Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64It started with the CEO and the board. They had to raise their own bars before they could ask anyone else to raise theirs. Some board members left in the process. However, once that bar was mutually raised and then clearly communicated, the mission began a significant growth pattern that continues today. It all started with raising their standards. Think Bigger Picture The truth is, the mission leaders in the opening story were not kind to Lars. Frankly, they were frustrated by his ineffectiveness and how it was responsible for cut budgets and reduced impact. Other staff members saw it, too. They resented both Lars and the leadership for their low pay and lack of resources to do an effective job in their own areas. Even Lars was frustrated and scared in his position; however, because the pay was steady and he didn’t see other options, he stayed in a job he knew was not a fit. To be kind, we must think beyond our own reality and into the reality of those we are dealing with. We need to think with a bigger picture. What if having the difficult conversation about Lars’ per- formance might just be the catalyst to a new, more appropriate ministry opportunity for him? What would be the impact to the mission as an agency, to the staff, and to the mission’s guests if someone who was ideally suited and called for that position was brought in? Kindness requires that we consider both others and the broader Kingdom mission. I often say, “Just because you are a charity, it doesn’t mean you should employ as an act of charity.” Ask for Help In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came for a visit. He had heard of all the great things Moses had been doing in the desert and wanted to see for himself. After a day of listening and observing, Jethro responded in Exodus 18:17–18 by saying, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” Notice that Jethro didn’t say the nice thing such as, “Wow! Look at how much you do with so little. Your sacrifice is commendable.” Instead, he was kind and brought up the issue he observed because he saw the potential for Moses to do even more good. Also notice that none of the Israelites did the kind thing in challenging Moses. They probably saw the same issues that Jethro did but didn’t step out of their comfort zones to approach Moses. Because we live in a culture of niceness, it can sometimes be hard to recognize, let alone practice, kindness. Enlisting the support of an outsider can often be helpful. Sometimes simply having the ear and support of a pastor, spouse, board member, or friend is all that is needed. At other times, bringing in a coach or a consultant who can help identify areas for growth and facilitate change is necessary. Regardless, having advisors like Jethro who will demonstrate kindness to you and support you in passing on kindness can be vitally impor- tant when you are leading a culture change. Being nice might be a common flaw in Christian culture, but it doesn’t have to be in your mission. Kindness is when you do what’s best, not just what’s nice. Vibrant nonprofits with kind cultures have employees who are best-fitted to their positions and have open, honest communication with their colleagues. They have a harmonic working environment and staff synergy, and overall, their mission is powerfully effective. The journey is not easy, but when approached with humility, patience, and courage you will introduce a culture of kindness to your mission while elevating its impact. Ĩ 40 WWW.AGRM.ORG JULY/AUGUST 2016 Brent is vice president of client services with Dickerson, Bakker & Associates. He provides fundraising, leadership, and strategy coun- sel to nonprofit clients throughout North America. He lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Email him at brent@dickerson-bakker.com Being nice might be a common flaw in Christian culture, but it doesn’t have to be in your mission. Kindness is when you do what’s best, not just what’s nice.