Tag: Nonprofit Champion

Imagine how much more powerful your organization would be if you multiplied the number of people who felt prepared and empowered to talk about the organization’s vision! The more people spreading the word, the more donors, volunteers, and advocates you have. Simple math says it makes sense.

Why don’t organizations work this way now?

Change happens slowly. While you can see the innovative practices of start-ups and fast-growth businesses, nonprofits tend to be more traditional. The focus is not on the bottom line. You exist for the public good. That’s a responsibility and a promise. Innovation has not traditionally been part of the equation.

Now, more than ever, nonprofits are challenged to find and keep employees, to pay them fairly, to create succession plans for continuity, and to continually inspire and motivate everyone in your circle of influence, including employees, volunteers, boards, and service recipients. It’s a heavy lift.

Everyone in your organization has the heart and mind to be an ambassador. They have chosen to work and volunteer there because they care about the vision and mission. It’s time to empower yourself and others. In fact, it is becoming a necessity.

I’ll explore this topic in more detail next week. For now, think about how you, from wherever you are in the organization, can stand up, speak up, and lead the way forward.

Not in a leadership role yet? No problem. I want to share with you the secret I discovered that changed my life.

When you have the opportunity to raise your hand and get involved, do it. I was frustrated in work and volunteer roles. I wanted action. I wanted change. Then I discovered how to make things happen.

Every leadership position I’ve had was because I was willing to take on a new task, help others out, give an opinion, or try something new. I went beyond my job description to make things better. No one complained because work was getting done. And when it came time for a promotion, I had already created the next role for myself.

Leadership is all about stepping and doing the job.

Nonprofit organizations need leaders. They need you. Becoming a leader from within the organization is rewarding. I call it Leader at the Center. It’s a role that needs to be filled now! Stepping up leads to opportunities, inside and outside your organization.

How do you become a Leader at the Center? Here are 3 steps:

1. Communicate – use your voice to share stories, including your own! Speaking about your dreams and the dream of your organization to create a better world will get you an audience, in person or on social media.

2. Connect – be the connector. Make sure you are meeting people and connecting them to resources, ideas, and other people. Your active connecting will come back to you with connections that will help you reach your dreams.

3. Convene – bring people together. See a problem? You can solve it by using your communication skills and connections to gather people and address the issue. Convening is the way you change dreams into goals.

You have exactly what it takes. Step up. Raise your hand. Start talking, make connections, and gather people together. You’re a Leader at the Center.