power Steering: Leadership
March 2008
- A Roadmap to Your Next Leader: Prepare. Pivot. Thrive.
- What You Said: Leadership Qualities
- 7 Must-Haves for a Successful Fundraising Event
- If Nominated, Will You Serve?
- Social Entrepreneurship at RISE
- Nonprofit of the Month: Leadership Austin
A Roadmap to Your Next Leader: Prepare. Pivot. Thrive.
By Tara Levy, Senior Consultant, Greenlights
Getting from one place to another isn’t always straightforward. Even with the help of Mapquest, getting from say, your house to your grandmother’s isn’t just a matter of going over the river and through the woods. You also have to decide whether you’d like the route that is the shortest distance, has the most use of highways, or circumvents tollroads.
When you have to hire a new Executive Director, the road isn’t clear-cut either. Even when you’re lucky enough to have an identified successor, it’s important to stop and plan for new leadership.
At Greenlights, we have a roadmap for this most crucial leadership transition. Through a three-stage process called “Prepare—Pivot—Thrive,” Greenlights supports nonprofit leadership change at the top post.
PREPARE
Just like some people always keep their toiletry bag packed for last-minute travel, preparation for a transition can begin even before a departure is imminent through thoughtful succession planning.
Most of the time though, people don’t start to pack until they know a trip is in the immediate future; it is not too late to prepare for a transition when you already know when your current Executive Director’s last day will be. One of the first steps is forming a Transition Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Directors charged with overseeing the entire leadership transition process, including search and selection of a new Executive Director.
Greenlights also recommends engaging an Interim Executive Director and conducting an organizational assessment at this point, interviewing staff and board members about the state of the organization, its needs, its potential, and the type of leader who will be right for its next phase of growth. With this “taking stock” complete, goals and milestones are identified and a profile of the ideal Executive can be developed. Working from the needs identified in the organizational assessment, an Interim ED, the board, and staff can each focus on accomplishing particular tasks before the new Executive Director arrives.
PIVOT
During this phase, a nonprofit kicks off the search for new leadership while at the same time focusing internally on “cleaning up for company.” In the same way that you put away the dishes and make your bed before guests arrive, it is important for an organization to put its best foot forward and get ready to attract and retain that great new leader once he arrives. Depending on each organization’s needs, this could include things like addressing human resource needs, adopting best practices in financial management, or focusing on board skill-building.
Simultaneously, the Transition Committee evaluates and interviews candidates, aligning their skills and experience with the vision developed by the board and staff for the agency’s next leader. As everyone ticks items off their transition to-do list, the Transition Committee can zero in on an outstanding candidate for the job. After in-depth interviews with staff and board, an offer can be extended and (hopefully) accepted by an enthusiastic leader who will fit the organizational profile to a tee.
THRIVE
To help ensure the success of the new Executive, Greenlights recommends the formation of a Welcome & Orientation Committee to orchestrate the new ED’s arrival and set up performance measures. It is hard work to maintain momentum and ensure a smooth landing for the new Executive, welcoming him through a number of events and activities with key stakeholders. Greenlights also provides follow-up and issue-specific support to the new Executive Director to ensure continuity.
Greenlights is proud to support Central Texas nonprofits in thoughtfully ushering the organization through this critical transition period, positioning each agency for a new phase of leadership and success.
What You Said: Leadership Qualities
Last month, we asked what you thought were the qualities of a good leader. While we discovered that leaders encompass many, many different qualities, three stood out and were repeated the most often by those who responded. Brandy Kinder, with Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps, hit on all of them: a leader is a good listener, a great communicator, and a mentor. A leader doesn’t just listen to a few people; he or she listens to everyone’s point of view, and then uses their suggestions to make decisions, sometimes very difficult ones.
Danny Baker at Fox 7 describes a leader as someone who has the three V’s (and a C): he or she can create the Vision, communicate the Value, listen to the Voices, and make the Connection. In the nonprofit world, these qualities are particularly compelling because Executive Directors so often serve as both the external face of the organization in the community, as well as the person who must pull staff and board members together around a commonly shared vision.
