Today’s post is about managing a small organization with a large membership base. These can be software companies, professional associations, religious organizations, fan clubs, community gardens, etc..
For these organizations, every decision carries weight: like steering a massive ship with a small crew - each move must be deliberate and impactful.
But how do we determine what constitutes a "good" idea, decision, or direction to go?
From a systems engineering perspective, we use design principles serve as the guiding light to evaluate the quality of solutions.
Two such design principles for small organization with a large reach are: Collective Empowerment and Collective Connectivity.
The Lens of Collective Empowerment
Say you are standing at a crossroads, faced with multiple paths for your organization. How do you choose? The principle of Collective Empowerment offers a powerful lens through which to view your options.
1. Self-Scaling: When evaluating a new initiative or tool, ask yourself: "Will this solution automatically grow as our membership grows?" If implementing a new member management system, consider whether it can handle 1,000 members as smoothly as it handles 100. The beauty of self-scaling solutions is that they allow your organization to expand its impact without a proportional increase in resources.
2. Self-Serving: Before green-lighting a new process or platform, consider: "Does this empower our members to help themselves?" A self-serving solution reduces the administrative burden on your small team while giving members the tools to manage their own needs.
3. Self-Correcting: When implementing new systems or strategies, ponder: "Will this improve naturally over time as more members engage with it?" A self-correcting solution harnesses the collective intelligence of your membership base. Think of it as a living organism that evolves and adapts, becoming stronger and more efficient with each interaction. For example, a distributed mentorship program can guide junior members to greater success.
Using these filters, you're able to make strategic choices that allow your organization to thrive by leveraging the vast potential of your membership base without overburdening your lean team.
The Lens of Collective Connectivity
Now, let's shift to the principle of Collective Connectivity. This principle helps direct our need to cultivate greater social capital within the membership base.
A Relationship: When considering a new solution, initiative or platform, ask: "Does this help foster meaningful exchanges between members?" Surface-level interactions are a dime a dozen in our digital age. What we're after are the deep, valuable conversations that spark ideas and forge lasting connections.
A Purpose: Before implementing a new program or policy, consider: "Does this reinforce our members' sense of belonging to a greater purpose?" Humans are meaning seeking. We're drawn to causes larger than ourselves. By consistently tying your decisions back to your organization's core mission, you're not just managing members - you're cultivating a purpose-driven community.
A History: When evaluating long-term strategies, ponder: "Will this contribute to building a robust, enduring social structure within our organization?" Think of your organization as a tree. Each decision should not only nurture new growth but also strengthen the roots, creating a sense of continuity and shared history among your members.
By focusing on the connectivity of the collective, you're not just making decisions for today - you're weaving the fabric of a resilient, connected community that can weather the storms of change.
The Litmus Test for "Good" Decisions
These two principles form a healthy decision-making framework, where each principle complements and reinforces the other:
Consider a scenario: You're debating whether to implement a new online forum for your members. Through the lens of Collective Empowerment, you ensure it's self-scaling (can handle growth), self-serving (members can easily navigate and contribute), and self-correcting (has built-in moderation features that improve with use).
Simultaneously, through the lens of Collective Connectivity, you design it to cultivate meaningful interactions, tie discussions back to your organization's purpose, and create a searchable archive that builds a sense of shared history.
The result? A decision that not only solves an immediate need but also sets the stage for long-term organizational health and member satisfaction.
In other words, if a proposed solution ticks these boxes, you're likely on the right track.
The Art of Imperfect Action
Now, a word of caution: don't let perfect be the enemy of good. In the real world, decisions rarely satisfy all criteria perfectly. The key is to use these principles as a guide, not a straitjacket.
Sometimes, you might need to prioritize empowerment over connectivity, or vice versa. That's okay. The important thing is to be conscious of the trade-offs and to always keep the big picture in mind.
Organizational design is an art and a science.
Conclusion: The Evolving Compass
These design principles can help you evaluate ideas, make decisions, and chart a course that empowers your members and fosters genuine connections.
That said, as your organization grows and evolves, so too should your application of these principles.
In the end, good organizational design isn't about finding a perfect, static solution. It's about creating a dynamic, responsive system that can adapt and thrive in an ever-changing landscape. So: Iterate. Iterate. Iterate.
In closing, the next time you're faced with a crucial decision, take a moment. View it through the lenses of Collective Empowerment and Collective Connectivity. You might just find that the path forward becomes a little clearer, and your organization a little stronger for it.