Tech and business staff tied to mission too!

Program and leadership staff are quick to talk about how devoted they are to the mission. They live and breathe for the organization, they are fighting for the cause. They dont know what they would do without it. Why would they work anywhere else, this is who they are!

But do those same program and leadership staff see that many (if not all) of the business and technology staff are just as devoted to the mission? Do you think that we just took the job because of the pay or to play with toys? Do they think we are more devoted to the tech than the mission?

When it comes right down to it, if I had to choose to fight for the mission of my organization or to fight for the importance of technology, I would choose the mission. The reason I work here is that I believe in what my organization stands for. And I would venture to guess that is true of tech and business staff at nonprofits across the world!

So if that is true, why do we seem to be treated like tools more often than we are treated like people? Who is the first cut at budget? Who is the last person included in mission talk? Who is the odd ball out at any event? Hmm.

There are enough people within my org fighting for the mission, there are not enough fighting to make sure the tech, people and process are aligned to make it actually happen. If we all were the fluffy mission dreamers nothing would get done.

OK, so maybe I am being a bit dramatic and over the top. But what do you think?