names and mission statements nathaniel whittemore edited final

8/6/2019 Names and Mission Statements Nathaniel Whittemore Edited FINAL

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CREATING A NAME, ARTICULATING YOUR MISSION

By Nathaniel Whittemore

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Starting Thoughts

Mathatma Ghandi once said, “I’m gonna be so damn famous I won’t even NEED two names.”Or maybe that was Madonna. Or Prince. Or no one. Who knows.

The point is – and this is a lesson the symbolically inclined Prince could certainly tell you – aname is much more than words that describe you and your organization. It’s the centralmarker of your organizational soul; the words in which you invest meaning and importance,and upon which the world in which you’re trying to make a change will dump both itsbaggage and its excitement. “Google” doesn’t just mean a search tool and some coolfeatures, it’s a word-gateway into the exploding world of internet technology and commerce.

The “United Nations” doesn’t just mean a set of nations united around common causes, itmeans revolutionary human concern and cooperation (or blistering inefficiency, dependingon who you ask).

Your name is at the very heart of your enterprise. It is who you are, it takes on the meaningyou give it – and meanings you don’t have any control over. While it may seem perfunctory,taking the time to think about your name – that word or set of words you stamp oneverything you do – is one of the most foundational steps you can take towards making areal impact in the world.

Breaking it Down: Tone and Functionality

As we dig into this discussion of names, it’s important to take a step back and think abouthow the name you choose will actually function in the world and the tone it will give yourenterprise.

Tone:

People choose names with different “tones” to reflect a certain organizational style andapproach to the world. Whether you hope to invest your organization with the utmostseriousness of the issue you seek to address, inspire followers to join something epic, or

appeal to people who think that nonprofit work doesn’t have to be overly self-righteous to beserious will come through in the name you choose.

Purposeful: Doctors Without BordersPlayful: Just Naïve EnoughUp-to-date: Change.org

There are dozens of other labels you could apply to names, as well. The point is simply tothink about what the tone of your name conveys about your style. Although it’s far beyond



the scope of this chapter to discuss, institutional culture is an extremely powerful force. Thebest example might be “Google,” who’s playful attitude runs from their goofy name to theirguiding principle (“Don’t Be Evil.”) to their dress code to the legos on their board room tableto the way they run their business and encourage their employees to spend time developingnew applications that are interesting and fun to them. Even if you decide the mostappropriate tone is “playful,” take the decision seriously!

Function:

Names can have many different “functions” in presenting your organization to the world. Your name might be:

Exhortative – it is a call to action.Save the Endangered Dingo

Descriptive – it gives information about your group’sactivities or how it functionsSave the Endangered Dingo Through Film,

Exclusive – it defines the membership of your groupVegan Single Parents for Saving the Endangered Dingo

Referential – it references another name or organization toadd credibility, suggest an approach, or identify institutionalalliances

The World Wild Life-Vegan Single Parents Fund for Savingthe Endangered Dingo

Bad Names

Given that the above lesson suggests there isn’t any one “right” way to pick a name, youmight be surprised to find out that there are certainly a lot of big name goofs to avoid andthings you can make sure you don’t do when picking a name.

Because the name is the heart of your enterprise, when you have a bad name, it’spotentially seriously damaging for your credibility, your ability to recruit dedicatedparticipants, fundraise, etc. Here are some of the biggest name no-nos

Name No-No #1: Hackneyed Words/Phrases

Especially in the world of nonprofits, nothing is more annoying than names which sound“like everything else”. This is, in part, because it draws our attention to the fact that far toomany organizations exist, and far too few of them are good.

Obviously there are certain words that tend to come up more than others (“international” forexample), but the more you can avoid relying on tired phrases and words, the more you’re

going to begin to distinguish your organization from the mass of other groups.

Phrases to Avoid:

“_______ without Borders” – Medecins San Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) is not only thegranddaddy of latter-day humanitarian organizations, its also the granddaddy of greatnames. Because of this, everyone and their mom has started an organization that uses thephrase “without borders” at some point in their life. Move past it.

LESSON: THERE IS NO“BEST” WAY TO PICK A

NAME

People choose names in avariety of tones, toperform a variety of

functions, and for a varietyof reasons. What’simportant to understand iswhy you choose the nameyou do and how itconnects to both the goalsand st le of or anization



“Students for ____________” – Since the early 1960s and the Students for A DemocraticSociety, this has been the classic rallying cry of disaffected twenty-somethings: “Studentsfor something”. This is another great name that has worn out its welcome.

Use with Caution:

The following is a list of words that aren’tnecessarily “no-nos”, but which come up sofrequently (and so often, as in the use of “global” or “international” actuallymisrepresents the scope or focus of theorganization) that it’s important to be verycareful when you try to use them in anorganization name:

InternationalGlobalWorldAidChangeInnovationEmpowerRelief AssistanceMovementHelp

Name No-No #2: Words that Mean Something You Don’t Mean Them to Mean

One of the most prevalent problems with names is when people use a word in theirorganization title that suggests something incorrect about the function of the organization.

