The above post focused on the idea that certain traits—reflectiveness and self-skepticism—are more valuable in the context of non-profits (especially ones long-term missions) than they are in the context of startups.
I also think that certain traits—drivenness, risk-tolerance, and eccentricity—are less valuable in the context of non-profits than they are in the context of startups.
Hiring advice from the startup world often suggests that you should be looking for extraordinarily driven, risk-tolerant people with highly idiosyncratic perspectives on the world.[1] And, in the context of for-profit startups, it makes sense that these traits would be crucial.
A startup’s success will often depend on its ability to outcompete large, entrenched firms in some industry (e.g. taxi companies, hotels, tech giants). To do that, an extremely high level of drivenness may be necessary to compensate for lower resource levels, lower levels of expertise, and weaker connections to gatekeepers. Or you may need to be willing to take certain risks (e.g. regulatory/PR/enemy-making risks) that would slow down existing companies in pursuing certain opportunities. Or you may need to simply see an opportunity that virtually no one else would (despite huge incentives to see it), because you have an idiosyncratic way of seeing the world. Having all three of these traits (extreme drivenness, risk tolerance, idiosyncrasy) may be necessary for you to have any plausible chance of success.
I think that all of these traits are still valuable in the non-profit world, but I also think they’re comparatively less valuable (especially if you’re lucky enough to have secure funding). There’s simply less direct competition in the non-profit world. Large, entrenched non-profits also have much weaker incentives to find and exploit impact opportunities. Furthermore, the non-profit world isn’t even that big to begin with. So there’s no reason to assume all the low-hanging fruit have been plucked or to assume that large non-profits will crush you by default.[2]
For example: To accomplish something that (e.g.) the Gates Foundation hasn’t already accomplished, I think you don’t need to have extraordinary drivenness, risk-tolerance, or idiosyncrasy. [3]
Addendum that occurred to me while writing this follow-up: I also think that (at least given secure funding) these traits are less crucial in the non-profit world than they are in academia. Academic competition is more intense than non-profit competition and academics have stronger incentives to find new, true ideas than non-profits have to find and exploit opportunities to do good.
In fact—unlike in the for-profit start-up world—you should actually consider it a good outcome if a large non-profit starts copying your idea, implements it better than you, and makes your own organization redundant!
To be clear: These things—especially drivenness—are all important. But, unlike in the startup world, major success doesn’t necessarily require setting them to extreme values. I think we should be wary of laser-focusing on these traits in the way a VC would.
A follow-on:
The above post focused on the idea that certain traits—reflectiveness and self-skepticism—are more valuable in the context of non-profits (especially ones long-term missions) than they are in the context of startups.
I also think that certain traits—drivenness, risk-tolerance, and eccentricity—are less valuable in the context of non-profits than they are in the context of startups.
Hiring advice from the startup world often suggests that you should be looking for extraordinarily driven, risk-tolerant people with highly idiosyncratic perspectives on the world.[1] And, in the context of for-profit startups, it makes sense that these traits would be crucial.
A startup’s success will often depend on its ability to outcompete large, entrenched firms in some industry (e.g. taxi companies, hotels, tech giants). To do that, an extremely high level of drivenness may be necessary to compensate for lower resource levels, lower levels of expertise, and weaker connections to gatekeepers. Or you may need to be willing to take certain risks (e.g. regulatory/PR/enemy-making risks) that would slow down existing companies in pursuing certain opportunities. Or you may need to simply see an opportunity that virtually no one else would (despite huge incentives to see it), because you have an idiosyncratic way of seeing the world. Having all three of these traits (extreme drivenness, risk tolerance, idiosyncrasy) may be necessary for you to have any plausible chance of success.
I think that all of these traits are still valuable in the non-profit world, but I also think they’re comparatively less valuable (especially if you’re lucky enough to have secure funding). There’s simply less direct competition in the non-profit world. Large, entrenched non-profits also have much weaker incentives to find and exploit impact opportunities. Furthermore, the non-profit world isn’t even that big to begin with. So there’s no reason to assume all the low-hanging fruit have been plucked or to assume that large non-profits will crush you by default.[2]
For example: To accomplish something that (e.g.) the Gates Foundation hasn’t already accomplished, I think you don’t need to have extraordinary drivenness, risk-tolerance, or idiosyncrasy. [3]
Addendum that occurred to me while writing this follow-up: I also think that (at least given secure funding) these traits are less crucial in the non-profit world than they are in academia. Academic competition is more intense than non-profit competition and academics have stronger incentives to find new, true ideas than non-profits have to find and exploit opportunities to do good.
This seems to be roughly the perspective taken by the book Talent, for example.
In fact—unlike in the for-profit start-up world—you should actually consider it a good outcome if a large non-profit starts copying your idea, implements it better than you, and makes your own organization redundant!
To be clear: These things—especially drivenness—are all important. But, unlike in the startup world, major success doesn’t necessarily require setting them to extreme values. I think we should be wary of laser-focusing on these traits in the way a VC would.