You will build the future of your organization most solidly on your organization’s best gifts. Seeing these gifts in action, and their impact on others lives, is often the fuel that motivates your best people and will help you move towards a great future. Finding and naming what you do best is an ongoing listening and thinking process. Customers, donors , grant or program evaluators; your gut feelings and other data provide clues. Here are some questions to ask your board, staff and other stakeholders. When you listen to their answers, be open to the unexpected. Some of your organization’s gifts may be less visible to the people closest to the work.

Pretend someone is deciding between giving us and another organization, that serve the same customers, a million dollars. These funds must be used for new programming. We deserve these funds because of our great strength in…
What activities of ours are the most fun?
When do we make significant connections with people?
Are there any activities that people would volunteer joyfully to expand?
What activities give those we serve the most “bang for the buck?”
What activities have the longest positive impact on the lives of those served?
If we suddenly stopped serving the community today, our customers, funders and other organizations would really miss us because…
Sometimes, even after a bit of probing, the strengths and uniqueness of an organization are not clear. In this case, try focusing on your core programs or the ones that make you most energized. Or, it might be time to go back a step and invest in some thinking about your organization’s mission and goals.

Sometimes there are so many strengths to build upon that the list provides confusion rather than clarity. Here, try ranking your strengths. Alternatively, contact someone you trust, who works with you and a competitor, to see how the organizations compare, adding this information to everything you have learned.

Whatever information-gathering approaches you select, try for an honest assessment. The more clearly you identify your current strengths, the more accurate a map you can create to get to the outstanding future you seek.

Strength identification is a first step in the development of your organization’s future -and an important one. Your organization’s unique attributes are the cornerstone on which you will create your best future.