Example: The Innovation Network

“The Innovation Network” sounds like it would be a social entrepreneur institute, a funder ortrainer of innovative change agents, etc. In reality, it is an organization that sells impactassessment tools. This isn’t to suggest that impact assessment isn’t an important part of innovation, but it’s certainly not what you think of first.

Example: Genocide Intervention Fund

GIF started as an organization raising money directly for African Union peacekeepers inDarfur. As it began to extend its mission to advocacy, education, and other activities, itrecognized that its name was limiting and switched to the Genocide Intervention Network.

Name No-No #3: Try-Too-Hard Acronyms

One of the most common (and annoying) problems of college student group naming is whenstudents choose names explicitly to have a specific acronym. Cruise through any universitystudent group directory and you’ll have to fight the urge to laugh at the quantity of L.E.A.D.’s, H.E.L.P’s, R.E.A.D.’s, Y.O.U.T.H.’s etc. Like Students for Change Without Borders,we all go through this phase, but that doesn’t mean we can’t move past it. Do you think yourparents named you so you’d have cool initials? Unless your name is Stephen Thomas Dentonor Amanda Stephanie Smith and your dad tricked your mom, probably not.

SOUNDING GOOD MATTERS

I sometimes think to myself, “Youknow, the doctors at MSF still DO haveborders, they just get much better atcrossing them.” I wonder then, howwell does their name really representthem?

Of course, names have to sound good. They have to have that special ringthat makes them roll of your tongueand stick in your brain. Can you

imagine if their name was, “DoctorsBetter at Crossing Borders thanAverage Citizens Who Want to Help”?No one can.



Choosing a Name

More than anything else, the above guidelines, No-no’s, and categories are tools to help youreview, evaluate, or change the ideas for names that you have. The process for creating aname varies from group to group, but here are some helpful tips for finding or developingthat perfect name

1. What is the structure of your organization?

Are you a project, an institute, a community, a group, aninitiative, a fund, a coalition?

Knowing this can help you frame your organization. Sayyou want to prevent Gecko abuse, knowing whetheryou’re a short term “initiative” or “project,” vs. a“coalition” working to prevent abuse vs. a “fund” raisingmoney to aid the prevention of abuse, etc. can help youname your organization.

Examples: “MacArthur Foundation” , “Save DarfurCoalition”, “Asset Based Community DevelopmentInstitute”

2. What do you care most about?

What is it that really matters to you? What is the word orphrase you want people to associate with yourorganization? These are words that might very well fit intoyour name.

Examples: “Americans for Informed Democracy”, “Centerfor Global Engagement,” “Foundation for SustainableDevelopment”

3. What do you do?

What is the type of activity you’re involved in? Is it humanitarian assistance, capacitybuilding, something else? The type of activity you get yourself involved in might dictate apart of your name.

Examples: “Teach for America,” “Genocide Intervention Network”

4. Who are your core constituencies of members or supporters?

Are you a faith-based organization? Are you a member organization that draws from aspecific professional field? This might help you distinguish your organization as well.

Examples: “ American Jewish World Service”, “ Journalists for Human Rights,” “DoctorsWithout Borders”

Conclusion:

On page 326 of his “Bury the Chains: the British Struggle to Abolish Slavery,” AdamHochschild conveys a story of one inauspicious naming. In the early decades of the 19th

century, a Birmingham woman who wanted to form a women’s anti-slavery society wrote to

IMPORTANT STEPS

When you feel like you’vegot that name that justmight be the one, here aresome important steps totake before you finalize yourdecision:

1. Google it: makesure that there isn’tanother “Gecko Abuse

Prevention Society”operating somewhereelse.

2. Try it out onpeople: tell people it’syour name and see whattheir gut reaction is.

3. Give yourself the chance to sit withit: try to move on andthink about other thingsfor a while – give



Thomas Clarkson, the leading English abolitionist of the day, asking him for suggestions fornaming her group. He suggested the name:

“Female Society for ameliorating the condition of Female Slaves in the British Colonies, butwith a view ultimately to their final emancipation there.”

Even in one of the world’s first great international social movements, they were thinkingdeeply about names. Luckily for you, the fashion’s have changed a bit and a simple 2-4words should be just fine for you. Remember, however, that no matter how short and sweet,your name is IMPORTANT. Take the time you need to think about it before you commit.