Durel Bernard, with the Young Leaders Society at United Way Capital Area, sees a leader as someone who can adjust his or her attitude and responses to accommodate each member of the team. A leader should be able to “work with a variety of personalities in a team environment.” Robert Egger, from D.C. Central Kitchen, sums up this quality nicely: “leaders are not bosses…they are people who are willing to lead.”
Some more qualities of a great leader that were mentioned:
- Leaders show up on time, return calls, send notes of encouragement to colleagues and always make time to listen to employees/clients.
- Leaders let people learn from their mistakes, and give credit when credit is due. Leaders also give positive criticism.
- Leaders speak out when something is wrong—even if it invites risk.
- Leaders say "yes" more often than "no."
- Leaders speak for those who have no leaders...and then help others rise into positions of leadership to fill the vacuum.
- Leaders are responsible, organized, honest, and compassionate.
- Leaders are always looking for ways to improve their leadership skills.
And perhaps my personal favorite, courtesy of Robert Egger: “Leaders are cool.”
Thank you to Brandy Kinder, Danny Baker, Durel Bernard, and Robert Egger for contributing to this article.
(If you are interested in reading the complete responses to the question, please e-mail a request to rickarda@greenlights.org.)
7 Must-Haves for a Successful Fundraising Event
Article by Heather Burton, reprinted with permission from Sage Software
Essential to a nonprofit’s success is effective fundraising, and one mark of a good leader in the nonprofit sector is being a skilled fundraiser. As we learn in the following article from Sage Software Nonprofit Solutions, one of the must-haves for a successful fundraising event is the right person (or people) to plan and lead it. Read on to learn more…
Creating a detailed plan and budget: Fundraising special events succeed or fail largely because of the depth and strength of the plan. The plan is the roadmap for goals, strategies, timelines, and execution for not just staff, but board members, volunteers, and even consultants. The budget sets boundaries of what the organization could absorb in expenses if need be, as well as outlines revenue goals in all areas i.e. potential sponsors, ticket sales, and auctions. During planning and budgeting, it is particularly important that the correct pricing structures are set to maximize potential revenue. Comprehensive plans typically include the details for the remaining six must-haves and build on the experiences of your past events or successful fundraising events of like organizations.
Getting the right event chair or co-chairs: Depending on the maturity of your special event, the event chair may be chosen for a variety of different reasons. This includes who they know in terms of raising money, attracting guests, and establishing volunteer committees. Their visibility in the community or, even for nonprofi ts with limited development staff, their abilities in special event management and logistics are also key factors. Whichever your reasons, you need to make sure that this person(s) is dedicated to the cause and is willing to roll up their sleeves, work hard, and put their name and reputation on the line for the success of your event.
Rallying volunteers who are ready to help: Volunteers don’t just add extra hands for lighter work, but are critical in introducing their friends and potential donors to the event and the organization. Make sure volunteers are fully utilized: have clear, detailed direction; and are assigned tasks that are aligned to their specified interests. They volunteer because they are passionate, willing to lend their talents, and want to help. Volunteers who are misaligned with tasks, not given clear direction, or not even assigned a task are not only unhappy, but wane in their time and financial commitment to the organization. It has been hard work to put together the volunteer committees who are ready to help—make sure they are fully supported and engaged in the success of the event.
Creating a signature event: Special events that are seen as unique to an organization, or have a “hook,” create buzz. Making your event one-of–a-kind and relevant to your organization helps distinguish it from just “another gala or golf tournament,” especially when competing for the attention and donations of similar sponsors, donors, and attendees in the same region. Not only do you create a legacy to build in years coming, but you create a bandwagon that people want to be a part of, thus educating more people about your cause, attracting more attendees, and ultimately raising more money.
