WHY ARE WE HERE?

"We create institutions to serve missions, to serve a purpose. But a lot of times, after a while, maintaining the institution becomes the purpose."

- Yong Zhao

That's the risk for any institution that has been around for a while. It was established with some noble purpose that everyone who joined it may believe in deeply. That purpose probably remains front and centre in annual reports and strategic plans and communication materials. But somewhere along the line, decisions start being made that don't necessarily line up. 

It starts small enough and usually with the best of intentions. But before you know it, somehow things start to be done not in the best interests of fulfilling that original purpose but in the best interests of meeting the administrative needs of the institution. You can see how it happens. The institution has become so established and so interconnected with the purpose, it starts to seem indispensable. Longevity and tradition replace meaning and impact as measures of progress. And then the people inside the institution start to confuse existing with doing. Then they lose touch, and then they lose trust, and then lose their ability to actually achieve their purpose because nobody believes in them anymore. And then the thread is lost.

Effective institutions don't ever think they matter more than their purpose. Effective institutions don't ever forget who they serve, and they know it's not themselves. Effective institutions don't assume their original purpose is even still valid. Great institutions are aspirational. They constantly question. They challenge their own beliefs and place, and are even willing to step aside if they can't find a way to matter. That takes a lot of courage. But courage is probably what got them started in the first place. An institution that loses its courage will almost surely lose its way. But you can find your way back.