We are certainly living in “interesting” times. When facing life’s challenges, it’s important to know who you are and what matters most to you.

This is as true for companies as it is for individuals. One of my commanders back in my military days used to say that the thing about integrity is that it doesn’t bend – it breaks.  Things tend to go a lot better if you think about lines in the sand before you approach them.

I spent much of my career in the private, for-profit sector, where there was a single measure, the dollar. Sure, at least for some of us, there was a desire to be good corporate citizens and act with a social consciousness. However, at the end of the day, the stock value and profits are what are measured, and companies tend to measure what they’ve decided really matters. 

There are special considerations in the non-profit world because we have two measures, dollars and impact (i.e., our mission). I prefer to use the term “not-for-profit company” rather than “non-profit” because I think it better reflects the reality of our situation. We are not driven by the need for profits, but a company that doesn’t make a profit can’t grow or react to unforeseen events.  At the end of the day, we need to be profitable so we can reinvest those profits (the excess revenue, if you prefer) into supporting our mission.  So, although not driven by profit, we should nevertheless seek to obtain a profit.

Our organization exists because our mission matters — and that mission isn’t a one-time effort.

It’s ongoing, evolving, and demands consistent attention. That’s why financial health isn’t optional. If we don’t stay in business, we can’t pursue the mission or deliver the impact we aspire to. 

I strongly believe that we must think of ourselves as a company, not just an organization, and approach our work with a not-for-profit mindset. That framing brings clarity, but also risk. Focus too much on staying solvent, and we may compromise the mission. Focus only on the mission, and we may run out of money — which is another way of failing the people who rely on us. Take a moment and think about this. We’ve all seen organizations that have fallen into one of these traps.  Those organizations no longer exist even though the need remains, or they survive in name only, offering little impact. Neither path honors the mission.

This brings us back to the need to know who we are, why we are here, what matters to us, and how to provide sustainable impact.  

In short, we need to balance the financial realities with the aspirational goals of our organizations.  To maximize our impact, we need to have both dollars and sense. 

Of course, none of this is easy — especially in uncertain times. But it is necessary if we believe in what we are doing. As another one of my commanders used to say, if it’s easy, it probably isn’t very important. What we do matters. People count on us. 

So let’s continue to be the best stewards of that trust, balancing purpose with pragmatism, every step of the way.

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