Tapping into the power of publicity: Besides raising money, another goal of special events is to maximize the visibility and publicity for your organization. Each stage of the event plays an important role. Pre-event publicity attracts attendance, introduces the event and organization to the public, and creates hype within the community and local media. During the event, publicity is about having members of the local media present, and hopefully obtaining coverage on the local news. Post-event media coverage and announcements regarding the success of the event on your website or in your newsletter plays a critical role. These serve as a reminder to those who attended how wonderful the event was and as another touch to those invited but unable to attend. Post-event announcements have been known to bring in extra donations and create the synergy and excitement for next year’s event.
Capturing attendee contact information: Part of the magic of special events is having a chance to introduce your organization to those who may not have been already familiar or to move a prospect or current donor up the giving ladder. A key element of successful events is capturing the contact information of your guests. It sounds obvious, but many organizations falter on the execution. Having pre-sales of tickets or registration forms are ways to capture attendee information. On the other hand, some guests may be more elusive. For example, a company or organization may sponsor a table of eight at your gala, but you may not know who are filling those seats. Make capturing contact information a well-thought out part of your overall plan, allowing for postevent thank you calls, cards, future invitations and opportunities to engage those guests in other organizational activities.
Documenting the good, the bad, the ugly, and the extraordinary: Organizations who document activities during all stages of the event
lifecycle—both what worked and what didn’t work—create a history for
the basis of future events. Guest lists, sponsor lists, and in-kind donors are
usually the most natural documentation that organizations create. However,
the entire event should have a playbook outlining the plan, goals, strategies,
and tactics for each volunteer team. Part of the post-event responsibilities is
to bring the volunteers together and review the entire process, documenting areas of improvement, areas to repeat in future years, and opportunities to
expand or contract the scope of the event. What is traditionally considered
the wrap-up for an event is really the early stages of planning for the next
successful fundraising event for your organization.
If Nominated, Will You Serve?
By Mary Alice Carnes, Program Manager, Greenlights
When running for public office, a candidate is well-scrutinized by the time Election Day arrives. By the time we pull that lever or press the button on the screen, if we’ve done our homework, we know a lot about our chosen candidate. But how much study time do we invest when considering serving on a nonprofit board? Board service is one of the most impactful and rewarding contributions you can make, and board members serve an important role as part of an organization’s governing body. If you are thinking about throwing your hat in the ring and jumping on board, consider asking some key questions to be sure it is the right fit for both you and the organization.
Q: What is the role of the board for this nonprofit organization?
A board of directors serves as the governing body for a nonprofit organization. It provides oversight and decision-making in many important areas, such as the budget and fiscal and strategic directions. It is the board’s responsibility to ensure that the organization’s funds are being used effectively. Board members can also supply individual support by lending their expertise in areas such as marketing, financial management, and human resources. The skills you bring as an individual and the board as a governing body are the keys to success for every nonprofit organization.
Q: Is this the right cause and organization for me?
In Jan Masaoka’s The Best of the Board Café, to answer this question she recommends you “approach this decision as if you were planning to make a major donation: you would probably begin by thinking of areas where you have strong feelings.” Perhaps you feel passionately about care for the elderly or you have a deep love of the arts. You may have a special zeal and enthusiasm centered on educational issues or perhaps there are health and human service areas you wish to support. That passion should guide your choice of where and how to serve your community.
Q: What is the financial contribution expectation of each board member?
Every member of the Board is ultimately responsible for attracting the funding sources necessary to ensure the financial viability of the organization (BoardSource). It is important to ask what is expected of you financially to help support the organization. This amount will vary from zero to a gift that is meaningful to you—and even if you are not required to make a financial contribution, it is often expected that you will do so and that you will participate in the fundraising process.
Q: What are some typical opportunities for board members?
A variety of opportunities await you. As a board member you serve as ambassador for the organization. You might have one-on-one conversations about the services your nonprofit provides and why you support it. You may also get the chance to speak on behalf of the organization to larger groups or at events. Networking with other organizations and learning about the nonprofit sector as a whole is a great way to see where your nonprofit fits in the community and the impact it makes.
Q: What is the nonprofit looking for in prospective board members?
