{"id":596805,"date":"2024-04-04T15:19:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T19:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/?p=596805"},"modified":"2024-07-05T15:49:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T19:49:45","slug":"successful-nonprofit-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/successful-nonprofit-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"My 5 Biggest Lessons For Successful Nonprofit Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before I get to the 5 big lessons, just a quick mention that we&#8217;ll be re-opening the Nonprofit Leadership Lab to new members soon. If you&#8217;d like an invitation when the doors open,<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/app.monstercampaigns.com\/c\/juulvk6x0c1ngfiywixh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">click here<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and enter your email address and I&#8217;ll add you to the list.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And if you have no idea what I&#8217;m talking about&#8230; keep reading.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*****<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I first arrived from the leadership team at MTV to begin my first nonprofit executive director gig at GLAAD, I thought, \u201cI&#8217;ve got this.\u201d I had been in charge, supervised folks, managed to revenue targets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know &#8211; all the corporate things.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A week into it, my head was spinning. I said to my wife. \u201cI\u2019m not in Kansas anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course there were similarities, but I grew to understand (and quickly) that the model is quite different. Really different. And I wish more people understood this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wish new executive directors understood the differences &#8211; the impact passion has on decision making, the imperative to ensure that all voices are heard, the urgency you feel to do it all and to do it all right now because it all matters. A lot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wish more board members and donors understood this because they would see that it makes nonprofit leadership not just different but hard.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If more people really got this, I am convinced that there would be a universal admiration for the nonprofit sector that I feel every day when I come to work. An admiration that, in my mind, is sorely lacking in our society.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The five big lessons I learned for successful nonprofit leadership served me well during an impactful and transformative decade as the leader of an organization and a leader in the LGBT movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019d like to share these five lessons with you. Share them with others. Help them understand that leading a nonprofit is simply NOT the same thing as leading a corporate entity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And most importantly, I want you to take these lessons to heart. Think about which lessons you\u2019re doing well and which you need to work on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>LESSON 1. NONPROFITS ARE MESSY<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boy are they ever! I believe this so strongly, it\u2019s the name of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/nonprofits-are-messy-lessons-in-leadership-fundraising\/id1088587697?ls=1&amp;mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">my podcast<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So let\u2019s get into why. It comes down to two specific elements &#8211; passion and power.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The off-the-charts level of passion we have for our missions makes everything feel urgent ALL. THE. TIME. And when emotions run high, things can get messy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, there\u2019s the unique power dynamics. People join your cause to have a real voice. So you have to learn how to manage and motivate people not drawn to work by their year-end bonuses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nonprofits are messy because they\u2019re built that way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The goal isn\u2019t to clean up the mess \u2013 it\u2019s to learn how to thrive within it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>LESSON 2: LEADERSHIP IS SHARED<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A thriving nonprofit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/best-sign-healthy-nonprofit\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">operates like a twin-engine jet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A partnership between two entities \u2013 board and staff &#8211; each functioning and working together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successful nonprofit leadership requires a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nonprofitleadershiplab.com\/free\/fixmyboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high-functioning board of directors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Executive Directors must build real relationships with their board chairs. Trust. Thought partnership.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Like co-pilots in the cockpit. A phrase you\u2019ll hear a lot around these parts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>LESSON 3: A GREAT LEADER IS A GREAT STORYTELLER<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read any book about great leaders and you\u2019ll find the words \u201cgreat communicator.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At a thriving nonprofit, you will always find a strong culture of storytelling. A compelling story told by a credible messenger brings you new stakeholders and builds your \u201carmy of the engaged.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your grant applications are stronger. Your website is more compelling. Your media pitch is first rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/nonprofit-storytelling-superpower\/\">A story well told serves as an invitation<\/a> \u2013 and a critical one.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>LESSON 4: YOU CAN\u2019T DO EVERYTHING<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one can be tough. Nonprofit leaders<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/executive-directors-superheroes\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">usually stink at prioritizing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Raise your hand if that\u2019s you. Go on\u2026 it\u2019s ok!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So many of us act like jugglers, thinking the object of the game is to keep juggling while folks throw balls at them. But you know what happens then?