Trends in Nonprofit Leadership Development
Ah, change. Some embrace it; some fear it. However, for businesses and organizations who wish to stay relevant to their constituents, change is inevitable and necessary. As someone who has been involved in the nonprofit sector for about ten years, I have had the privilege of watching many aspects evolve. Leadership in the nonprofit sector is not excluded.
First and foremost, leadership in the philanthropic sector has grown to embrace the bottom-up approach, rather than a strict top-down, more business-sector approach. By seeking ideas from all employees, volunteers, constituents, and stakeholders, nonprofit leaders are arming themselves with fully-informed, actionable game-plan. You can check out a real-life example of how a bottom-up approach worked here. Nonprofit expert and author John Keyser notes three solid guidelines on such contemporary leadership, aptly called grassroots leadership:
· “A leader does not simply listen, she hears what she is being told.
· A leader must model the attitude and behavior that she wants her team members to have.
· A leader must trust her people, which will lead to earning their trust.”
Relatedly, effective nonprofit leaders are also collaborating with others- both inside and outside the organization. Each year, more conferences for nonprofit professionals appear on the docket and some are so well-attended, it’s akin to attending a rock concert! Whether at a national conference or a local event, be a part of each round-table discussion that peaks your interest. You shouldn’t be afraid to share your opinions and stories from the field, just as you shouldn’t be afraid to learn from others’ discussions. Each insight is valuable, from the CEO celebrating his or her twentieth year to the volunteer that started a few months ago.
Speaking of which, volunteers need to be led and managed, just as paid employees. Poor volunteer leadership leads to massive turnover and a poor reputation of the organization. The old argument of, “They’re just volunteers; they’re free help. What does it matter?” no longer holds water. Well-managed volunteers can not only support the organization through donated time and expertise but, cultivated well, can be financial supporters and good publicity in the future. Whether or not any financial contributions are made, volunteer time and effort should be acknowledged and recognized, just as a donation. Both are supporting the organization in incalculable ways in providing resources the organization cannot do without.
As a new generation takes on leadership positions with the nonprofit field so too does a wave of new methods of communication, fundraising, and management. While some organizations still rely on direct, paper mailers, other organizations are turning to the power of social media. While many sources vary on the true amount of time we spend consuming media, this 2016 CNN report states U.S. adults are consuming more than 10 hours of media each day, over an hour and a half of which are spent on our smartphones. This is likely a modest estimate, especially with the increase dependency on our portable technology in the last few years. Organizations who wish to stay relevant to the public would be wise to have a well-developed social media presence as well as ways to connect virtually, especially for donors visiting their online sites.
Above all: stop, collaborate, and listen! And while you’re at it, check out the new monthly subscription for those in the field of philanthropy, the Nonprofit Leadership Toolbox! This toolbox will ready its users through thought-provoking reads and continued learning, aimed at developing the nonprofit leader in each of us!