What unique leadership qualities and resources would you bring to a specific nonprofit? What skills do you possess that could help a nonprofit reach a wider audience or manage the organization better? Is it your marketing savvy or financial management expertise? Perhaps your skills in human resources are needed to help with staff development and retention. Your sphere of influence in the community may also expand awareness of the nonprofit’s mission and provide more services to the community as well as potential new supporters or board members.
Q: Does the organization provide board orientation?
Is there a mechanism for providing you the orientation you need to be an effective board member from day one? Is there a board book with the tools you’ll need: a copy of the by-laws or governing documents, the latest annual report, current board minutes, a list of current board members, dates of all board and committee meetings, and a clear statement of board responsibilities including committee assignments?
These are just a few questions to think about when electing for board service. You’ll find that asking the right questions will provide a clear path to the right nonprofit for you.
If you are currently looking for an opportunity to serve, please join Greenlights for NonProfit Success and Leadership Austin at the upcoming Board Summit board matching event on April 2. This event is designed to introduce you to nonprofit organizations that can use your skills and enthusiasm. You will have the chance to network with more than 150 other business professionals like you and hear from business and community leaders about their personal experiences with nonprofit board service. A diverse pool of nonprofits will be available in our nonprofit gallery to talk with you about serving on their boards.
More questions to ask when you are invited to join a board:
- What’s your mission? What do you do?
- What are your board terms?
- When and how often do you meet?
- What do you expect from Board members?
- How are your committees organized?
- What kind of Board orientation do you provide?
- Who else is on the Board?
- Why me?
- Are there any current or historical financial, human resources, legal, or other organizational problems that I should be aware of?
- What’s the Board’s role in fundraising?
- Are you meeting your budget?
- Do you have an external audit? If so, what were the findings of your most current audit?
- How do you support new Board members?
- Do you carry Directors & Officers (“D & O”) liability insurance?
Social Entrepreneurship at RISE
By Kim Wilson, Director of Development & Marketing, Greenlights
I participated last week in RISE (short for “A Relationship and Information Series for Entrepreneurs”) hosted by mPower Ventures and the Acton School of Business here in Austin. RISE is a free SXSW-style gathering that in 2008, its second year, drew over 800 participants and included more than 70 sessions, including 5-10 that focused on the topic of “social entrepreneurship.” These sessions, for the most part, focused on (1) What is social entrepreneurship? (2) Why is it important? (3) How does it happen? and (4) What is needed for it to happen more frequently here in Central Texas? In exchange for the time away from my normal duties here at Greenlights, I was asked to share my musings in these four areas, all of which were informed substantively by the sessions I attended.
After three days of sessions, I found myself gravitating to the definition of social entrepreneurship suggested by Suzi Sosa and Chris Earthman at the session they hosted on Investing in Social Entrepreneurs which is “bringing together previously disconnected resources in a pattern-breaking (or paradigm-shifting) way to solve a persistent social problem.” They also provided a short list of characteristics of social entrepreneurs which resonated with me.
Social Entrepreneurs:
- Are agents of change first and foremost
- See as their mission to create and sustain social value
- Recognize and are inspired to attack a social problem
- Are innovative/creative and by being so, continually adapt, learn, and are willing to accept ambiguity and to risk failure
- Are resourceful and determined—“act without regard for resources currently controlled”
- Are accountable (i.e. focused on long-term outcomes that are measurable wherever possible).
“Why is ‘social entrepreneurship’ as a concept important?” you ask, thinking, “sounds rather theoretical to me.”
“Do we have ‘persistent social problems’ here in Central Texas?” would be my response, if we were having a face-to-face dialogue. “And are they getting any better, or are they getting worse?”
Social entrepreneurship is important because business as usual in the nonprofit sector ISN’T solving the issues our community faces. We need creative solutions that are focused on making long-term, sustainable change and that are not governed by the “money we already have in the bank” or think we can access through our traditional donor base. These solutions go beyond typical donor-grantee relationships, where the donor provides the money and the grantee uses it and then reports back on how it was used and what impact was had, to true partnerships where each party provides valuable resources (not necessarily financial) that, together, create a solution that has lasting impact.
