Thinking about first principles, the oft-quoted line from philosopher-comedian Groucho Marx, “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like those … I have others” comes to mind.

Beyond the moral ambiguity implied, might there be a hidden reference to other legitimate sets of first principles here? If so, what would this mean for nonprofit leaders as they seek to apply first principles to their governance and management roles?

Going back to ‘first principles’

When someone says ‘we need to go back to first principles‘, it may sound like they are referring to a single generic set of principles that everyone knows and understands. Yet, when we take a closer look, that turns out to be a false assumption. The header image makes clear that the axioms used must be relevant to the question at hand.

While a generic set of principles related to axioms of cognition can be referenced, moral principles, and context-specific sets of first principles can also be invoked. A comparison of the generic first principles with a context-specific set associated with innovation is highlighted in the chart below.

Defining ‘first principles’

Using a Meta-Taxonomy of Foundational Thinking (MTFT – to be examined in a future post), first principles are used to “ground reasoning or design in irreducible truths or normative values”.

As a class of concepts, first principles sit within a hierarchy of foundational thinking which sees first cause (reason for existence, purpose) at the top, and first steps (actions arising from defined intentions) at the bottom. Definitions of each of the seven levels within the hierarchy are offered in the following chart. (A more detailed analysis will accompany the future post on the MTFT).

The MTFT proposes that ‘first principles’ can be grouped into three main sub-categories: generic, moral, and context specific.

Generic first principles — An irreducible, domain-transcendent axiom that serves as a universal anchor for cognition, logic, or inquiry e.g., the laws of non-contradiction, identity, causality, and parsimony — serve as axioms of cognition. These are essential for any coherent system of reasoning, and underpin logical thought, mathematical proof, and scientific inquiry across all disciplines.

Moral first principles – Normative ethical axioms that define what ought to be upheld as right or just across contexts (e.g., dignity, fairness). They therefore guide moral judgment and action based on fundamental ethical commitments. Ethical principles such as “Do no harm” and “Respect human dignity” function as irreducible moral axioms.

Context-specific first principles – Refer to foundational assumptions, beliefs, or axioms that initiate reasoning or decision-making within a specific domain, role, discipline, or practice. They guide inquiry, design, or action in a situated context. A few examples include:

• In systems theory, first principles include interdependence, feedback, and emergence, which explain how complex wholes behave.
• In governance, principles such as stewardship, accountability, and transparency define irreducible duties of leadership.
• In learning and epistemology, principles like meta-cognition, reflexivity, and contextual inquiry are foundational to reflective knowing.

As highlighted in the comparative chart above, an innovator’s first principles are domain-specific heuristics grounded in functional decomposition. They aim not at metaphysical certainty but at practical clarity. They do this by breaking complex challenges down to their elemental truths within a given field — such as physics in engineering, or raw costs in manufacturing.

This layered ecosystem of first principles reflects a hierarchy of foundational reasoning, in which:

• Generic principles anchor the validity of thought;
• Ethical and systemic principles guide responsible and sustainable action; and
• Context-specific principles guide decision-making and problem solving, using the most relevant axioms to the circumstances

Thus, the foundational thinking required in any context must be selected and applied appropriately to the purpose at hand: universal when constructing logical arguments, elemental when engineering solutions, systemic when designing institutions, and moral when navigating human consequences.

First Things first

Using the title ‘First Things First’ for one of his seminal books, Stephen Covey was expressing a ‘first principle’ of effective leadership and time management. The ‘first things’ of course refer to identifying the most important things, while taking action to address those most important things before other items on our to-do list means we do them first. (Readers will recognise that ‘First Principles First’ echoes the format of Covey’s book title).

Several well-known proverbs, aphorisms and sayings reference ‘first’ concepts, illustrating the application of foundational thinking to various issues and situations e.g.:

• First do no harm (Hippocrates)
• First seek to understand, then to be understood (Covey)
• First enlightenment, then the laundry (Zen Buddhism)
• First who, then what (Collins)

NFP First Principles

So what has all of this got to do with nonprofit leadership? Decision-making by nonprofit directors and managers will desirably be evidence-based, rational, and ethical. The axioms and assumptions underpinning deliberation on the wide range of governance matters that leaders are expected to address, will therefore meet objective reasoning standards, and be relevant to the circumstances.

The seven NFP First Principles charts that follow offer suggested first principles for NFP leaders across a collection of 15 governance and management domains. You may identify variations or alternatives for the first principles proposed for some or all of these domains, but hopefully you will also find several of the suggestions helpful in your deliberations. (Note: The pairing of various sets does not necessarily suggest a linkage between them, although links may sometimes be observed).

Identifying the first principles associated with your role is another valuable activity for nonprofit leaders (and others). Undertaking this exercise could be helpful in centring the role on its primary purpose, and consequently improve your focus on important functions (not just routine and/or urgent ones).

To follow

An explanation of the Meta-Taxonomy of Foundational Thinking, and its usefulness for nonprofit leaders, will follow in a subsequent post.

See also:
The Scales of Governance: Weighing options, arguments, evidence & consequences
The Curious Director
The argument ‘rabbit hole’: debate, discussion, or dialogue
Differentiation and Integration in your Deliberations
Divergent Thinking a Prerequisite for Convergent Thinking
Double-edged Swords and Paradoxical Choices
Problems ‘for’ and ‘of’ governance
Questioning Frameworks and Options
Thinking Hats for Wisdom, Penitence, or Humiliation