Allow your team to test
Speak to people skilled at nonprofit programs or marketing or fundraising and you'll hear that they know what works because they constantly test. But promote those people to leadership, or elect them to a board of directors, and they get "risk averse." They stop...
Afraid to follow up? Use this phrase. #FollowUpFriday
I just finished a brand new book called Exactly What to Say by Phil Jones. He shares a couple dozen phrases to use in sticky situations. Some of the most helpful are in the context of following up. Think about a person you've asked to do something. Maybe you've asked...
4 Tips On Replacing An Executive Director
Replacing an executive director is very hard to do. It can be traumatizing to the board, the staff and the community being served. But sometimes it needs to be done and doing it right is critical to the overall health of your organization. I write this post from the...
Do you lead your life or is life leading you?
As an executive coach, I daily remind leaders to "lead your life." That they do not have to stay victims to schedules and demands and priorities. That rather than serving their schedule, their schedule can actually serve them. This morning, I needed to take my own...
Storytelling? Spend a bit more time on normal
Last week at the National Speakers Association conference, I was able to hear Kindra Hall teach on storytelling. As a producer of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, I have heard a lot of people speak on storytelling. Kindra is one of the best. Normal, Explosion,...
As a leader, do you have time for fiction?
We leaders are busy people facing multiple demands. Although we know the saying, "leaders are readers," too often, reading dropped from our schedules. It feels like a luxury we can't afford. Especially reading fiction. But fiction may be just what leaders need to...
Finding the pony
[Image courtesy of Sandy Rees] Growing up, I listened to a lot of motivational speakers. Many of them shared a story about a father with two sons. As an executive coach, I am amazed at how much this story reflects leaders' perspectives on life. The Father with Two...
What questions should you ask an executive coach?
LinkedIn is a funny thing. A week ago, SCOTTeVEST CEO Scott Jordan posted a question. Today, the post appeared in my newsfeed. With over 200 comments to it! The question was: Who uses an executive/life coach? I met someone that raved about his coach, so I am...
To what end?
It seems that those of us attracted to nonprofit leadership are very good at "doing." We see a need right in front of us and fill it. And fill it again. In fact, we get so good at seeing the need in front of us, that we forget to lift up our head. A view of the...