See the Breast Cancer Services Meals Delivery Program pilot that was recently completed through partnership with the Entrepreneur’s Foundation of Central Texas, The Capital Area Food Bank, H-E-B, Lone Star Oncology, Spirited Chef, Culinary Academy of Austin, United Way Women’s Giving Group, and Greenlights for NonProfit Success for a great example of social entrepreneurship in action….
How does it happen? The aforementioned meal delivery program is a great example of good business processes in action that led to (1) identification and prioritization of gaps in breast cancer services, (2) an understanding of customers, costs, competition and context, (3) statement and agreement to key factors of success, (4) benchmarking to see what already exists that can be used/copied/modified in some way to reach objectives, (5) recruitment of people and resources through a good bit of “deal making” (i.e. through communication and compromise, figuring out where there are shared interests and values, and crafting a solution around them), (6) testing at a small scale so that relatively low amounts of capital are at-risk, (7) evaluation, and (8) creation of systems so that this small project can be brought to scale and/or replicated through a series of replicable processes. I wish I could take credit for outlining these business processes, but they are actually The Acton School of Business’ Framework for Venture Creation, and Steven Tomlinson and Eugene Sepulveda did a great job of explaining this framework, which goes far beyond the theoretical definition of “social entrepreneurship” and why it is important to the very practical “how does it happen”… and then tying it back to a specific example at the session they hosted for RISE.
And finally, what is needed for it to happen more frequently in Central Texas? In my opinion, flexible funding that will seed innovation. This can, and hopefully will, take a variety of forms, and in no way is a plea to the philanthropic community to reconsider their grant-making strategies (although I know Philip Berber’s suggestion to his grant making peers to ease up on their reporting requirements were appreciated by many in that session). But nonprofits, by necessity, often act from a worldview of scarcity, which means we DON’T take risks inherent in innovation and DON’T spend the resources needed to benchmark, evaluate, and document systems for replication. If someone has a good idea that could ameliorate a persistent social problem and the determination and wit to create, test, and “systematize” a solution, having access to flexible investment vehicles is the remaining key ingredient necessary to ensure that good ideas become real, sustainable solutions.
Nonprofit of the Month: Leadership Austin
For this month’s Nonprofit of the Month, we could not think of a group that better embodies our leadership theme than Leadership Austin. Twenty-nine years ago, Leadership Austin started as part of the Austin Chamber of Commerce with their flagship program, the Essential Class. Six years ago they rolled out into their own 501(c)3, and today they are a thriving nonprofit with six individual programs and are considered the place to go for leadership training, whether you are an emerging or established community leader, or somewhere in between. Greenlights is pleased to honor Leadership Austin as our March Nonprofit of the Month.
You may be familiar with their Essential Class, a 9-month course that focuses on community issues and teaches important leadership skills. Each year, they select 55 community leaders to be part of this class, which meets once a month and focuses on a different issue in the community each session, from the environment to education to traffic, hoping passions will be ignited and yet another class of leaders will step forward. (In fact, they are recruiting for the 2008-2009 Essential Class right now.)
But what you may not know is that Leadership Austin offers programs for every experience level. From their Engage Speaker Series to Experience Austin to their new Excel program, there’s something for everyone. To find out what program may be right for you, go to their website, where you can learn about their Emerge program for leaders under 40 or their Leadership Academy for Public Service, and much more.
Ever the leader among their nonprofit peers, Leadership Austin has also launched a new website, brimming over with information for leaders, about leaders. Find out who is being highlighted in their Leader Profile or read leadership essays written by participants in their programs. And finally, don’t forget to read about their own newest leader, Heather McKissick, who began her tenure as President this month.
Leadership Austin has taken on the challenge to continuously refresh the pipeline of trained leaders in our community, and they have and continue to do so with success. They belong in the spotlight as leaders among leaders and Greenlights is proud to showcase them as Nonprofit of the Month.