From time-to-time, we’ve needed to meet with nonprofits and discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with scaling projects. Each time we come back to this article that SCC-alumnus Niki Kidd read years ago. While it focuses on for-profit scaling (especially in the tech community), the content is relevant to any nonprofit that is trying to scale their operations.
“The best metaphor I have for scaling is building one of those huge, complex towers out of Legos,” she says. “At first, everyone’s excited. Scaling a team is a privilege. Being inside a company that’s a rocket ship is really cool. There are so many Legos! You could build anything. At the beginning, as you start to scale, everyone has so many Legos to choose from — they’re doing 10 jobs — and they’re all part of building something important.”
You have so many choices and things to build during this early phase that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There’s too much work — too many Legos. You’re not sure you can do it all yourself. Soon, you decide you need help. So you start to add people. That’s when something funny happens on a personal level and to teams: People get nervous.
Even if your nonprofit isn’t a rocket ship, this is something that most people can relate to. Why do we get nervous? I’ve seen colleagues get defensive when an individual project is shifted to a group. I’ve also witnessed individuals become fiercely territorial when someone suggests that a job responsibility is given to a volunteer. And at points in my career, I’ve reacted that way myself.
These reactions are often based on fear. Individuals that work at small and mid-sized nonprofits (and are almost always challenged with budget constraints) are acutely concerned about their job. If a major donor leaves the organization or an event under-performs, staff reductions will happen. The idea of giving away job responsibilities is frightening! It could be construed that your job may not be necessary. However, when an organization is looking to increase program offerings, it becomes imperative for individuals to focus on job responsibilities that will allow that growth to happen. As Molly Graham says, in the article “If you personally want to grow as fast as your company, you have to give away your job every couple months.”
Think of a project or task that absorbs 10-15% of your time each week. What would you do if you didn’t have that project anymore? Is there someone on your team that could do it more effectively? Or might bring new creative energy to it? If you want to grow, you need to give away your legos.
Photo by Rick Mason on Unsplash
Justin (he, him) is a Principal and Co-Founder of Social Change Consulting. He has over fifteen years of nonprofit experience, with expertise in online fundraising, digital communications, and data management. Justin helps organizations connect their communication strategy to their income development needs. When he’s not on the clock, Justin is exploring Berlin, running, listening to too many podcasts, and drinking too much coffee.