Is Your Organization a Frankenstein’s Monster?
October 30, 2025 | By David M. Wagner
In keeping with my tradition of writing about a spooky theme the week of Halloween - like leaders who act like Dr. Jekyll with external stakeholders but act like Mr. Hyde with their own staff, dealing with how frightening uncertainty is, or simply the horror stories of leadership - I want to highlight another scary (but common) story:
Frankenstein Syndrome.
Perhaps you’ve heard the tale. A nonprofit or library, perhaps in an effort to appeal to a narrow group of constituents or to pursue some available funding - adds a new program with only a loose connection to its mission.
Then another request or funding opportunity arises, and it takes on another new program or service or way of operating.
Before long, the organization becomes a Frankenstein’s Monster: a hodgepodge of myriad programs, struggling under the weight of supporting so many different ways of trying to serve its mission - whatever that has evolved into.
I’ve written before about the downsides when your organization morphs into a Frankenstein’s Monster of mixed messages and missions:
It is difficult to clearly explain what your organization does
Decisions about your strategic direction become much harder
You dilute your mission impact by trying to do too many things well
Here’s how to recognize when this monster may be creeping into your organization, how to avoid it, and what to do if you recognize Frankenstein’s monster has already taken root.
The Signs of Frankenstein Syndrome
The early indications of mission creep, mission confusion, and misalignment may be subtle:
Different stakeholders (members of the board and staff, volunteers, funders, beneficiaries) have different responses to “what does (your organization) do, and why is it important?”
You have about as many different programs as staff and it would be hard to back-fill the work of most team members if they step away.
It is difficult to demonstrate how program results align with your mission outcomes.
If any of these apply, your organization may be in danger of succumbing to Frankenstein Syndrome.
Prevention through Deliberate Clarity
Organizations that are immune to Frankenstein Syndrome see the opposite results: Stakeholders share aligned understanding of your organization’s purpose, the good it accomplishes, and how.
If that’s true of your organization, you like have:
Made deliberate decisions about your mission scope (what you will do AND what you won’t do) as well as your business model (how you will, sustainably, deliver your programs and services)
Communicated, clearly and consistently, your identity and your strategy to your stakeholders (internal AND external)
Demonstrated commitment to the principles above in how you operate - including turning down opportunities that don’t align with your values, mission, or vision
By the way, being deliberate does mean refusing to change. There’s a difference between organizations that make intentional, explicit choices to expand or change direction…and those that eagerly pursue every new idea without first evaluating the consequences of each choice.
Taming the Monster
On the other hand, if a deep glance in the mirror reveals you’re looking at an organization cobbled together from myriad pieces that don’t quite fit well together, I have two important messages for you:
You’re not alone.
You can recover!
The path back to mission clarity differs for every organization, but here’s a rough framework I’ve helped clients through that may work for you:
Clarify and recommit to your enduring vision. Identify your “why,” a narrow mission (what your organization does better than anyone else), your values, and the outcomes you will achieve for your mission.
Create a matrix to evaluate programs and initiatives so you can decide what to pursue and what not to pursue, based on alignment with your vision.
Decide what to continue, what to start doing, and what to stop doing - with specific plans to transition to a new approach where necessary.
If you’re worried your organization is in danger of turning into a Frankenstein’s Monster, let’s talk about how I can help you and your team clarify your mission, choose an aligned business model, and create a roadmap to put it in place.