At a certain point in the history of an organization, you can enter its facility or encounter its people and say to yourself, "Yes, this is their culture." My question is this--when does that point come? Furthermore, I ask you to consider this in the case of Goodwill. After reading my book, when would you say that the organization definitely had a culture?
Values is a popular word in today's for-profit and nonprofit organizations. I'm not convinced we entirely understand what we mean when we invoke the word.
The history of your organization is too important to trust to chance or divine intervention. If you want to gain value from your organization's history, you'll have to make a conscious decision to keep important resources that tell its story. And give this important assignment to a reliable, trustworthy, and dependable person.
Goodwill in Indianapolis began in the 1930s as a very overtly religious organization. As we stand here in 2009, it's safe to say that this aspect of the organization--indeed, a very important aspect--has changed. It is now a secular organization. Or, as I've heard, it's a business organization with a social mission. Does that say anything about American life in general?
At a recent gathering, someone asked me about my latest book. I shared a few words about A Life of Goodwill: Three Leaders and Their Impact on an Organization. Then, having never read the book, my listener shared his own perspective on the book. He gave the world's worst description.
We hear and read so much today about the sins of capitalism. The economic downturn, or recession, or depression, or whatever it is, has become fodder for diatribes against a market-oriented capitalist economic system. The history of Goodwill in Indianapolis shows that the capitalist system is alive and well. More importantly, it shows that effective leaders and leadership play a key role in making that system work.
