Quarterly Financial Reporting

Releasing a financial report every 90 days should not focus an organization’s attention on the numbers. Investors may be interested in this data, but managers and executives of the corporation need to focus on long-term goals, not short term ones.

It is true that American commerce is number driven over the short term. Monthly and quarterly operating results are the rage in many sectors. With salaries and bonuses based on these numbers, the executives do focus attention there.

However, the simple reporting of the numbers does not make American corporate life short-term. That has been caused by a lot of other deeply buried behaviors.

When compared to nonprofit organizations, the difference with for-profits is clear. Nonprofits are driven by mission – purpose. They have a passion to improve a situation or condition for those that suffer from it. Unequal education is one such condition. Whether a special education student, or gifted, or physically disabled, education must be tailored to the unique needs of each student. That’s hard to do in a large, public school environment. But private nonprofits take up the mission gladly. Because the need is there and demands workable solutions. Not to do this leads to horrific loss of human potential. And suffering.

Mission – a value orientation to life and action. Core values that drive people to work hard to benefit others and the entire community and society. They hold a dream of a society that lives free of the problem if they succeed with their mission.

In contrast, corporations aspire to a strong bottom line and even stronger capital base upon which to operate.

The other day I was stopped at a traffic light. Next to me was a well kept delivery van. It was a food purveyor’s truck. I don’t recall the name of the firm, but there was a simple line that read: “delivering food to keep America’s kitchens cooking”. Now that is a mission.

I wonder if that tag line is the real mission of the food supplier company? It is if most of its employees are dedicated to making it a true statement as to their purpose.

Most companies do not think this way. Nonprofits do. In fact, it is the core strength of nonprofits.

Think about it.

Our society is not entirely about capitalism. Nor is it all about government. It IS all about the wholeness of our communities and society, working together for the best outcomes of our efforts. That takes all of us working toward worthwhile goals. They mostly are not about money.

Shared work toward shared outcomes. Now there’s a mission!

August 22, 2018