Improve Leadership with Diversity and Cultural Intelligence A recent blog in the Standford Social Innovation Review by Molly Brennan explores new research by Koya Leadership Partners and Education Pioneers, that finds diverse teams of varying racial and ethnic makeup produce better results. A conclusion that many of us who specialize in leadership development have already witnessed anecdotally. In the social sector, the … Continue reading “Improve Leadership with Diversity and Cultural Intelligence” A recent blog in the Standford Social Innovation Review by Molly Brennan explores new research by Koya Leadership Partners and Education Pioneers, that finds diverse teams of varying racial and ethnic makeup produce better results. A conclusion that many of us who specialize in leadership development have already witnessed anecdotally. In the social sector, the importance of a nonprofit’s leadership team reflecting their constituency is more critical than ever. As Brennan points out, to succeed, nonprofits need to move past diversity statements stated in an organization’s list of values. Nonprofits must start cultivating leadership teams that backup such statements. Brennan continues in Five Ways to Build Diverse Inclusive Leadership Teams to outline concrete tactics that can greatly benefit organizations in both the private and social sectors. Where is Home? Cultural Intelligence begins with knowledge. It’s critical for you to know yourself, know others, and find a way to lead together. Vista Global offers workshops on Cultural Intelligence for you to: 1. Examine the trends that are driving the need for greater cultural intelligence 2. Define culture, cultural intelligence and map personal cultural identity 3. Recognize the cultural lenses through which you operate By exploring the national ethnic and demographic trends impacting the social sector, as a workshop participant you’ll learn the foundational elements of cultural intelligence required to build a thriving organization. Through building skills in self management, empathy and listening, you can build bridges to mutual understanding. Gain greater awareness of how to adjust behavior to interact with various cultures. Contact Mary to schedule your organization’s workshop today.
When a Nonprofit Is Your Friend for Life Being dedicated to social impact can be a life-long pursuit and passion. Do you have a personal story of when a nonprofit became your friend for life? My friend for life, AMIGOS, taught me that if you open yourself to discovering other cultures and the way people live in other places, you will build bridges … Continue reading “When a Nonprofit Is Your Friend for Life” Being dedicated to social impact can be a life-long pursuit and passion. Do you have a personal story of when a nonprofit became your friend for life? My friend for life, AMIGOS, taught me that if you open yourself to discovering other cultures and the way people live in other places, you will build bridges that make the world a better place for all to thrive. How did we meet? The power of word of mouth In the Spring of 1987, on the campus of UC Berkeley, I found myself sitting in the Study Abroad office going through piles of pamphlets and flyers of “Summer Abroad” experiences. As a 21 year old self-supporting college student, I wanted to do something adventurous and meaningful over summer break while improving my Spanish skills. None of the flyers or pamphlets were compelling. Uninspired… I asked friends what they have done during the summer, particularly a friend who was studying Spanish. He urged me to check out Amigos de las Americas and I was thrilled to find their program was a perfect fit. The program entailed spending 6-8 weeks in a rural community in 1 of 8 different Latin American countries. How did we become friends? Sometimes it takes a village Before the internet (when dinosaurs roamed the earth), college students had to make a phone call and request an information packet be snailmailed in order to apply. After receiving my application, I was shocked to learn the program cost $2500! Keep in mind, at that time, $2500 was the same amount as tuition for a semester of college. At first, I didn’t see how I could apply for the program and pay for the next year’s tuition because I would also lose that income from not working all summer. AMIGOS was there to help, by providing a fundraising letter template. I sent an appeal letter to family members and family friends, a total of 25 appeals and waited. Generously, donations began to arrive as $100 came in, $50 came in, $25 came in… I waited to deposit the checks, so I could return the donations in the event I didn’t meet the fundraising goal. With just a few days before the application payment was due, I was still short $500. Then, one more check arrived, exactly $500 from my Great Aunt Harriet. Aunt Harriet, then retired, had served as the Dean of Randolph Macon College in Virginia for decades. The note included with her check said, “the best investment in education is seeing the world.” Explaining the new flush latrine system. Loja, Ecuador, 1987. Installing new flush latrines. Loja, Ecuador, 1987. Baking bread. Loja, Ecuador, 1987. AMIGOS students and community members. Loja, Ecuador, 1987. The next generation of AMIGOS Elected as Board Chair, 2011. I spent 8 weeks in Ecuador that summer which inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in Latin American Studies and embark on a career of working to make a difference in my local community and communities globally. How did we stay friends? Giving back comes full circle Twenty-five years after that summer in Ecuador, I was Chair of the Board of Directors of AMIGOS. I wanted to continue my commitment to creating opportunities for other students to change themselves…and help change the world. What’s Your Story? Do you have a nonprofit friend for life? I want to hear from you! Share your story in the comments below or contact me. Part of my mission at Vista Global Coaching & Consulting is to help leaders make a difference in the world. Share your story so we can inspire others to do the same!
