Almost a decade ago, I was asked to attend a nonprofit committee meeting. I joined the nonprofit the prior year and was very busy at the time, so I inquired as to why I needed to attend. I was informed that there were issues and they wanted “fresh eyes” to observe the committee. No other details were given.
I dutifully attended the three-hour committee meeting, and I witnessed the core problem: too much talking by a single person, the hired consultant. A day or two prior to the committee meeting, the consultant sent his detailed report to the committee members and did what I describe as a page turner: the report slides were read individually which consumed 90% of the three-hour meeting. Not only was it boring and an ineffective use of time, but it also caused the committee members to lose interest in attending. Performance suffered, and several members quietly stopped attending.
After a couple of years, I was asked to serve as committee chair. I called the consultant and told him that the agenda would be adjusted with strict adherence to time limits. His report must be sent to the committee members at least one week in advance. This allowed the members to read the report and prepare for the meetings. The consultant was given time limits to highlight their main points, then allow the committee members to ask questions.
I instituted a roundtable process that gave each member the opportunity to ask their questions. All were encouraged to speak. In addition, I reserved 30 to 45 minutes of Executive Session at the end of the meeting for unfettered discussions without the consultant.
After my first meeting as chair, I met with each member and made a list of their questions. To my surprise, the committee members had many detailed questions they wanted answered. I then met privately with the consultant and requested that the questions be answered before the next quarterly meeting. I included time in the next agenda for the consultant’s answers.
Over the next few quarterly meetings, the questions receded, and the committee started tackling the core issues that were plaguing performance. The revised agenda and roundtable discussion culture took hold and new members with critical expertise were added. The consultant and committee members started to bond. Differing views were welcomed. Performance improved relative to peers and positive feedback was received from the nonprofit organization.
As I philosophically reflect over the past decade, I believe that sometimes, it is the little things that matter more than the underlying complexities. Why do some companies perform better than their peers? Why do some universities rise in peer reviews while others trend downward? I strongly believe that when “fresh eyes” are allowed to freely scan an organization, obvious and glaring deficiencies have a better chance to get resolved.
Sometimes, those with “fresh eyes” suffer the consequences when speaking to those with power. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. He spent the prior three years commenting on the glaring deficiencies within his Jewish and Gentile community. The common person suffered from these deficiencies: greed, legalism, prejudices, and injustices. Jesus preached about another world, the Kingdom, and crowds surrounded him, hungry for righteousness. “They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mark 1:22) As he entered Jerusalem, the crowds shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9)
However, it was the powerful who had much to lose. “And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching.” (Mark 11:18) Jesus had “fresh eyes.” He peacefully exposed the issues through his teachings. For this, he paid the ultimate price: death on the cross.
I was more fortunate. The more powerful people in the nonprofit welcomed change. There was no violence. The consultant willingly accepted the revised agenda and guidelines. New members were welcomed and given an equal voice from the beginning. People freely offered fresh ideas and challenged past decisions. Once performance improved, members bonded.
Until the Kingdom arrives, the world will continue to have issues, both small and large. It is our role, as Christians, to bring the Kingdom into everyday life. We don’t have to tackle the great issues of the world to usher in the Kingdom today. Jesus Christ did not solve all the issues of his community.
A good first step towards the Kingdom is tackling the smaller issues you see before you today. It can be as simple as streamlining an agenda and allowing all to be heard. Small changes can lead to solving large issues. One only has to review the last 2,000 years of Christian history to witness the great transformation that began with one man’s “fresh eyes.”
