Step Back and Look at the Big Picture of Your Nonprofit
- Jul 11, 2015
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Keeping an on the big picture is just as important as the managing the details of our ToDo lists. Hold special brainstorming sessions to encourage each other to keep looking to the horizon for changes coming your way.
Step Back and Look at the Big Picture of Your Nonprofit
Picture this. I’m standing on a mountain in Sun Valley, Idaho, looking out over miles of open terrain. Clear air. Big sky. Long horizons.
And it hits me how easy it is—for nonprofits especially—to lose sight of the big picture.
How Nonprofits Get Trapped in the Weeds
Most days, nonprofits are buried in minutia.
Board meetings focused on logistics
Staff meetings packed with to-do lists
Endless discussions about galas, caterers, agendas, and minutes
Worrying about the next task, the next deadline, the next email
All of that matters.But none of it is the big picture.
And when you stay in the weeds too long, perspective disappears.
The Big Picture Most Organizations Neglect
The big picture is about the fundamentals:
Your mission – why you exist and what you do
Your vision – your preferred future and aspirations
Your programming – are you doing the right work?
Your people – staff, board, volunteers
Your operations – how well the organization actually runs
Your funding – is it sustainable and aligned?
The real question is this:
Are your day-to-day decisions aligned with your mission and vision?
And just as important…
When was the last time you actually talked about that?
Mission and Vision Are Not Wall Art
Too many nonprofits treat mission and vision statements like décor.
They’re framed.They’re posted.They’re rarely discussed.
Mission is not just why you exist—it’s a decision-making tool.Vision is not just aspirational language—it’s a directional compass.
If your mission and vision are not actively guiding your work, something is off.
Get Above the Fog and Look at the Horizon
Every so often, you need to pause.
Step back.Get above the fog.Look out toward the horizon.
This means intentionally carving out time—in a board meeting or a staff meeting—to focus only on the big picture.
Not tactics.Not tasks.Not logistics.
Just the fundamentals.
A Simple Way to Start the Conversation
Here’s a practical way to do this.
Go around the table and ask:
“What big issues concern you most right now?”
“What feels out of alignment?”
“What are we not talking about that we should be?”
Let everyone speak:
Board members
Staff members
Leadership
Have people write their thoughts down.Put the issues on the table.Start the discussion.
This Is Not Just a Board Exercise
One critical reminder:
Staff must be part of this conversation.
No one knows the organization better than the people doing the work every day.
Big-picture thinking should flow:
From staff to board
From board to staff
Strategy is not something handed down—it’s something shaped together.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
When nonprofits don’t step back:
They drift
They lose focus
They confuse activity with progress
They exhaust people without moving forward
Big-picture conversations restore clarity, alignment, and purpose.
They help everyone remember why the work matters.
Key Takeaways
Minutia can obscure mission
Mission and vision should guide decisions
Big-picture thinking requires intentional time
Staff insight is essential
Alignment prevents drift and burnout
Summary
Nonprofit Big Picture View?
Standing on a mountain reminds you how small details really are—and how important perspective is.
Your nonprofit deserves that same clarity.
So take time to step back.Get above the fog.Look at the horizon.
Talk about the big picture—together.
Because when mission, vision, people, operations, and funding are aligned, everything else starts to make sense again.
Tom Iselin
Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat
and Strategic Planning Facilitators
About the Author
Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.
Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.
Board Retreats & Strategic Planning
If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!
Board Retreats and Strategic Planning Services:
858.888.2278
