by Kris Kennedy

Created on: July 20, 2010

Avoiding Confrontation in Nonprofits

Nonprofits fear confrontation. If controversy exists, what will happen to the nonprofit’s funding sources? At the same time, not meeting confrontation creates its own controversies.

Confrontation and the Nonprofit

Nonprofits recruit support from the community through promotion of the mission.  Unfortunately, while promoting a mission controversy might develop. The nonprofit might need to examine how to confront the controversy within the scope of the mission statement. In some cases, the nonprofit might attempt to hide the nonprofits confrontation of the controversy. The nonprofit realizes the confrontation must occur, but wonder about the community reaction. Confidentiality agreements are encouraged frequently beyond the value. All organizations need confidentiality to allow for well-rounded exploration of steps to deal with a controversy, but eventually must devise a solution and push it forward. A better solution comes to know how to push the solution as beneficial to the mission.

Fearless Confrontation

Nonprofits who examine how to offer transparency and define the mission will find the controversy of confrontation less punishing. Nonprofits need to realize it remains impossible to please everyone, but ability to explain positive steps to clients, supporters can turn controversy around. It comes through positive communication.

Understanding Mission

Frequently, nonprofits fail to understand fully the mission. Employees are immersed in a piece and do not see how one piece helps the other. This can frequently cause one piece to fight for supremacy within the nonprofit.  Without the tie, the pieces may fail to meet the mission. The nonprofit may attempt to squash confrontation rather than education.  The true problem comes from not understanding the problem, but trying to smooth over problems so the system stays the same.

Communication

The best options come through communication within the nonprofit as to how to picture the work of the nonprofit through the controversial confrontation. If the nonprofit benefits the community throughout the controversy, the nonprofits fear of confrontation are unfounded. 

Frequently, a nonprofit developed from a need to confront a problem. If as the nonprofit becomes part of the mainstream, the nonprofit appears reluctant to continue to confront the mission as it changes, it begins to lack relevance to the mission.

Change

A change comes within every organization and true confrontation occurs when an organization endorses the status quo. We have always done it this way may not allow the organization to change with the communities and stakeholders that will cause support to cause other confrontations.

Solutions

Facing confrontation provides the greatest chance to take confrontation forward to growth for the nonprofit. Through listening, exploring and presenting a solution, confrontation avoids controversy by placing the controversy within the mission.

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