps them stable.
A NASCAR driver gains control and traction by applying just enough power in the curves. Too much speed can cause problems — but so can not enough.
On the Edge of Exceptional
Sustainability comes from finding the balance that is just enough. But just enough is not at rest. Just enough needs constant tension, adjustment, resetting.
Play it too safe, and your nonprofit sinks into irrelevance; too fast and loose, and there it goes. Your funding. Your trustworthiness. Your mission.
The thin edge of exceptional ensures that the organization is achieving the intended results while avoiding what is unacceptable.
10-Minute Board Discussion
Do we know where we’re holding back? Or pushing too hard?
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto user iqoncept.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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