Last week I made my annual visit to teach two courses for amazing nonprofit executives gathered at the NeighborWorks America Training Institute. After teaching my Leading Breakthrough Strategy and Leading High Performing Teams courses, I’m left with these reflections. The Ultimate Team Leader does these four things exceptionally well: 1. Ethical & Inclusive. This is … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Team Leader
Leadership
Executive Committees: 4 tips for balancing efficiency with board engagement
As a consultant, I’m not a big fan of executive committees. As a board chair, I appreciate how they can help the board and CEO. I try to be vigilant about our executive committee. Surprised to find this blog about rumors helpful (How rumors undermine staff trust—and 6 ways to quell them), I’ve recast the recommendations for nonprofit boards and CEOs. Document, distribute, … [Read more...] about Executive Committees: 4 tips for balancing efficiency with board engagement
Essential Strategic Leadership Skills
You have a vision of where you want the organization to go, but what skills do you need to lead it there? Authors of a Harvard Business Review article* suggest six essential Strategic Leadership Skills: *Anticipate. Pay attention to the competitive landscape. Look at new entrants and what they are doing differently. Look beyond product competition. What are others doing … [Read more...] about Essential Strategic Leadership Skills
Keeping the Organization Soul Vibrant
Many years ago when I was CEO of the non-profit, LeaderShape, Inc., we were a very young entity going through a tremendous growth cycle. I remember telling my brother that I just wanted to make sure we didn’t end up as a Harvard case study on “The Nonprofit That Grew Too Fast.” Fortunately, we were able to stay on a productive growth path without spinning out of control. … [Read more...] about Keeping the Organization Soul Vibrant
A Better Approach to Grief
As a Manager, what do you do when a work colleague loses a loved one? You’re uncomfortable just reading that, aren’t you? I’m uncomfortable writing it. A recent article in Harvard Business Review* suggests that we need to rethink how we treat one another at work when a loved one dies. In the view of the authors, most Managers simply leave the grieving colleague alone … [Read more...] about A Better Approach to Grief