Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset in the Social Sector

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In a recent team meeting at a Social Sector organization, I saw a wide gap between colleagues who view the world via  an abundance mindset, and those who operate with a scarcity outlook.

Scarcity Mindset
The scarcity mindset says that resources are limited and there is a zero sum competition between resources of time, money, attention, notoriety, or network. This mindset  taps into the ancient human brain  construct of survival competition over scarce resources like food or water. It connects our actions to a pre-modern part of evolution that required a physical fight to the death to control, dominate or carve up limited food and territory to the strongest and meanest human. It associates specific resources with the ultimate goal of survival and reproduction. An example of a scarcity mindset is the hoarding of toilet paper and surgical masks in the United States at the onset of the Covid19 pandemic. In the Social Sector, examples of scarcity mindsets are usually present during the organization's budget allocation process, or around the selection of people for management or executive positions. If they get more, I’ll get less. If they get that position, I won’t and my life and influence will be diminished. The binary win/lose moment sets in and triggers a cascade of negative emotions and starts to weaken the group through artificial conflict.

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