ARE YOU A COW OR A LION?

Here is a question for you organizational leaders and fundraisers. Are you a cow or a lion when it comes to moving your organization to a forward moving progression? We are not just talking about fundraising either. We can be talking about programs, staff size, building size, partnerships, client reach, and so much more.

Cows are pretty simple and content eaters. They eat the grass in front of them, then when hungry again, they move on over to the next lump of grass sitting around.

There is not much of a hunt for grass. So the cow never goes hungry (in theory). Nothing ever changes. You never really see a video of a cow excited to eat grass, do you? Probably because it just eats grass all day . . . every day . . . for life.

The lion on the other hand lives life a lot more on the edge. It hunts for prey. It plans, it schemes, and then it goes in for the kill. The lion sometimes goes hungry because they might not have a successful hunt, but when that happens it continues to push forward until a new opportunity is found. You always see a video of a lion passionately eating food, and why not? It's always on the move for the next bit of prey, it does not settle on eating grass, and thus wants to enjoy that trophy catch after a successful hunt.

I guess there is something to be said of a cow. You never go hungry and the grass is always there. Sometimes it's more grass, sometimes it's less, but as long as you have enough, you are fine. The lion on the other hand has to put in a lot more work in the hunt for food. Sometimes it wins and sometimes it loses . . . but when it does win, it's a WIN and it feels good.

We love working with the lions of the nonprofit world. Those who are not willing to just settle with what's in front of them. They strategize ways to make their organization better even if it takes extra effort, even if they might miss a time or two, and even if it makes life harder for them. However it is those same forward moving leaders who get awarded with new programs, new streams of funding, and the ability to serve more clients. This is your challenge . . . BE A LION. To learn more about Midwest Studies Group be sure to visit us at www.midweststudiesgroup.com.