Monday Mixtape 022: Nonprofit Leadership Strategies

Monday Mixtape 022: Nonprofit Leadership Strategies

How did you learn to lead? Are you still learning?

Most of us aren’t born knowing how to manage, organize, and inspire people. We pick it up as we go, or suffer through a lot of trial and error. Sometimes we copy what we’ve seen other people do, or adopt a bunch of weird behaviors that we think make us seem “boss-like.”

Whether you’re leading a campaign, a project, or an entire organization, leadership skills are just that…skills. A thing you can learn.

Being intentional about your leadership, and working to become a better leader can have big benefits for your organization. A passionate and thoughtful leader can inspire action, reduce turnover, and really keep things rolling. This week, we’re looking at resources to help you develop your own leadership, and work to develop leadership in others.

Here’s this week’s mix:

“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” —Harvey S. Firestone

Track #1: How To Develop Yourself As A Nonprofit Leader at The Bridgespan Group

Are you ready to lead? If you’ve been in a mid-level role at your organization, you may be thinking about taking on a leadership position. But how do you get there? While some people benefit from mentors and formal programs, lots of nonprofit folks develop their leadership skills on their own, as they go.

In this piece from Bridgespan, six senior nonprofit leaders talk about how they developed themselves into leaders and offer advice for mid-level staff looking to step up. Everyone has a different career path (especially in nonprofits!), so the post isn’t designed to follow exactly. It’s a nice collection of advice from folks who have been there.

The leaders encourage mid-level managers to volunteer within or outside of their organizations, to look for both formal and informal professional development opportunities, practice looking at the bigger picture, and to consider jobs outside of their current organizations.

I think one of the best sections is on professional development and being a good connection. “[…P]rofessionals can often gain valuable insights by talking with peers about the ways they have tackled particular challenges at their organizations and how they are building their own managerial skills. The key is to make genuine connections with people where there is real give-and-take in the relationship, rather than only contacting them when you have an ulterior motive.”

Track #2: 6 Inspiring TED Talks Nonprofit Leaders Must Watch by Tina Jepson at CauseVox

If you’re a regular Monday Mixtape reader, you know I love a good TED Talk. People across the spectrum of careers and experience share their wisdom for a general audience. From science to life skills, from money to management, if it’s something you’re interested in, someone has probably given a TED Talk on it.

It’s not surprising, then, that there are several great TED Talks that are particularly relevant to nonprofit leaders. In this post, Tina’s rounded up six talks that will encourage you to lead more thoughtfully, skillfully, and passionately. Ranging on topics from leadership skills to the benefits of charitable giving on the human psyche, turn to this post when you need a good dose of inspiration.

Track #3: Being Shy Doesn’t Stop You From Being A Great Leader by the Coaches Council at Forbes

You don’t have to be loud to be a leader, but if you’re naturally shy, leading a team has special challenges. This post from Forbes offers tons of advice on how to lead confidently while working with your own shyness.

I like this post because the suggestions are remarkably practical, and don’t rely solely on the classic “pretend you’re not shy” strategy. There are suggestions for reducing shyness (take an improv class, analyze your communication style, build your daily skills like delegating), but there are just as many for playing to your shy strengths, like meeting with people one-on-one, empowering louder team members, and leading with action instead of words.

I found this quote from Tonya Lynne Wildharber spot-on: “Some of the most effective managers are shy or introverted. The unique ability to elevate their teams’ strengths from a “behind-the-scenes” perspective is a great skill. It is essential, however, to embrace your full self, including your shyness, rather than trying to overcome it. Being your authentic self in leadership gives your team permission to do the same, deepening trust and engagement.”

Track #4: The 7 Traits Of Ideal Board Members by Eric Jokinen at CauseVox

Your board of directors is an important part of your organization’s leadership team. These volunteer leaders can be a terrific asset to your organization if they exhibit the seven traits Eric outlines in his post.

You’ll notice that “wealthy” is not a trait on this list. While it can certainly be handy to have board members who contribute a lot financially, more important traits are passion, experience, availability, professional skills, attentiveness, congeniality, and toughness.

It’s rare for one person to have all of the traits, but if you assemble a diverse board, you can cover them all with a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Bonus Tracks:

Show me a leader (except you probably should compromise…)

#LeadershipGoals

By the way…

Speaking of nonprofit leaders, we’re hosting a live panel discussion webinar with three fundraising leaders tomorrow, July 17th.

Each of our panelists has adapted to the new world of fundraising by adopting a community-driven approach. Claire Geiger (World Bicycle Relief), Floyd Jones (Volo City Kids Foundation), and April Hearne (Amigos) will share exactly how they’re seeing growth and offer best practices and tips from their successful community-driven campaigns.

Save your seat!

Thanks for reading!

– Megan

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P.S. Questions about this week’s mix? Suggestions for next week? Don’t leave me in the dark. Let me know by emailing me at blog@causevox.com.