If you’ve worked for a for-profit organization that’s on a roll, an organization that’s beat-the-street or surprised-the-city for a couple quarters, you notice that the vibe is different. Released from the bondage of their cubicles, people you know start showing up in the pointy end of planes again, sales people are freed to actually see their customers face-to-face, expenses for simple recognition activities sail through…. and yes…you finally get the go ahead to purchase that sweet new pad of post-it notes you’ve had your eye on!
Does our bountiful cup know no bounds?
Actually it does.
- The other shoe drops.
- Debits and credits trade places.
- And a stream of pocket-protecting financial auditors start crawling out from the cracks in the wall, armed with plans to save the organization into prosperity.
- Employees become obsessed with looking busy, as if our display of hamster wheel-like energy proves our worth and will shield us from the next round of cuts.
While the boom-and-bust, up-and-down, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately rhythm of the for-profit business has its perils; not-for-profit organizations may even be weirder about money because in many ways, it’s never theirs to spend. They fight for resources, like armies fight for territories and Bill Gates built their battlefield. The war to end all spreadsheet wars, pits well-meaning people in a struggle to secure the resources they need to help those they serve… cell by bloody excel-cell.
After receiving budgetary approval, one well-meaning not-for-profiteer I know simply locked down the spreadsheet, thereby closing the battlefield. Can you really password protect a single cell?
Does your organization act weird about money?
If so, share your stories with me directly at: jeff@jeffkaplan.com.
Until next week, stay connected!
-Jeff
