Can We Talk About Mission Drift?
How smart strategy can slowly erode organizational identity — and three questions to help you spot it before it's too late
The pitch made total sense on paper. In addition to selling TV and radio ads, digital display ads, and event sponsorships, our sales team would resell digital marketing services — everything from SEO and website design to paid network ads. It sounded like easy money, our sales team would close the deal, collect the billing info, and a third-party vendor would handle fulfillment, all under our brand.
Within weeks, the team had booked hundreds of thousands of dollars in new sales and was feeling great about the strategy. But across the rest of the organization, a question started to surface:
Should a public media station be in the business of selling digital services?
At the time, the answer felt practical: revenue is revenue, and we needed it. But as the deals piled up, so did the unease. First among staff, then among community members. Some of our most loyal supporters began asking, out loud:
Is this who you are now? Has your mission changed?
For someone like me — with a background in business and product development, someone who's always embraced experimentation and innovation — this moment revealed something uncomfortable:
Mission drift doesn't always look like a mistake. Sometimes it shows up dressed as smart strategy.
What happened to us wasn't unique. When organizations need revenue — and can't or won't cut costs — new income streams look like lifelines. For us, it was a digital agency. For others, it's renting out facilities for weddings and receptions. For some, it's commercial video or podcast production.
The problem? None of those things are inherently wrong, but many of them aren't rooted in mission. They're opportunistic, not intentional.
Now, yes — missions can evolve. Communities change. So do needs. But that's not always what's happening. Sometimes, you experience a slow, almost unnoticeable drift instead of an intentional evolution.
And because it happens gradually, it doesn't feel like betrayal. It feels like progress.
But six months later, you realize those decisions have fundamentally altered your organization.
Think about where you work. Has a team member ever pitched a new program or outreach idea with genuine excitement? They're passionate, persuasive, and convinced it's what your organization has always needed. Have you gotten swept up in their energy? Have you tried to convince yourself the change is not just welcome, but necessary — maybe even evolutionary?
But is it? Is it really?
To help leaders navigate these tricky waters, I've found it useful to ask these three questions:
Does this advance our core mission or just our financial position?
Would the people who shaped our early days recognize this as “us”?
Are we rationalizing this decision or genuinely excited about the impact? Listen to how you're selling the idea internally. If you're spending more time justifying why it fits than explaining why it matters, that's worth examining.
This is an essential part of the process because when organizations drift, they can lose more than money. Drift can cost credibility, staff alignment, and even community trust.
For us, the Digital Agency strategy and the mission drift that it caused created internal friction as our team struggled to explain what the organization actually does anymore. When leadership can't answer that question, how can it be expected that the staff will? The drag on morale and the impact on productivity were significant.
Look, I'm not saying don't take opportunities or pursue new revenue. But be honest about what you're doing and why.
Start with the basics: What parts of your mission are sacred? What would you never compromise, regardless of financial pressure? Write it down. Having clear boundaries makes future decisions easier.
Then build some decision criteria around those boundaries. The three questions I mentioned are a start, but you might need others specific to your situation or sector.
And if you do decide to pursue revenue opportunities that aren't mission-central, own that decision. Don't pretend it's something it's not. Explain to your staff and stakeholders why it's necessary and how you plan to protect the core work.
The goal here isn't mission purity — it's mission clarity. Your organization can evolve, expand, and even chase revenue outside your core work. But do it deliberately, with your eyes wide open about what you're trading off.
Because your mission isn't just what you say you do. It's what your community experiences when they interact with your organization.
What signs of mission drift have you noticed in organizations you know? Hit reply or leave a comment and tell me about it — I'd love to hear your experiences.