UNDERSTANDING MISSION STATEMENTS

Overview:

If your name is the heart of your enterprise, your mission is its soul. Your mission is thesentence or two that says, without pretense or reservation, what it is that you do and careabout. It is the thesis statement for the novel of your action. But it’s more than just a tool forothers to understand and differentiate your organization, it’s also the most importantstatement you have for making important organizational decisions like who you do and don’tpartner with, how you allocate scarce resources, how you prioritize your programs.

More so than names, missions are often muddled in vague language that reflects thedifference between “having good intentions” and understanding how to put those intentionsinto practice. It is vital to both your sense of self and your sense of place in the world of change that you have a mission which focuses and guides your operations.

This part of the chapter will briefly walk you through some general characteristics of a greatmission, review some missions that exemplify these characteristics, and then provide youwill some activities to think about developing your mission.

What do you seek to do?

As you read through this section, keep in mind that at its core, your mission articulates whatyou seek to do in the world; the problem you seek to solve or the change you wish to create.More than just description, your mission is an articulation of your organizations goals and itsbeliefs about what can be achieved.

Characteristics of a great mission

While not every great mission will embody the characteristics listed below, understandingeach of them and why they are important to your mission is indispensable as you try toarticulate your own mission.

Succinctness

Your mission should not use more words than it needs to get its point across. A good missionwill cut to the chase. This doesn’t mean you can’t have descriptive language or use asentence or two to “set the scene” before you deliver the punch, but don’t spend a lot of time trying to describe the ‘how’ or ‘why’ of what you aim to do.

Clarity



However many words you use, the words you choose need to be clear and easy tounderstand. Stay away from “jargon” and technical terms. Try to find words that conveyyour meaning precisely and that don’t have ambiguous meanings.

Focus

Your mission statement must focus the myriad activities upon an easily communicablecentral statement of purpose. Don’t try to fit more in than you need; find that core idea thatunderlines everything you attempt to do.

Missions:1

The best way to get a sense of what a good mission sounds like is to read as many as youcan. What follows is a sampling of missions from young organizations, as well as a shortanalysis of each.

Americans for Informed Democracy:

Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that bringsthe world home through programming on more than 1,000 U.S. university campuses and inmore than 10 countries. AID fulfills its mission by coordinating town hall meetings on

America's role in the world, hosting leadership retreats, and publishing opinion pieces and reports on issues of global importance. Through these efforts, AID seeks to build a newgeneration of globally conscious leaders who can shape an American foreign policy appropriate for our increasingly interdependent world.

The good:

The final sentence situates both what AID seeks to develop (“a new generation of globallyconscious leaders”) and why (to “shape an American foreign policy appropriate for ourincreasingly interdependent world”).

The not-as-good:

The phrase “brings the world home” doesn’t have clear meaning outside of this statementand therefore might confusing.

Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group:

Roughly 2 billion people do not have access to basic services such as electricity, cleandrinking water and sanitation. Development of this infrastructure is essential to breaking thecycle of poverty in developing countries. The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group(AIDG) works to provide rural villages in developing countries with affordable and environmentally sound technologies that meet these needs. Through a combination of business incubation, education, training, and outreach, the AIDG helps individuals and communities gain access to technology that will improve their lives. Our model provides a

novel approach to sustainable development by empowering people with the physical toolsand practical knowledge to solve infrastructure problems in their own communities.

The good:

1We decided to use real examples because they offer something much more real than we could come

up with on our own. That said, each of these organizations represents an incredible group of peopledoing incredible work, and no criticism with the missions found below should in any way indicateanything less than total admiration for each of these organizations.



The words used are clear and provides the organization focus around a common core of providing “technology to improve lives.”

The not-as-good:

The mission is simply too long, and contains more information than is needed for a mission,

including a significant amount of “how” that is better placed elsewhere.

Reworked:

The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) works to provide rural villages indeveloping countries with affordable and environmentally sound technologies that meet basic needs such as electricity, clean drinking water and sanitation. Through a combinationof business incubation, education, training, and outreach, the AIDG helps individuals and communities gain access to technology that will improve their lives.

Genocide Intervention Network:

The Genocide Intervention Network envisions a world in which the global community iswilling and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities. Our mission is toempower individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stopgenocide.

The good:

This is a model of succinctness, clarity, and focus. Itarticulates who the organization is focused onempowering and to what ends. It uses easily understoodwords, and provides a framework for focusing a myriad of activities.

The not-as-good:

Not much

Interfaith Youth Core:

Interfaith Youth Core seeks to build a movement that encourages religious young people to strengthen their religious identities, foster inter-religious understandingand cooperate to serve the common good.

The good:

Like the GIN mission, the IFYC mission is a model of succinctness, clarity, and focus. Moreover, the IFYC

mission is a good example of how a mission can articulatea set of goals and bring them together under theoverarching banner of the organization. For IFYC“strengthening religious identities,” “fostering inter-religious understanding” and “cooperation to serve thecommon good” are all central and mutually reinforcingcomponents of their mission, which organize and situate amyriad of activities.

