Revisiting our Habitat case study: inspiring tips from LinkedIn peers

What can the rest of us learn from Jonathan Reckford , chief executive of Habitat for Humanity, especially in terms of the ways he has stretched his organization's mission over the past decade?

I posed that question in last month's newsletter, and the LinkedIn community's response has been inspiring. Comments by the hundreds have been streaming in, as leaders of social-mission organizations share their values, pose their questions -- and help one another find answers.

In the next few paragraphs, I'll share three key learnings from these conversations. And I'll close with some thoughts about an often-overlooked leadership habit that might intrigue you, too.

Tivoni Devor gets the conversation going with his observation that every nonprofit exists because of a societal policy failure that isn't getting fixed. That's not an easy or natural realization for anyone founding a mission-based enterprise -- or just starting to work in this sector. But he's right.

Typically, we arrive on the scene with a simple desire to help. For me, personally, such feelings over the years have inspired me to try my hand at urban tutoring, hospital volunteering and other ways of giving back.

Then, after a few years of trying hard to drive change, Devor's insight comes into focus. No matter how deep our commitment, it feels as if our lasting impact is close to zero. We're powerless in the face of a society that produces people in peril faster than we can intervene.

Habitat's leaders have stared at this dilemma, too. In last month's article, I zeroed in on the organization's gutsy decision a few years ago to redefine itself as more than a giant allegiance of homebuilding volunteers. By widening its impact, Habitat now champions legal reforms, better building materials and other initiatives. These amount to going "upstream" in the fight against global housing sufficiency.

Journeying upstream resonates with Jeronna Bolden, director of programs at Dress for Success, Indianapolis. Her organization provides financially vulnerable clients with the professional-grade clothes they need to make a winning impression at a job interview, and beyond.

As Bolden explained in this LinkedIn comment, sharing well-styled clothes resembles building a house. It's perfect in the moment, but it begs the question: "Why do so many people's lives leave them in need?" The answer, she says, often involves changing the cultural norms that affect everything from mental health to personal savings. Not an easy task, but not hopeless, either.

And, as other LinkedIn members pointed out, the importance of going upstream is playing out in so many other areas, too. Examples range from prison ministry to a more holistic look at how we support blind people -- and their families.

If you're interested in learning more about learning more about such systemic approaches, a great starting point is Upstream, the 2020 book by Duke University researcher Dan Heath.

Can you split your focus between being strategic -- and being in the moment? It's challenging but essential for leaders, says Chera Reid, co-executive director of the Center for Evaluation Innovation. Similarly, Ashley Garrett, a board member of Global Humanitarians Unite, says it's essential for nonprofits to create "a culture of agility."

Keep a foot in both worlds, and your strategy is much more likely to be secured by an authentic, up-to-date awareness of the world you're serving. The time spent hammering nails -- or talking to young learners -- isn't stolen from your bigger strategic priorities.

Instead, even brief field work helps leaders ensure that all those bullet points and abstract nouns actually are being refreshed, all the time, by a real-world understanding of what's needed, what's working, and what isn't.

I first saw these principles in action a few years ago, while shadowing Clark University President David Angel in the course of researching a book about higher education. We started with a classic "president's interview" in his elegant office.

Then everything came alive as we walked across the campus and settled into a small classroom. That's where Angel taught an undergraduate seminar on architecture and society. His students were feisty -- and he welcomed their energy. The sense of two-way learning was powerful, with the university president soaking up the ambitiouns and anxieties of his students.

If you, too, are stradding the divide between big picture -- and up-close engagement -- I'd love to hear more about your experiences in the comments section. And if you're concerned about not just coming across as a momentary pretender on the front lines, I'd like to offer a closing though from Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford.

By Reckford's tally, in the past 17 years, he's wielded tools at Habitat construction sites in 40 countries, ranging from Nepal to Guatemala, India, South Africa, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Many of those involved a full week onsite.

How's it going? "I'm pretty good at framing at this point," Reckford says. Yet when he puts on a hard hat, those moments aren't just about his carpentry skills. Someone else is in charge on that site -- with the result that he's there to learn, to help, and to build empathy.