The Problem Isn’t Failure. It’s Drift.
How good organizations slowly lose their way—and why most leaders don’t see it happening
Most nonprofit leaders spend time thinking about success.
How many people were served? How much money was raised? Did the program achieve its goals?
Those are important questions.
But in my recent conversation with Becca Spradlin of On Mission Advisors, she raised a different one:
What does failure look like?
Not organizational collapse. Not scandal. Not running out of money. Something much more subtle.
Mission drift.
Drift Rarely Feels Like Drift
One of the most interesting insights from our conversation is that organizations rarely wake up one morning and decide to abandon their mission. Instead, they make a series of decisions that seem perfectly reasonable at the time.
A grant opportunity.
A new program.
A strategic partnership.
A key hire.
A chance to expand.
Individually, each decision may make sense.
Collectively, they can move an organization far from the reason it was created in the first place.
The challenge is that drift often feels like progress. You are still busy. You are still growing. You are still producing. And because things appear healthy on the surface, the warning signs are easy to miss.
Define Success. Then Define Drift.
Most organizations have a mission statement. Many have vision and values statements. Far fewer have ever taken the time to answer a surprisingly important question:
What would mission drift actually look like for us?
Becca shared that in her consulting work, she rarely encounters organizations that have formally defined what going off course would look like.
What kinds of funding would pull us away from our purpose?
What kinds of programs would stretch us beyond our calling?
What kinds of hires would weaken our culture?
What kinds of compromises would slowly change who we are?
Those questions are uncomfortable. They’re also incredibly valuable. Because once drift is defined, it becomes much easier to recognize.
The Courage to Say No
Another theme that stood out was courage. Clarity alone isn’t enough. Most leaders eventually encounter opportunities that sit just outside their core mission.
Funding that comes with strings attached.
Programs that seem attractive but aren’t quite aligned.
Expansion opportunities that promise growth but create distraction.
The temptation is understandable.
Especially in a sector where resources often feel scarce.
Yet some of the strongest organizations are distinguished not by what they say yes to, but by what they are willing to decline.
This Isn’t Just a Nonprofit Problem
Although our conversation focused primarily on nonprofits, the lesson extends much further.Foundations drift. Businesses drift. Individuals drift.
We all face the same challenge. The gradual pull toward things that are good, worthwhile, and even productive, but not necessarily aligned with what we are uniquely called to do.
Which may be why mission drift is such a powerful concept. It isn’t just about organizations. It’s about stewardship.
Watch the Full Conversation
In this episode, Becca Spradlin shares practical insights on:
Defining mission drift
Protecting organizational purpose
Board responsibility and governance
Funding decisions and scope creep
Hiring for mission alignment
Building a culture that stays on course
If you’re a nonprofit leader, board member, donor, founder, or simply someone trying to be more intentional about your own work, this conversation is well worth your time.
As always, thank you to Victoria Hearst, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.