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dropped balls. And eventually,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/7-ways-avoid-burnout\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">burnout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intentionality is crucial everywhere. On your programs. Hiring. Bringing on new board members. Being clear about roles. Having smart and effective meeting agendas. Avoiding \u2018bright shiny object\u2019 syndrome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leading and managing with intention is key to high impact and cannot only keep you from running out of gas, but can in fact refuel you. Even energize you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Because successful nonprofit leadership is a marathon and not a sprint.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>LESSON 5: YOU CAN\u2019T DO IT ALONE<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This work is bigger than you. And bigger than your organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And this has three BIG implications.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to consistently grow as a leader.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to build a leadership pipeline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to take care of yourself.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You owe it to the cause, the people impacted by your work, and to the folks on whose shoulders you stand to grab that baton tightly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To look for leadership attributes in your organization, to develop a succession plan with intention, to build a diverse board with members who really understand just how important their roles are and who make good faith efforts to fulfill their responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the weight and importance of your role demands that you take good care of yourself, find joy, become part of a community, and strive for continuous improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>This work is bigger than you. And bigger than your organization.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND\u2026<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ever since I started my consulting business &#8211; and that\u2019s been quite a while now &#8211; I have seen that whenever any one of these lessons is not addressed with intentionality, bad things happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to understand the passion people bring to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to build an amazing relationship between the board and staff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to build a real and practical culture of storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to prioritize and find others who can take on some of the burden. Build a team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And you have to grow as a leader.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because those who do address these lessons successfully find that they \u2013 and their organizations \u2013 thrive. They have a much bigger impact. They become innovators and catalysts for positive change.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And they do all of that without burning out. Can you imagine?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, I\u2019m not saying that only nonprofits need these lessons. But the way they play out is special and unique in this sector.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>WHY I DO WHAT I DO<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These lessons served me very well at GLAAD. I want every nonprofit leader to learn how to implement every one of these in a deep, intentional way. And it\u2019s hard!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After all, nonprofits are messy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But I just know the impact we can all have if we get these five lessons right. These five lessons for successful nonprofit leadership are the underlying foundation for how I coach my coaching clients. For what I thought about when I wrote my book.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And these five lessons underpin everything nonprofit leaders learn when they join the Nonprofit Leadership Lab. The Lab is an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nonprofitleadershiplab.com\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">online learning platform and community that supports thousands of leaders of small and mid-sized organizations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Board and staff leaders, together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders from more than 40 diverse sectors, from adult education to civil rights to faith-based organizations to LGBTQ advocacy to equine therapy and so many more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lab is responsive and member-driven. We recently revamped the entire platform to make it so much easier to find exactly what you need. To get the help you need immediately when your pants are on fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can even recommend specific expert trainings and resources that meet you where you are right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the community\u2026 well, it\u2019s warm and generous and supportive. Remember lesson 5 &#8211; you can\u2019t do it alone. When you join the Lab, you\u2019re never alone. Thousands of others, just like you, who have experienced the same kinds of challenges. Who can chime in with a cyber-hub and sound advice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And it costs less than a cup of coffee per day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>CAN I INVITE YOU?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lab is opening its doors to new members very soon. I\u2019d love to send an invitation to your inbox when it does.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I do that? It doesn\u2019t mean you have to join, but I do think so many of you would benefit greatly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/app.monstercampaigns.com\/c\/juulvk6x0c1ngfiywixh\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click here and enter your email address<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and I\u2019ll make sure you\u2019re on the invite list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I can\u2019t wait for you to join us. See you soon.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These are the 5 biggest lessons I had to learn when I first became a nonprofit executive director. And understanding how to implement them changed everything.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":596822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,17,16,62,59,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-596805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-board","category-fundraising","category-ceo","category-nonprofit-leaders","category-nonprofit-leadership","category-senior-staff"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.9 (Yoast SEO v24.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>My 5 Biggest Lessons For Successful Nonprofit Leadership<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These are the 5 biggest lessons I had to learn when I first became a nonprofit executive director. 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