Beyond the price tag
No matter what kind of organisation you run, money is always part of the equation. The resources we have shape what’s possible so naturally, we want to be wise in how we spend them.
But here’s the thing: when decisions are guided only by the numbers, opportunities often slip through the cracks. Worse still, focusing too narrowly on finances can actually store up bigger problems for the future.
This isn’t to say money doesn’t matter. Of course it does. But sometimes, the smartest move is to put the spreadsheets aside for a minute and focus on the bigger picture. What are your values, your goals, and the creative solutions that might unlock real progress? Once you’ve mapped that vision, you can work out how to align the budget to support it.
A vision of comfort
Take one client we worked with, who was refitting new community spaces. The obvious question was: do we start with the budget, or with the people who will use the space?
We encouraged them to begin with the community’s ideas. What did people want? What would make the space feel welcoming and useful? Having done that, the team looked at how to use the budget. Doing it this way round meant they used it as a frame, not a starting point.
The result? A space shaped by the people who mattered most, within the resources available. Trust was built, creativity flowed, and the outcome had genuine ownership.
More than just hitting targets
Whether in funding, productivity, or satisfaction, growth is often measured in financial terms. Targets help track progress, but on their own they don’t tell the whole story.
Because once you hit that target, what’s next? Without a clear sense of why you’re aiming for growth, you risk chasing numbers for their own sake. Anchoring goals in your organisation’s values and vision ensures that success isn’t just measured in pounds or percentages, but in meaningful impact.
Constraints don’t always mean cuts
At the other end of the spectrum, financial constraints often trigger knee-jerk cuts: 20% off a department budget, for instance. It might seem logical, but it rarely answers the deeper questions:
Which activities matter most to your mission?
What work can stop, and what must continue?
How should limited resources be prioritised?
Without clarity around these things, people default to what’s easiest or most visible, not necessarily what’s most valuable. But when decisions are guided by shared values, constraints become a chance to sharpen focus, not just trim costs.
Money as one lens - not the only one
At the end of the day, money is just a tool. It’s not the purpose of your work, nor the only measure of success. When it becomes the sole deciding factor, you risk losing sight of what really matters.
So if you’re facing a tough decision, pause for a moment. Step back from the numbers and ask:
What do we value most?
What impact are we aiming for?
How can resources serve the vision, not dictate it?
Money may set the limits but your values define the possibilities.
If you’re currently weighing financial choices, try using some of these questions and see what fresh solutions emerge. I’d love to hear how it goes.
