I've been holding off on blogging about this piece until my article was officially published. Well, that happened. The Spring 2010 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly includes my full article, titled "Nonprofits and Metaphors: Using Language to Create Better Outcomes," (pp. 58-62). I encourage you to read the full text, and to also take advantage of NPQ's other articles. What attracted me to NPQ for this article is its reputation for providing thought-provoking, relevant, down-to-earth discussions about topics that matter to nonprofit leaders. [Incidentally, if you are interested in subscribing to NPQ, you can receive a 20% discount by registering for our ClientTrack newsletter.]
So, here's the gist of the article. I've studied metaphors and their impact on our perceptions. My own research, along with countless other scholars, has provided support about the influence metaphors exert on the way people think and how they make sense of the world. When I first began working with DSI, I heard references to multiple metaphors about the economic climate for nonprofit organizations: "a perfect storm," "lean times," and "unhealthy organizations" were a few of the phrases that seemed to dominate. Their use seemed casual in many instances--not being casual about the challenges, but casual about considering the full impact of using these metaphors. And, quite frankly, I believe the metaphors we are using are helping to perpetuate struggles.
Let me explain. My consternation is three-fold. First, I am concerned about the literal implications of the metaphorical representations. Each of these metaphors implies an expected, literal course of action (e.g., in a storm, you "hunker down," wait for it to blow over, then come out again). However, the implied responses of these dominant metaphors is not necessarily what is required at this point. The game has fundamentally changed for nonprofits, and leaders who believe they can continue to do what they've always done will find that this storm is not simply here to pass. They must make fundamental changes in how they operate.
My second concern is how un-empowering these metaphors are. They tend to rob organizations of their ability to act efficiently by promoting the belief that the current financial situation is full of factors that are too far beyond their power to control. Yes, there are external realities at play. But, those should not overshadow what nonprofits are capable of doing: initiating creative collaborations, conducting an autopsy on organizational practices, streamlining services where possible, and more.
My third and final concern about the current metaphors is a general sense of doom versus hope. If efforts can't change the situation, there is not much motivation to act or do anything to try. By presenting an array of hopeless phrases, nonprofit leaders run the risk of interpreting the current economy as a black hole with no escape. That is not the kind of leadership we need right now. We need leaders whose optimism and good judgment will carry them far above the immediate "storms" (to borrow the metaphor) to see the 50,000 foot view, and to guide their organizations to the bright spots that attract most nonprofit workers: making a difference, giving of one's self, and leaving the world a better place than a person found it.
By lending attention to the metaphors we use, we can create new solutions, and make sense of the world in a new way. The NPQ Spring 2010 cover shows blossoms of yellow, among green grasses, in the forefront of a grey, somewhat ominous background. In white letters is written the word "Renewal." An appropriate metaphor, with new hope, empowerment, and undertones of effort and growth. That's the kind of metaphor we need to foster.
What do you think about this? What metaphors best describe to you what is happening in the nonprofit world as a result of the economy? I'd love to hear your feedback.