In Michigan, it is hard to escape the excitement surrounding the Detroit Lions football team. Long-suffering Lions fans have rarely (more likely never) experienced the success the Detroit Lions are having this year. Even people who have never really been football fans of any type, like my mother, are all about the Lions this year.

Although I could write several blog posts about why the Lions are doing so well this year, perhaps the best explanation comes from the Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. In a New York Times article, Jared Goff was quoted as saying:

“It’s ironic that when you try to do less, more happens.”

Back Story

Jared Goff has spent several years as the quarterback of the Detroit Lions. Upon his arrival he inherited a team on the re-build. He won only 4 of his first 23 games as the Detroit Lions quarterback. At one especially low point, having lost five of the first six games in 2022, Goff sat down with coach Dan Campbell expecting the worst – to be benched.

As they talked, Goff realized the key to the future was simple, “I’ve got to stop trying to do too much.” He realized he could not be responsible for every aspect of the game. He had to focus on doing the best he could at what only he could do, and let others on the team do their best at what they could do. Since that time, the Lions have run up an incredible 32 wins and only 9 losses. Goff’s performance is among the best in the NFL on any number of different measures.

Trying to Do Less

Most United Ways have fallen into the trap of doing more. It happens slowly, such as being asked to serve on a committee, or organize a meeting. Over time, the number of committees and meetings grow – there is always something to be done. As United Way develops a reputation as the go to place for help with any social issue, it becomes nearly impossible for United Ways to say no.

One way your United Way can do less and have more happen, is to adopt an issue focus. Issue focused United Ways choose an issue, like poverty, homelessness, the graduation rate, or kindergarten readiness, and they lead and convene the community to make measurable change on that issue.

Issue focused United Ways are doing less by focusing their efforts on measurably changing a single social issue in their communities.

More Happens

Issue Focused United Ways create more impact because instead of a campaign goal, their success is measured by the number of lives changed. They can share how supporting United Way has resulted in 250 families no longer living in poverty, 38 people who now have a home, 432 students who graduated from high school, or 1,076 children that are ready for kindergarten as examples.

Issue Focused United Ways raise more money because donors and financial supporters know before they give how lives will be changed. Issue focused United Ways also raise more money because they are able to attract diversified resources like grants, sponsorships, and planned giving to address their issue.

More people are aware of what Issue Focused United Ways are and do because they unify their community, volunteers, donors, partner agencies, board, and staff around a shared vision to address a single issue. Issue Focused United Ways can easily explain what they do in just one sentence, and even in as few as two words – “Crush Poverty” or “Halt Hunger.”

The Greater Good

In football, winning games is the goal. As Jared Goff found out “It’s ironic that when you try to do less, more happens.” Goff realized that trying to do too much was never going to help the Detroit Lions win more games.

For Issue Focused United Ways, changing lives is the goal. United Ways that try to do too much are never going to measurably change more lives. When Issue Focused United Ways “do less” by focusing on a single issue, more happens.