This time of year, graduation is everywhere.
Proud parents posting photos. Speeches about new beginnings. Kids in caps and gowns who look both younger and older than seems possible.
Friends of mine were recently sharing they had a whole season of graduations going on – multiple friends and family members crossing thresholds – even the same weekend. A lot of parties and celebrations to be part of.
But I sensed something even bigger might be going on. I said, “This sounds like a big theme in your life right now. What are you yourself graduating from?”
Then another question came to mind.
“And what are you graduating to?” I asked.
These are good questions for leaders, too.
What does your organization need to graduate from?
Maybe it’s that annual gala that everyone dreads: one that costs more and brings in less net revenue every year, but that no one has been brave enough to retire. Or perhaps it’s a lack of accountability that has been tolerated for too long. Maybe it’s an old board routine that is exhausting your leadership team. Or it’s the same old approach to fundraising that has plateaued, and everyone knows it.
Graduation isn’t just an ending. It’s a declaration that you have outgrown something. The question is: What’s next?”
What do you want to graduate to?
This is the more interesting question, and a harder one to answer.
Maybe you want to graduate to a more visionary strategic plan. Or you need to shift into a major gifts strategy, moving toward cultivating enduring relationships that really matter. Perhaps you need to graduate to a culture where people can say the hard thing. Or maybe this is a message meant for you personally? Do you want to graduate to finally saying no to the things that drain your energy and yes to the things that light you up?
I asked a board recently, “How bold do you want to be?” What I was really asking was: “What are you ready to graduate to?”
The resulting discussion was powerful. It quickly became apparent that this seasoned board wanted to graduate to a bolder perspective. They wanted their organization to have a more significant impact on the world. They wanted their volunteer work be that much more meaningful. And they identified a few core things that they could work on that would help them live into this boldness.
The Invitation
Take a few minutes this week with your leadership team, your board, or even quietly on your own, and ask some key questions: What chapter do we need to close? What chapter are we brave enough to open? If we were to graduate into being bolder, what might be possible?
The graduation ceremonies are optional. The intention is not.
