Yes, you read that correctly. A mouse has taken up residence in my glove compartment. I became suspicious after finding shredded Kleenex and napkins lodged there. And although there is no other evidence in the car- nothing running around my feet or nibbling on my lunch- I'm pretty convinced I've had a roommate traveling with me.
So, here's how I picture it. The car is parked outside our home which is located in an isolated wooded area in northern Michigan. The cat, who is queen of everything outside, chased the mouse under the car. In a desperate survival move, the mouse darted up and into my dashboard and voila-- located a perfect, cozy little hideout.
Continuing the story, my mouse becomes an unwitting traveling companion as I hop in and head off, traveling around northern Michigan. In search of food, the mouse ventures out of the car at one of my stops, perhaps at a nonprofit organization in Charlevoix or Suttons Bay, and is left behind; many miles from my home (and his) in Manistee County. He has no clue how he got there or how to get back.
So, why does the mouse in my car remind me of a nonprofit organization? Well, how often have we bolted into a seemingly safe haven in a desperate survival move? Perhaps, agreed to a partnership or funding requirement that truly took us to places we hadn't anticipated or weren't prepared for. Or developed a poorly conceived strategic plan that is more wishful thinking then decisive strategy. How often have we had no clue how to retrace our steps or get back home?
What's the lesson? These are desperate times for many nonprofits. Before dodging into what appears to be a safe haven, it's essential to do your due diligence. Evaluate and plan for that partnership. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of that innovative revenue opportunity. Don't jump into that moving car without a GPS and road map.
You'll find partnership and grant opportunity evaluation tools, as well as business planning and strategic planning tools in the NorthSky Online Resource Center at: www.northskynonprofitnetwork.org
Make sure the next journey you take as a nonprofit is one you planned.
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As much as I'd hate to ruin your neat analogy, if you don't get rid of that mouse you might find yourself stranded. Mice are known to chew wires in cars, possibly short circuiting your electrical system and destroying your car's computer. I speak from experience.
ReplyDeleteA simple solution is to leave a packet of rat poison in the glove box. If you insist on a violence free solution, you can put a dab of peanut butter on the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket and leave it on your car seat. The mouse will go in after it and not be able to get out.
-RH