We see it all the time in organizations of all shapes and sizes: people struggling to do more with less, getting caught in the daily grind and losing sight of the big picture, organizations going off-purpose to chase a buck -- this is how the drama of mission versus operations, thriving versus surviving, plays out.  But it doesn’t have to be, nor should it be, an either-or scenario.   As an experienced consultant to nonprofits with an emphasis on Mission-Driven Strategy and Marketing™, John Davidoff has had the opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges nonprofits continue to face and the critical role alignment to mission plays in an organization’s success.

In his NonProfit Times article, “Challenged or Driven: Mission Management Key to Marketing", John shares his perspective on the difference between Mission-Driven and mission-challenged organizations, and the importance of maintaining mission alignment. John argues that the mission-challenged organizations have let their mission become reduced to an afterthought, with little attention paid to the bigger picture of their aspirations and goals. On the other hand, a Mission-Driven organization uses its mission as a platform for continual inspiration, reassessment and growth.  The article highlights the characteristics of challenged versus driven organizations and offers examples of how your organization can become Mission-Driven to increase its effectiveness in the world.


 “Challenged or Driven: Mission Management Key to Marketing” was published in the NonProfit Times on June 15,2012. It is the first in a series of articles highlighting the differences between mission-driven and mission-challenged organizations.  Look out for John's next two articles in the series which focus on diagnosing mission-challenged organizations by analyzing internal and external symptoms and learning how to make the change to become more mission-driven.