The Gift of Letting Go of Power
I’m cruising along the Drake Passage on a ship as I write this. It’s amazing how being on a resort like cruise with little to do can give you so much time to reflect on life. For the past few days, I’ve had afternoon naps, eaten meals while whale watching, and danced away to 60’s music. I even spent hours watching MSNBC’s coverage of the impeachment trial. Congress spent so much time on a trial when both sides of the aisle already know how they’re going to vote. This isn’t just about the impeachment and removal of the President from office. It has to do with reputation, legacy, and control.
(Image Description: Hands of different individuals holding the edges of a wooden heart)
It is really hard to let go of (or even share) power, especially with people who are vastly different from you. Our sector knows this. People of color live this. Founders and long-time Executive Directors deal with this founder’s syndrome day to day. When you create an organization, build community around it, and spend years toiling to build it up, it feels like your baby. It’s your legacy. It’s something your reputation and identity is built upon. Except it doesn’t have to be.
As non-profit leaders, we’re here to make the world a better place. We need to stop romanticizing the martyr syndrome and seeing ourselves as martyrs. It’s unhealthy, and it’s hurting our sector. Even if we had all the power and control in the world to end a social problem, that doesn’t mean our solution is 100% right. After all, absolutely power corrupts absolutely, and history is rife with examples.
I succeeded after a long-time founder. Every step felt like a losing battle including those little things that seemed like it was the right thing to do: opening our doors to immigrant and transgender survivors and relaxing house rules so that our trafficking clients felt free. Luckily, I had an amazing Board of Directors who helped the founder cope with the emotions of letting go, trusting the new leaders, and moving on.
As leaders, we need to realize from day one that our organization doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to our clients and our community. When we begin to see our work and our impact as part of a greater cause that’s beyond ourselves - a movement - then that’s when the sharing of power begins. After all, we’re not going to end domestic violence, cyber bullying, poverty, homelessness, etc. on our own. It takes a community. By sharing our power, even if that means we’re bringing in people who are different from us but have similar values, we’re giving the opportunity for something new to develop. There will probably be bumps along the road. But there will also be opportunities for long lasting change and impact. And that is the gift of letting go.