What’s the benefit of running a successful non-profit? The short answer: You’ll be able to impact more lives and have fewer leadership headaches. In this post, Toni Jackson shares four strategies for non-profit leaders. Following her strategies, you’ll avoid operating in a way which undermines your organization’s sustainability and day-to-day effectiveness.
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Toni Jackson
The non-profit organizations I’ve observed are able to do more than survive. They do a few things really well. Thriving non-profits are achieving sustainability, not simply fighting for their mere organizational survival.
They are proactive, not just reactive
Such non-profits aren’t just relying on what they have done already. Being proactive, they are also looking for -and anticipating- what they see happening next. In short, they’re not just maintaining a presence. Conversely, organizations that find they’re spending a lot of time reacting to things which have already happened rarely flourish. Non-profits that do really well strive to proactively see opportunities and threats – and make the right strategic moves in advance. For example, in meeting their funding needs, they are always looking for ways to effectively engage donors.
They maintain a steadfast Mission focus
Being truly mission driven, successful non-profits are able to do this one thing: Sustain themselves without drifting from their core objectives. They never lost sight of their organization’s Mission. However, some non-profit organizations fall victim to ‘mission creep’. Missions matter. Resources and energy should be put into activities which back a non-profit’s core principles.
They get good people to work for them
Being able to recruit good, skilled workers is vitally important. Human capital is what can separate the phenomenal non-profits from the mediocre ones. Non-profit organizations that do really well understand this. They know that, without a good team, they will not be able to do more than merely survive!
When a skilled person is hired, it’s essential that expectations are set up front and properly communicated. Given the investment that an organization is making in a new employee in the first 6 months, successful non-profits are expectation setters and effective communicators. Poor expectations which aren’t well articulated make it very difficult to develop a good team player. Non-profits that do really well know how to recruit, set first-year expectations, and communicate.
They properly train their staff
Training and education is key. Given the cost of good training however, it can be very challenging for a non-profit Executive Director to make sure all staff members stay up to date. However, to be successful, a non-profit must strive to find the money to allow education to be done in a timely matter.
Some ask themselves: How can I afford to train everyone?. The bigger question is, I firmly believe, How can you afford not to?. Staff education is an investment that will reap immeasurable dividends. To train or not to train is a question that non-profits which do really well never ask. They know the answer. Training is never considered an unnecessary luxury for high-performing non-profits.
LEARN
Getting it right as an Executive Director
- Anticipate and Prepare for the inevitable. That is a large part of being proactive.
- Keep your eyes on the prize – You know “Why” your non-profit organization was created. Stick with that as long as that is the essence of your distinct skill sets and your guiding passion.
- Identify talent with a focus on character first, then skill. Create employee contracts and gain buy-in at the conception of their employment.
- Don’t leave your employees stranded. While making time for training can be difficult, if you hired properly it’s an investment in the future vitality of your organization.
GROW
Do you have what it takes to lead?
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality?
- Warren Bennis
My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.
- General Bernard Law Montgomery
So you wake up one day and something happens. The Arts program that were adored within the school system has now been slashed from the budget. You have clients racked with pain who have care that isn’t covered with insurance; so many suffer unnecessarily. Someone’s loses their home due to loss of a job. A child becomes seriously ill and their life is forever altered by their malady. A family member is lost due to a disease.
Unfortunately, all of these needs are real. I can point to someone I know that has started a non-profit organization to speak in some demonstrative way to each of these real needs. It touches their hearts and they become consumed with a keen desire to spark change. Yet the reality is that in today’s economic climate their purpose and their passion, in and of itself, isn’t enough. And that is unfortunate and tragic, yet true.
What Toni Jackson is referring to, when she speaks of a non-profit that is thriving, is an effectively-led organization. So the question boils down to this: Can you be more than a passionate, purposeful soul? Please know we absolutely mean no harm in asking that question. We live in a space where everything is getting harder and more competitive. For non-profit organizations you’re already dealing with the some harsh realities; funds are drying up and the number of available grants has dropped. Bottom line: You have to walk, talk, and act like a business that happens to be an organization. That’s the new reality an Executive Director operates in today. No money, no mission.
If you can’t be the person that Jackson describes, then you have to educate yourself to get to that place. Yes it is possible.
The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born. Warren Bennis
Start by reading the Non-profit leadership section of this blog. The posts contain more true observations from non-profit leaders and pacesetters. After that there are a number of books that the Your Outcome Well team can recommend which may be very helpful. Just drop us a comment on this blog and we will be happy to reply.
The basic objective of this blog is to showcase the stories of people like Toni Jackson and Sofia Crisp. They reveal truths and lessons learned from their experiences. To that we add practical business lessons and insights from the business world. So, if you want to do really well, to lead a sustainable, mission-fulfilling non-profit organization you need look no further.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Look for the next post in this Series after Thanksgiving.
Your Outcomes Well
Better outcomes through Best Practices (Non-profit leaders)
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