A current-day, counter-cultural engagement strategy for nonprofit leaders is to share a level of strategic vulnerability with key donors, stakeholders, and institutional influencers.
Strategic vulnerability is the purposeful sharing of key problems, concerns, shortcomings, and other issues faced by our institution and, then, inviting others to help.
Far too many leaders believe that the most motivating presentation of their institution is to share all of the positives, the accolades, the successes, the achievements, and the good developments.
But this type of “everything is great,” mantra leaves others who want to help with no where to turn. “How can I help, when all appears perfect?” they ask.
And, typically, these are the very people with access to various important resources needed by our institutions.
Of course, no institution is perfect and there are always ways that supportive allies can help our causes if we invite them to do so.
Yes, we should proclaim the ways our institutions are excellent, are making a difference, and doing good work.
But we miss wonderful opportunities to engage additional resources – both human and financial – when we don’t simply acknowledge to others our struggles and our weaknesses.
Being strategically vulnerable isn’t a display of weakness.
It’s actually a wise, trust-building, inspirational engagement strategy.
