Surprises...

Remember when you were a kid how you loved surprises? There was nothing more fun that an unexpected present, an unscheduled trip to do something special, some event that was totally random and delightful?

Now, not so much. In our maturity, and given some time, we’ve learned that we like to be prepared, have our bases covered, know all the consequences before we act. In other words, the element of surprise can be a bit disconcerting for us now that we comprehend that it’s not all fun and games.

It used to be that the nonprofit arena was not afforded the same intense scrutiny as the for-profit world but that changed dramatically a few years ago, and understandably so. It was a little of the “one bad apple….” scenario and wham bang, expectations and demands shifted for us all.

Total transparency is the new more acceptable concept in today’s culture. No secrets, no hidden agendas, open communication, total honesty. In the business and the nonprofit worlds, best practices demand that people divulge all the intimate details of their lives in an attempt to have no surprises. This can go a bit far and become a legitimate threat to our personal lives and our right to privacy. But taken at its face value, I believe it is an attempt to regain that honestly and innocence that we, as a society, seem to have lost somewhere along the way.

What we need to find is a healthy balance between the two. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the pendulum would swing back just a little and we could once again experience that sense of pure delight, without any unease, when we sense a surprise coming on?