More Lessons for Nonprofit Storytellers If there’s one key takeaway to share with you from Andy Goodman‘s recent workshop sponsored by the Donors Forum of Wisconsin, it’s that nonprofit leaders must not think of storytelling as optional. Storytelling is not just another tool in the tool box to dust off when it’s time to write your organization’s annual report or … Continue reading “More Lessons for Nonprofit Storytellers” If there’s one key takeaway to share with you from Andy Goodman‘s recent workshop sponsored by the Donors Forum of Wisconsin, it’s that nonprofit leaders must not think of storytelling as optional. Storytelling is not just another tool in the tool box to dust off when it’s time to write your organization’s annual report or new brochure. Storytelling is an everyday requirement for your nonprofit’s communications to be successful. Why is narrative so powerful? Humans are programmed to process information through stories. Stories are easy to remember and tell another person. A good story is one that makes you feel something and becomes imprinted in your heart and mind. Spouting facts and figures won’t tell your nonprofit’s story– or do anything to move your audience, as storytelling guru Annette Simmons also points out in her work. Think of a story as a Christmas tree. Facts and figures should be thought of as an ornament hung on the tree. Facts are not the whole story. The story is represented by the entire tree, rooted in a compelling human experience that evokes emotion. One outline Andy Goodman recommends is the classic Three Act structure: Act 1: The Protagonist Introduce your protagonist and describe his or her goal. This protagonist must be a person – not a faceless organization or entity! Describe the individual so your audience can make a human connection. Act 2: The Challenge What barriers and obstacles impede your protagonist? Paint a picture and describe a place. Don’t rely on facts and figures to set context. Act 3: The Resolution How a protagonist deals with the challenges reveals their character and values. This part of the story should detail a clear resolution and give closure to the audience. Crafting the Right Story for the Right Audience Your nonprofit should not be limited to just one story. Your organization should have a library of stories to choose from depending on the audience. What kind of stories should you tell? Here are some types of stories to consider: The “Nature of our Challenge” story The “How We Started” story The “Emblematic Success” story The “Core Values” story The “Striving to Improve” story (mostly used for internal staff to learn from mistakes) The “Where We are Going” story Is your nonprofit a good storyteller? If you are interested in learning more about storytelling, sign up for the Goodman Center e-newsletter, Free Range Thinking. Start crafting and collecting stories in all of the categories above. Share these stories with every staff member, board member, and volunteer so they can be good storytellers for your organization, too!
Is Your Nonprofit Navigating Change Successfully? Here’s Your Guide to Leadership Transition and Succession Planning Vista Global Coaching & Consulting has partnered with the Olive Grove Consulting team on an exciting national research project based on hundreds of nonprofit CEO and Board Chair surveys and interviews. Some of their answers may surprise you. What are the risks, challenges, and opportunities facing the sector today? To start, 56% of board chairs in … Continue reading “Is Your Nonprofit Navigating Change Successfully? Here’s Your Guide to Leadership Transition and Succession Planning” Vista Global Coaching & Consulting has partnered with the Olive Grove Consulting team on an exciting national research project based on hundreds of nonprofit CEO and Board Chair surveys and interviews. Some of their answers may surprise you. What are the risks, challenges, and opportunities facing the sector today? To start, 56% of board chairs in our study stated “the CEO doesn’t plan to leave for a long time.” but 41% of the CEOs we surveyed “plan to leave within the next two years.” Check out our new eBook, Proactively Plan for the Inevitable: A Guide To Leadership Transition and Succession, to learn more. This eBook is an effective staff and board resource for charting successful leadership transition and succession planning that is now available free. Download the PDF. Creating a robust leadership transition and succession plan might seem like a tremendously daunting task. But, with a little help it can be easier than you think. Contact us today to get started!
