The Power of Small Wins in Nonprofit Leadership
In The Leadership Challenge, Chapter 7 focuses on experimentation and risk-taking. But it was the opening section on generating small wins that truly resonated with me:
“To get people to do things they have never done before, you make progress incrementally. You move step by step, creating a sense of forward momentum by generating small wins.” (p. 168)
It sounds simple, yet surprisingly few nonprofit organizations put it into practice.
I say this without judgment—admittedly, I struggled with this during my time running Great River Rescue. I was so focused on the big picture that I failed to realize others didn't always see the full vision. While the long-term destination was clear in my head, my team felt overwhelmed. They couldn't always see how their day-to-day tasks connected to a distant, better future.
I should have done a better job celebrating incremental victories, focusing more on what we could accomplish this week or this month rather than looking exclusively five years ahead. As the authors point out:
“When people don’t feel overwhelmed by a task, their energy goes into getting the job done instead of wondering, ‘How will we ever solve that problem?’” (p. 171)
The Strategic Plan Trap
In my work helping non-profits and churches develop strategic plans, I see a recurring pattern. These plans are often multi-layered, multi-year initiatives. In short, they are overwhelming.
When daily demands take over, progress stalls. Teams grow frustrated with slow movement and weary of tracking complex data. Before long, the strategic plan sits on a shelf—forgotten and unused.
To solve this, I developed a framework to bridge the gap between long-term vision and daily execution: The Vision to Execution Framework.
Drawing on principles from Will Mancini’s Vision Frame and Gino Wickman’s Traction, this approach helps leaders connect 5- or 10-year goals to short-term, actionable tasks.
How the Vision to Execution Framework Works
Some organizations skip multi-year planning altogether, claiming the world is too volatile. But abandoning long-term planning is a mistake. Think of it like flying from New York to Los Angeles: making spontaneous stops in six intermediate cities along the way isn't efficient or enjoyable. Booking a nonstop flight makes far more sense—even if you encounter turbulence or need to make minor adjustments along the route.
Here is how you put the framework into action step by step:
Top Tier: Long-Term Vision (5–10 Years)
Place your ultimate destination at the top. Beneath it, list your primary long-term strategic goals (typically 3 to 6 objectives).
2. Middle Tier: Single Annual Priority
Review your long-term plan and select one primary goal to achieve over the next 12 months.
Example: If your long-term goal is to "Build Strategic Alliances," your single annual priority might be to "Develop partnership agreements with at least three new agencies."
Why just one? Trying to tackle multiple top priorities simultaneously dilutes focus and exhausts your team.
3. Quarterly Tier: 90-Day Focus Strategies
Break your annual priority into 2–4 manageable targets for the upcoming quarter. Using the partnership example, your 90-day focus might include:
Consulting experts on partnership agreements
Identifying target organizations
Drafting a standard agreement template
4. Action Tier: Key Milestones
Define clear, measurable metrics for each 90-day focus area (e.g., number of expert calls completed, target list size, or draft reviews received).
Build Momentum That Lasts
Every 90 days, gather your team to celebrate completed milestones, review progress, and outline focus strategies for the next quarter.
By narrowing your focus to actionable 90-day increments, you eliminate the cognitive overload of multitasking and create continuous forward momentum. In fact, teams using this framework often achieve their annual goals much faster than expected—sometimes in as little as 6 to 9 months.
Get Started Today
Connect your long-term vision to short-term wins. [Download the free Vision to Execution Framework template] to adapt it to your team's specific goals.
Whether you need three long-term goals or four quarterly focus areas, you can tailor the model to fit your organization's unique needs.
I am continually striving to apply these principles as Executive Director at Kinship of the Park Rapids Area. If you would like guidance implementing the Vision to Execution Framework within your organization, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out at brandon@mustfulstrategicconsulting.com.