I came across this policy text (labelled “Requirements”) on a non-profit Web site this week, at the top of a page ostensibly inviting people to join as members:
“Membership in the Association is granted to eligible individuals only. Membership cannot be granted to an organization.”
Most people are totally unaware of the hidden messages their policies send. Similar to a crack in the ceiling plaster, you can walk by it every day without seeing it, unless you know what to look for.
The wording of this “requirement” is uncomfortably revealing: this organization has a recurring problem with groups asking if they can be members. Hidden in the overt statement against it are these implied messages:
- we’re not flexible about this rule
- don’t even bother to ask if you can be an exception, and
- we’re tired of telling people this; they should read these rules before they talk to us.
There is a subtle but clearly perceptible undertone of frustration evident in the wording of this policy, right from the outset.
Was it really the writer’s intention to sound this confrontational? I suspect not. Nor was it likely the writer’s intention to disclose publicly the frustration the office feels around the issue.
If this approach is in fact turning away prospective members, would the association even be aware of it?
Don’t let this happen to your organization. Learn where to look for messaging problems in administrative policies, how to recognize them, and how to fix them.
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