The Human Nature: Passion Vs. Zealotry

The crux of NPO's

Working with volunteer based organizations I have found that the same thing that drives individuals to volunteer for a cause (or organizational non-profit) is sometimes the same thing that retards the organization's growth and progress.   Their very passion.  

In a world where profit ,rather no salary is provided as a self-interest, it shifts the paradigm towards reward and over importance of  title.  The perception of the power that exists in titles is sometimes lost on frail individuals who might lack the self-esteem or lack of a balanced lifestyle.   

Razor thin line

There exists a razor thin line between passion and zealotry.  At the point when volunteers become so ingrained in a group that they fail to see that not changing the dynamic will eventually lead to failure of their beloved organizations   The lack of turnover and succession planning in volunteer organizations often times leads to the creation of fife domes where new ideas and new members are excluded for fear that it might disrupt the status quo.  

In the name of the 'cause' 

Eventually, this leads volunteers crossing the line of passion into the land of zealotry.   The true art lies in channelling that passion and placing individuals into positions that feed their individual self-interests.  Proper succession planning sets up a structure that controls 'entrenchment' and the formation of incumbency networks that might preclude change. 

Proper motivation, recognition and reward limits the power struggle that prevails when incumbents are allowed to rule the roost.  In the end- turn over can be good because it provides a chance to 'reboot'.