This is an old advertisement, but I think it’s appropriate for our series on leadership.
Think Different
January 15, 2010 By
Leadership Through Delegation – A Matter of Performance & Health
January 14, 2010 By
Today’s post is provided by Karla Kurtz, nonprofit consultant.
Are you overwhelmed? Phone calls, emails, grants, meetings, budgets…and that’s just for today!
The solution is delegation, but it’s a dirty word and seen almost as a sign of weakness. Leaders are putting in tons of overtime, sacrificing family and friends, and putting their own health at risk rather than delegating. If you’re working 50 hours or more a week on a regular basis, you need to delegate and/or hire more staff.
An internet search quickly yields countless studies on work-related stress and health issues. I’m no doctor, but do suffer from hypertension, weight gain, sleep apnea, and depression all from being a recovering workaholic and Type-A personality.
Why fear delegation? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but two of the most common responses I hear and think are often “code” for some unhealthy choices are:
- It’s easier to just do it myself. Translation: I’m the only one who has this information.
- This is so important it has to be done a certain way. Translation: No one can do it like me or to my satisfaction.
It’s hard, but delegation can be learned and it’s a choice. What are we losing by not delegating? Sharing information with your staff and allowing them to complete “higher level” tasks is a professional development opportunity which can pay huge short- and long-term dividends in terms of job satisfaction and performance. What if you’re out sick, go on vacation, move onto a better position, or retire? Grooming a temporary or permanent replacement allows you to be away from the office without constant interruptions.
Will it be done exactly the way you would do it? No and that’s ok. Give a previous or similar document to work from (if possible) and if something has to be changed, explain why and allow them to do it. Invest in and trust your staff. There’s only one you, but remember your staff also brings unique perspectives and skills. Utilize those to your and the organization’s advantage by allowing them to take on more responsibility and ownership. So shed some weight in 2010 by delegating tasks.
Karla S. Kurtz, MPA, CFRE – Empowerment Consulting kskurtz@nonprofitempowerment.com
Seven Secrets to Great Nonprofit Leadership
January 12, 2010 By
Thanks to Pamela Grow for today’s blog post.
1. The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
RALPH NADER
In other words, let your leaders lead.
I worked as part of a five-person development team for a large organization for twelve looooong months. During that time period three development directors came and went, not to mention program staff, membership staff, the CFO and more.
The problem? A CEO with a brilliant knack for finding and hiring talent …coupled with an utter inability to let loose of the reins and let her people do their jobs.
2. You learn far more from negative leadership than from positive leadership. Because you learn how not to do it. And, therefore, you learn how to do it.
NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
Learn from bad leadership (see above). But don’t forget the lessons learned by observing a genuinely good leader either.
We’ve all heard the horrible board stories, yet how many “good board” stories have you heard?
I worked with one ED who was nothing short of brilliant at putting together a remarkably cohesive board (and this for a tiny nonprofit agency with a yearly budget of $500,000) of remarkably diverse individuals. Every member of that board brought their own unique gifts to the table, whether it was in terms of connections, education, creative thinking or – let’s be blunt here – plenty of money.
3. Leadership is an active role; ‘lead’ is a verb. But the leader who tries to do it all is headed for burnout, and in a powerful hurry.
BILL OWENS
Learn how to delegate. Given half a chance, people will rise to meet the level of your expectations of them.
4. Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.
BILL BRADLEY
Allocate for training.
One of my all time favorite employers mandated that every employee take a minimum of two enrichment courses per year. Thanks to her leadership, staff was always up to date on the latest software and business techniques.
By the same token, in nearly every nonprofit position that I have held, I have paid out of pocket for books and training (for shame!). Next to your donors, your employees are your greatest resource.
5. No man ever listened himself out of a job.
CALVIN COOLIDGE
Listening involves more than sitting down with your board members and staff. Real leaders aren’t stuck in hierarchal notions. Real leaders will do occasional receptionist duties to take stock of the public’s perception of them.
6. If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him a chance.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Respect creativity and give it a chance. It may work … then again, it may not.
I once proposed setting up an eBay account for a nonprofit organization I was working with. Board members and donors donated items and I photographed, listed them, sold them and shipped them. It netted over $8,000, but was, in the long run, a disappointing venture in terms of the time and effort involved.
7. You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Prepare for the future by acknowledging that, like fine wine, outstanding development takes time.
Pamela Grow is a nonprofit consultant and writes “Pamela’s Grantwriting Blog” (www.pamelasgrantwritingblog.com).
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