Written by: Kristen Lessig Schenerlein, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a nonprofit leader for most of my career, it is no surprise that morality was an essential part of my work. Understanding why a potential donor may invest in our organization and why each team member cared so deeply about the mission was what guided the strategy. Moral values such as compassion, cooperation, courage, gratitude and hard work aided were the lens through which all decisions were made. The social nature and context of the work done in nonprofit organizations was also always a major factor to consider. Now, as I coach, I am passionate about nonprofit cultures, the social environments we create to carry out our missions. I believe individual team members grow based on the environment we create for them, which directly correlates with our collective growth. Nonprofit teams are the ideal constructors of a hive culture, transcending individual interests while becoming more cohesive to fulfill a mission and enhance individual well-being.
As a result of our time with Jonathan Haidt and through a deeper exploration of The Hive Hypothesis, my goal is to use the components of Hive Psychology, where the focus is on applying collective decision making, to improve the organizational cultures of the nonprofit organizations I work with. Just like bees, nonprofit staff can set aside self-interests, losing themselves in something larger than themselves (the mission), almost to a fault. Opportunity lies in leveraging their social focus to create a culture devoid of competitiveness, which takes on a unique form within nonprofits. Too often within a group of compassionate service providers an unhealthy dynamic takes form where individuals unconsciously compete for “who did more”, a pack mentality Haidt, personal communication, December 9, 2022). This creates a culture were taking into account one’s personal well-being in order to better serve others is a foreign concept, maybe even vehemently challenged. By flipping the hive switch to adapt team dynamics for greater cohesion, we can yield greater efficiencies in operations that will support individuals in prioritizing their own well-being (Haidt, 2012). Humans are designed to learn collectively, it is fundamentally what makes us unique from other species (Haidt, personal communication, December 9, 2022). Prioritizing collective learning is possible within a certain culture, where individuals feel safe to fail or make mistakes. Therefore, a level of trust is an important element to successful hive formation and team cohesion. (2012) distinguishes team cohesion from teamwork in that teamwork signifies activity or effort whereas, team cohesion is more a measure of how well a team works together and is something that is maintained for an organization to function as a “superorganism”.
In communicating the benefits of hivishness to organizations I work with I would highlight that the hive culture raises an organization’s social capital because it activates joy and passion amongst members of the team. The higher levels of trust in turn results in higher productivity, as well as provides more flexibility of time and resources which are of high priority in nonprofit work. The team cohesion positively contributes to higher levels of team morale which can directly impact an organization’s turnover rates, while ensuring better recruiting and retention of skilled and passionate future hive members (Haidt, 2012).
Initial steps to support an organization in flipping the hive switch involve leaders adopting a “we” approach:1. Communicate shared values, goals, common identity, and connectedness; 2. Explore building synchronicity to building trust, shared intentions, and suppress those “along for a free ride”; 3. Create opportunities for positive intergroup competitions. The aim is to transform how the team sees themselves, as engaged members of the hive bonded together by a mission larger than themselves, free to serve outside of the group and to flourish within it, as individuals (Haidt, 2012). “No man is an island entire of itself…”
Kristen Lessig Schenerlein, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kristen Lessig-Schenerlein, a social entrepreneur, mental fitness coach and yoga instructor, is an expert in nonprofit leadership, forever passionate about the fields of neuroscience, positive psychology, and performance science. After nearly two decades of being driven by a mission, almost to complete burnout and after having experienced the real life effects of working within a toxic environment, Kristen began down a new path in service to others facing similar challenges. She integrated her own personal yoga practice and energy medicine into a science-based coaching practice. She became a trained yoga instructor guiding her clients “on the mat” and also an ICF Certified Professional Coach and a Certified Positive Intelligence Coach to support her clients “off the mat” with mental fitness training and coaching. Kristen has dedicated her entire career to transforming the lives of others and sees herself now as a guide to those willing to do the innerwork necessary to link their power with their passions, so that they can live a life more in alignment with their values, while showing up authentically in aspects of their lives. Kristen is the founder of Koi Coaching and Consulting, serving clients around the world, thanks in part to being part of the coaching team of BetterUp as well, whose mission is to make coaching accessible to all, unlocking greater potential, purpose, and passion.
Born in a small coastal town in Connecticut, Kristen also spent a good part of her career in Richmond, Virginia, where she founded her nonprofit organization before moving back to the coast where she now resides in Southwest Florida with her husband and a blended family of four beautiful children.