HOW YOU GOIN’ DO IT? When you share your missionwith people, one of the firstquestions you will be asked is“well, how you going to dothat?”

There is a tendency for youngpeople writing missions toconfuse means and ends, andoften, we include those means(the how) in our missionstatements. Remember thatat its core, your mission isabout the change you seek tomake, NOT necessarily howou lan on makin it.

VISION VS. MISSION

The GIN mission successfullyleverages the power of avision. The difference betweena “vision” statement and a“mission” statement is simplebut often confused. Yourvision is your sense of the

world that should be. Yourmission is the action you tryto take to achieve the vision.



The not-as-good:

Not much

WRITING YOUR MISSION STATEMENT

When you really come down to it, the question that matters more than anything else inwriting your mission is:

What do you care most about?

Most young organizations articulate missions much broader than they should be, and whichwould suggest an organizational capacity much greater than is the case.

So what do you care most about? At the end of the day, what does your organization seek todo and for whom? What is your calling?

Articulate this and you’ve got your mission

Questions to help you in this process:

While the question of “what you care most about” is at the core of your mission, there are anumber of constituent questions that can help you get to that answer.

1. What is the problem you’ve identified?What is the problem you seek to fix, the gap you intend to fill? For the Center for GlobalEngagement, its that young people increasingly recognize our global problems as shared across borders and are attempting to use their energy and talent to create change, but don’t have the educational resources to prepare themselves to create long-lastingchange.

2. What does the world look like with that problem solved (Write your vision) A great tool to help you write your mission is to articulate your vision. Articulating avision is often easier for young people: what does the world look like with your problemsolved? For CGE, it’s a world in which students who care about the world have access tothe learning resources they need to fully leverage their passions and energies to createchange.

3. Who or what is the focus/subject/beneficiary of this activityWho is the focus of the activity you seek to take? What’s the group, community, or typeof people you work with to better achieve your vision? For the CGE, its young people whocare about global problem solving.

4. What is the underlying type of activity you’d like to engage in to help contributeto the realization of that world?Given that you’ve identified the community you want to work with, what do you want to

do with them? Is it capacity building and education? Is it direct provision of service? For CGE, our fundamental activity is educational; we build students capacities to engagewith change.

At the end of the day, most missions are eloquent combinations of the answers to questionsthree and four. GIN does capacity building (i.e. provides ‘tools’ for stopping genocide) for UScitizens. AIDG provides services (i.e. provides technology to resolve basic problems) forrural communities in the developing world. Walk through these questions for your own



organization or initiative and see if you can combine your answers into a mission that meetsthe criteria of succinct, clear, and focusing.

Conclusion:

Your name and mission will be the first things that most people learn about you. You wantthem to embody what it is that you do, who you are, and how you see your impact in theworld. Give yourself and your organization the time it needs to truly craft an accurate nameand mission. You just might find that in the articulation process, you learn something newabout who you are and what you truly want to do.

CENTER FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT MISSION

The Center for Global Engagement builds the capacity of young people to cross borders

of nation, race, faith, and more to develop responsible, sustainable solutions to shared

MISSION DEVELOPMENT TUTORIAL

You and a group of friends have noticed that people treat squirrels very poorly on yourcampus. Squirrels are often subject to verbal abuse, and people throw away trash nearsquirrel homes. You decide that something must be done. You know you want to start anorganization to eliminate this problem, but now you need a mission.

Run through the questions above:

1. What is the problem?

Squirrels are unappreciated and undervalued by the University community, contributingto the degradation of squirrel livelihood.

2. What is your vision?

We envision a world in which squirrels are appreciated for all they offer to our diversecampus environment.

3. What is the group you want to focus your activities on?

We will focus our activities on the students who fail to appreciate the majestic beauty of the squirrel.

4. What action will you take?We will design educational programs and marketing programs designed to improvestudent understanding of and appreciation for squirrels.

Sample Mission:

The squirrel today is threatened from all sides – loggers, builders, and now, our student body. The University Squirrel Union seeks to design educational and marketing programsto improve student understanding of and appreciation for the majestic squirrel.



Nathaniel Whittemore is a founding director of the Northwestern University Center forGlobal Engagement, where he designs structured learning opportunities for young changeagents to improve their impact in global problem solving. He spends altogether too muchtime thinking about marketing and perception, and his previous and current projects havehad names including “Just Naïve Enough,” “OpenShutter Project,” “The PassengerMagazine”, “Refugee Connect,” “Beyond Bangalore” and more. Through his myriad

organizations, he’s written enough totally crappy (and a few pretty dynamite) missions toknow what he’s talking about.

names and mission statements nathaniel whittemore edited final

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