We know that we have to rebuild our communities. And, while things are difficult and nonprofits have started cutting staff, there’s a lot to do. Meaning, executive director and board leadership are essential for many reasons. For instance, directors have to lead their teams as donors get more choosy regarding where they give. And, leadership also has to focus more than ever before on vision, action, and delivering results.
Being an executive director of a nonprofit takes a lot of thought. And, with everything going on this year, the fast-paced world became super-charged. As a result, you have staff, donors, and others demanding more and more of your organization as people lose jobs and opportunities. Further, funders large and small want to see even more impact in your work. In short, there’s a lot to do.
Yet, dreamers for a better world continue to rise to the unique challenges of this year and the years ahead. They understand that we have to rebuild our communities, and so they are becoming directors and founders of nonprofits and social enterprises. In my experience, if I were starting as a first-time or new CEO at a nonprofit, there are several things I would do to earn trust right from the start.
1. Executive Director & Leadership Conversations
Talk to everyone if you’re new to an organization, and set aside time and go through a couple of weeks of meetings. It’s worth the time and effort to schedule individual meetings with your board members and direct reports. Then, if you happen to have a larger team, schedule several meetings with your entire team or departments. A colleague of mine who became an executive director started by calling meetings with her team. The first one was to introduce herself self, and she encouraged people to ask her questions. During that first meeting, she fielded questions about her vision, how she planned to approach her first few months, and even what she enjoyed doing on her time off.
All of these conversations were important. In short, one of the primary outcomes is that the meetings helped connect her with the team. The board meetings helped her understand the governance challenges the organization was facing. It also informed the new director as to who the influencers were on the board. Once those initial meetings are complete, meet with board members, major donors, and staff regularly. So, make it a point in the early days to understand who the influencers are in crucial constituency groups. Engage and dialogue with them.
2. Transparency Concerning the Nonprofit
Being transparent is one of the most important ways to keep tongues from wagging. If you want to “lower” the politicking, be open and transparent. Moreover, even if you don’t have the answer at a specific point in time, acknowledge suggestions and concerns. Of course, always keep the channels of communication open. As a new executive director, let your board and team members, in particular, understand how you plan to approach an issue.
As I mentioned, even when you don’t have the answer to something, you achieve a lot by explaining how you plan to approach a particular challenge or topic. During recent events, for example, I was candid with the team of my shoe drive fundraising social enterprise, and because of it, we regrouped and refocused. By speaking openly and telling people what you think and how you plan to do things, you instill confidence in your ability as a director to get the job done. The transparency approach models the behavior that you, in turn, want your team to demonstrate. So, be transparent and clear.
3. 90 Days and Directo Leadership
Finally, set a plan for your first 90 days. Typically when a new executive director joins an organization, they want to learn and look under the hood. As a new director, you want to understand the lay of the land before you begin to make any changes. However, by laying out a 90-day plan, you help to ease any concerns and stress. Remember, when a new leader comes on board, there’s typically stress on the team because of the unknown. As a result, they may be uncertain, and they may believe that their jobs may be at stake or perhaps their duties and responsibilities.
Remember, people are creatures of habit. So, they don’t typically like a lot of disruption and change. Excellent leadership, however, dictates that things be tweaked or changed. But, you really don’t know what and if a change is necessary until you take a look at things for yourself. So, give people a clear plan of action that you will execute during your first 90 days. This goal will lower any unease. As I mentioned before, be transparent on how you approach things. And, finally, after your first 90 days, share what you’ve learned. Inform people why you’re making any changes.
© 2020 Wayne Elsey. All Rights Reserved.