Grantmakers Who Get It: Investing in Leadership for Philanthropic Impact In a recent blog post in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Ira Hirschfield, President of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund presents the case that foundations need to do more to fund leadership development. In the blog “Investing in Leadership to Accelerate Philanthropic Impact,” Hirschfield points out less than 1 percent of overall foundation … Continue reading “Grantmakers Who Get It: Investing in Leadership for Philanthropic Impact” In a recent blog post in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Ira Hirschfield, President of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund presents the case that foundations need to do more to fund leadership development. In the blog “Investing in Leadership to Accelerate Philanthropic Impact,” Hirschfield points out less than 1 percent of overall foundation giving from 1992 through 2011 went to leadership development. Leadership Advanced Milwaukee 2014 Fellows. Leadership Advanced is a foundation-funded, cohort-based, peer-centered, professional development program for nonprofit leaders. Why Funding Talent Matters Hirschfield states, “foundations ask a great deal of the organizations we support… we hope grantees will deliver transformational results for the people and places they serve. So it’s striking how seldom we back that up with funds to help organizations develop and strengthen the ability of their leaders to meet those high expectations.” He continues “People are not born with everything it takes to manage and motivate a team, build coalitions and lead change – and are certainly not born knowing how to be good board members….” The Haas, Jr. Fund views investment in leadership as a core strategy to accelerate their foundation’s impact and a formal evaluation of their Flexible Leadership Awards found the program boosted impact. Adding protein powder to grantmakers energy shake One Flexible Leadership Awards grantee shares her experience as “It’s like adding protein powder to your other grants. If you want your other grants to be successful—if you want your grantees to do the best job in meeting their deliverables and moving the ball forward in their movements—you have to invest in leadership development.” Hirschfield explains, “This is what leadership development is about – and to the extent that foundations decide it is important and fund it, then we and our grantees will be better positioned to achieve our goals for impact.” Read more at Hirschfield’s blog and check out SSIR’s entire Talent Matters series to learn more about philanthropy’s chronic underinvestment in leadership and innovative solutions for greater impact. Call to Action for Grantmakers Does your foundation want to accelerate its impact? And what does a leadership program look like? Check out Leadership Advanced Milwaukee, a collaboration of Vista Global and Spectrum Nonprofit Services. Would the nonprofit leaders in your city or region benefit from a similar leadership development program? Contact Vista Global Coaching & Consulting to learn more about starting a cohort-based, peer-centered, professional development program in your area.
Lessons from the Land Trust Alliance Rally 2014: Storytelling and Engaged Listening Recently I delivered a workshop entitled, “Using Coaching Skills to Build Staff Leadership” at the Land Trust Alliance Rally 2014 in Providence, RI. I arrived not knowing that the keynote speaker for the plenary was Andy Goodman. I heard Andy Goodman speak in 2008 in a small room at the CompassPoint Nonprofit Day so I … Continue reading “Lessons from the Land Trust Alliance Rally 2014: Storytelling and Engaged Listening” Recently I delivered a workshop entitled, “Using Coaching Skills to Build Staff Leadership” at the Land Trust Alliance Rally 2014 in Providence, RI. I arrived not knowing that the keynote speaker for the plenary was Andy Goodman. I heard Andy Goodman speak in 2008 in a small room at the CompassPoint Nonprofit Day so I was thrilled to hear him again talk about Building your Story as a nonprofit. This was a slightly different experience with 1,800 people, however still engaging and catalyzing. Change the story, change the world A few of Goodman’s key messages in framing your organization’s story: Numbers numb Jargon jars Stories get stored “Stories get inside our brains and act like software. Change the story, change the world.” He offered an easy structure to use to create our organization’s stories. Who is it about? (there has to be a protagonist) What is it about? What is the barrier? The more barriers the better, it draws people in! What does the protagonist do? And in the end… the moral, the call to action? Golden Rules of Storytelling The plenary flowed beautifully into the morning workshop that I attended by Heather Yandow of 3rd Space Studio entitled, “Telling Your Land Trust’s Story”. This workshop gave participants the opportunity to write and practice their organization’s story. Heather added her “Golden Rules” of Storytelling. Be clear about your audience It is not about you..but it is about somebody. (The protagonist) Drop the jargon Tell the truth Bring a tear to the listener’s eye (BTW, Goodman showed three video clips and they all nailed this one!) Make the “so what” clear Tell Your Organization’s Story It was a inspiring learning lab and I was hoping that some of the participants that attended Heather’s workshop would attend my workshop on Coaching Skills because the interactive exercise in the workshop asks for participants to “Tell your organization’s story.” Good fortune would have it that there were quite a few people attending my workshop that did have their story drafted and ready to tell. Learn to Listen Participants in my coaching workshop practiced listening- the foundational skill of coaching. I asked them to work on mirroring, paraphrasing and drawing out the speaker. Although it felt awkward to many, as learning any new skill does, it really raised the awareness about how well we practice fully engaged listening. So what does listening and coaching have to do with building leadership? Leadership is about motivating, inspiring, aligning and leveraging people’s talents. Your ability to understand what talents your team members can contribute is enhanced by engaged listening. Your ability to align and leverage the talents of your team members is enhanced by coaching skills. Are you wondering how coaching and listening can build leadership throughout your organization? Give me a call, let’s chat about it!
