Authentic Passion: The First Tactic to Build a “Do Something” Culture — Commitment
- Tom Iselin
- Mar 20, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 11
In this video, you'll learn why "commitment" to FULFILLING a mission, not commitment to the idea of a mission is the first tactic you'll need to put in place to create a "do something" culture!
Authentic Passion: The First Tactic to Build a “Do Something” Culture — Commitment
On Day Five, we kicked off the Authentic Passion series by exploring the difference between lip-service passion and authentic passion—and why talk without action does nothing to help your mission.Today, we dive into the very first tactic required to build an authentically passionate, do-something culture across your nonprofit: Commitment.
Why Commitment Is the Foundation of Authentic Passion
Authentic passion is genuine belief in a mission manifested in meaningful action.And you can’t act without two drivers:
Commitment
Motivation
Someone saying they “love your mission” means nothing until they're willing to do something to fulfill it. Anyone can be committed to a mission in theory. Very few commit to fulfilling that mission through consistent action.
The Key Distinction
Committed to a mission → Talking, cheering, supporting in spirit
Committed to fulfilling a mission → Doing, contributing, working
Your nonprofit must make this distinction crystal clear.
Priority #1: Commitment to Fulfilling the Mission
Every person connected to your nonprofit—staff, board, volunteers, partners—must understand that your organization’s number one priority is:
Commitment to fulfilling your mission.
Not:
Admiring your mission
Feeling good about your mission
Agreeing with your mission
But fulfilling it.
Say it again to your board and staff until it sticks:It’s not the mission itself — it’s the commitment to fulfilling the mission.
A Reminder From Adaptive Sports
Last week, I shared the story of Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, the nonprofit I was hired to rescue. Even though the organization was in chaos—no money, no direction, no plans—board members continuously told me how “passionate” they were:
Passionate about starting a Special Olympics program
Passionate about helping wounded veterans
Passionate about building sustainable funding
Yet for six years, little to nothing happened.
Why?
Because they were committed to the idea of the mission, not committed to fulfilling it.
That’s the difference between:
Those who love talking about the mission
And those willing to put in the sweat to achieve it
How to Build a “Do Something” Culture
If you want authentic passion to spread through your nonprofit, start here:
1. Make Commitment to Fulfillment Your #1 Business Objective
This requires a mindset shift across the entire organization.Everyone must internalize that fulfilling the mission is the top priority—not comfort, not tradition, not convenience.
2. Educate Your Board and Staff
Hold a series of meetings and discussions focused on:
What “authentic passion” really means
Why fulfilling the mission requires action
How commitment and accountability intersect
What cultural changes must occur
This reframes the conversation from belief → fulfillment, from talking → doing.
3. Prepare for Resistance
Cultural change can be unsettling. Some will resist.Some may even choose to leave.
And honestly?
That’s okay.
4. Let the Doers Rise
Once people understand that commitment equals action:
Sleeves roll up
Sails get trimmed
Decks get swabbed
People start rowing in the same direction
You’ll feel the momentum shift.
Those who won’t buy in?Give them a kind, respectful farewell as they drift away. Your ship will sail faster without them.
Key Takeaways
You don’t build authentic passion with words—you build it with commitment.
Commitment to fulfilling the mission is your nonprofit’s most important objective.
Cultural transformation starts with education and mindset realignment.
Not everyone will choose to join your “do something” culture—and that’s healthy.
Once commitment takes root, momentum follows.
Summary
Authentic passion starts with one foundational principle: Commitment to fulfilling your mission.Until your board and staff adopt this mindset, passion will remain stuck at the lip-service level. By reframing commitment as action—not sentiment—you spark a cultural shift that produces real results. Some people will resist the change, but those who stay will help propel your nonprofit toward its brightest future.
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:
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