Institutions matter. But we often view them somewhat cynically, perhaps as a necessary evil.

In truth, institutions remain essential to human flourishing. They are the very means by which communities thrive, individual vocations are fulfilled, and society is changed for the good. We all must learn the wisdom of working effectively within institutions—what Gordon Smith calls institutional intelligence.

In this book Smith unlocks the essential elements of how institutions function in a productive, healthy manner. Focusing on the nonprofit sector, he shows how team leaders, directors, executives, board members, key stakeholders, and employees can avoid what is often their greatest source of stress on the job—working with the institutional character of their organizations.

Church staff, educators, and those in service agencies can all thrive by understanding these dynamics instead of fighting against them. By developing institutional intelligence, we and those around us can not only flourish personally but also fulfill a larger mission.



Gordon T. Smith is the president of Ambrose University and Seminary in Calgary, Alberta, where he also serves as professor of systematic and spiritual theology. He is an ordained minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and a teaching fellow at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia. He is the author of many books, including Institutional Intelligence, Called to Be Saints, and Your Calling Here and Now.



1. The Meaning of Institutions

2. Mission Clarity, Part 1: Affirming the Institutional Charism

3. Mission Clarity, Part 2: Discerning Institutional Identity and Purpose

4. Governance That Works, Part 1: Making the Right Things Happen

5. Governance That Works, Part 2: Finding Wisdom, Making Decisions

6. The Right People: Recruit, Develop, Empower

7. A Dynamic Institutional Culture: Fostering Hopeful Realism

8. Financial Equilibrium: Making Economic Sustainability a Priority

9. A Place to Be: Creating Built Space

10. Strategic Partnerships: The Synergy of Collaboration

Conclusion

Appendix A: Boards and Presidents

Appendix B: Institutions are Good for the Soul

Appendix C: An Institutional Intelligence Essential Reading List