Leesa Vreugde. PCC’s Post

If you invest in one thing, invest in the development and training of your supervisors. Gallup's research shows that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. This directly affects retention, as engaged employees are much more likely to stay with their company. Check out my blog article on this topic and some ideas on how to make this a reality for your nonprofit👇🏻 #peoplemattermost #supervisortraining #development #hr #nonprofits

Why Diversity in Non-Profit Leadership Matters As non-profit leaders, we know that the success of our organisations depends on more than just strategy and funding—it’s also about the people leading the charge. Diversity in leadership is essential for building stronger, more effective non-profits. Here’s why it matters and how you can embrace it: 1. Inclusive Decision-Making Tip: Diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives, allowing for more balanced and informed decision-making. This ensures that decisions reflect the needs and concerns of all stakeholders, including underserved communities. Action: Actively involve diverse voices in key decisions by seeking input from different team members, communities, and partners to ensure that every voice is heard. 2. Enhanced Innovation Tip: A leadership team with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds fosters creative problem-solving and fresh ideas. When you have people thinking differently, you open the door to innovation. Action: Encourage brainstorming sessions that value all perspectives. Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing unconventional ideas. 3. Broader Reach Tip: A diverse leadership team can better understand and connect with a wider range of communities, allowing you to serve more people and effectively address their needs. Action: Build a leadership team that mirrors the demographics of the communities you serve. This helps ensure that your messaging and outreach resonate with diverse groups. 4. Increased Trust Tip: When your leadership reflects the diversity of the community, it builds trust and credibility. People are more likely to support an organisation that represents them. Action: Actively recruit diverse leaders and provide them with the platform to lead. Show your community that your commitment to diversity is more than just a buzzword—it’s a core value. Commit to Diversity at Every Level Incorporating diversity into your leadership isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also the smart thing to do. It strengthens your organisation, drives innovation, and helps you better serve your community. Make diversity a priority, and watch your non-profit thrive.

Nonprofit leaders, you get higher quality deliverables from consultants if you embrace co-creation. Sound straightforward? Maybe, but there are a couple of areas where misunderstandings are common. As a nonprofit leader, you are the decision maker. ➡️The consultant should not be making decisions about what is important to your nonprofit. ➡️However, consultants can provide crucial insights into the tradeoffs to consider when you make decisions. It's about fostering a dialogue, a cornerstone of the co-creation process. On the other hand, the consultant is responsible for designing & managing the process. ➡️Yet you, as the nonprofit leader, know your context best. Your input is vital for customizing the scope of work to your specific needs. **This is one reason the traditional RFP process often fails, when there isn’t an opportunity to co-create the scope of work.** . 3 TIPS TO NURTURE CO-CREATION WITH CONSULTANTS: Tip 1: Ditch the notion of the consultant as “The Expert.” Bringing together the shared knowledge of consultants AND nonprofit leaders is part of good co-creation. Tip 2: Stay engaged throughout the process. Regular communication ensures collaboration at every stage. Tip 3: Recognize that mission-driven consultants aren't merely in it for the paycheck. We're here as partners, committed to helping you advance your mission. Good nonprofit consultants are not *just* a business. We invest ourselves into this work in a very personal way. We are here to co-create projects with your team. ❓I’m curious about your reactions – does this resonate or is this missing the mark? _______________________ Hi, I'm Elizabeth, an environmental economist who works with nonprofits on data and strategy. Follow along if you want to see more content on how nonprofits can gain clarity and have more impact through strategic planning and the right kinds of data.

💡FROM C-SUITE TO NON-PROFIT FOUNDER: BUILDING YOUR MISSION-DRIVEN TEAM 💡 After years of building corporate teams, the shift to non-profit leadership brings a unique challenge: assembling a team that balances passion with professional excellence. The foundation of every successful non-profit starts with three critical layers: 1. A Strategic Board Your board isn't just about governance - it's your catalyst for impact. Look beyond friendship circles to build a diverse team that brings: • Financial acumen • Community connections • Legal expertise • Marketing innovation • Industry knowledge 2. Mission-Driven Staff Your key hires set the operational tone. Focus on these game-changers: • Executive Director • Development Director • Program Manager • Volunteer Coordinator Remember: In non-profits, cultural alignment means living your mission, not just supporting it. 3. Engaged Volunteers Your volunteer force is your impact multiplier. Success requires: • Clear role definitions • Structured training • Recognition systems • Growth pathways • Meaningful engagement 🎯 The sweet spot? When your board, staff, and volunteers work harmoniously toward your mission. The leadership skills you've honed can transform communities, but success requires a mindset shift. Non-profit leadership isn't corporate management with a smaller budget - it's business excellence meeting social purpose. Ready to build your mission-driven team? Start by mapping your ideal board composition. The right founding members will attract the talent you need at every level. Your next chapter awaits. Who will you bring on this journey? I am Laura, the founder of LLEJ Careers LLC, specializing in empowering 60+ executives to redefine their impact and continue driving innovation in their industries. With a passion for challenging ageist norms and a deep belief in the value of experienced leadership, I help clients craft compelling personal brands that open doors to new, exciting opportunities. #NonProfitLeadership #TeamBuilding #SocialImpact #ExecutiveTransition #CommunityChange #Leadership #BoardDevelopment

📚 New work published online in “Public Management and Governance Review” (#PMGR  Public Management & Governance) with Sebastian Desmidt on how Line-of-Sight impacts the strategic commitment of nonprofit employees 📖🔓 OPEN ACCESS link: https://lnkd.in/e7ZprJUb We underscore the relevance of Line-of-Sight (#LOS) for a human service #nonprofit organization. ❓ WHAT IS LINE-OF-SIGHT? It consists of 3 interconnected elements: · an employee’s accurate understanding of the organization’s strategic priorities, · an employee’s accurate understanding of how to contribute to the realization of the strategic priorities, · an employee's perceived fit between the organizational strategic priorities and the job. 🤔 WHY DOES IT MATTER? An accurate understanding of the organization’s strategic #priorities and how to #contribute to them is expected to increase the perceived #fit between an employee’s job and the organization’s strategic priorities which, in turn, should foster intentions to contribute to the realization of these strategic priorities and thus organizational success. 🔍 WHAT DID WE FIND? 1. We find support for the motivational mechanism of Line-of-Sight. 2. We identify clear information on strategic priorities, provision of training, and visionary leadership as crucial factors for promoting Line-of-Sight. 3. Targeted alignment efforts across the organization are crucial to assure that when shared strategic priorities exist, employees will feel competent in adopting them and are willing to exert discretionary effort to support the strategic priorities of the nonprofit organization. 📋 MANAGERIAL TAKEAWAYS? 1. Providing regular updates on the organization’s strategic priorities both orally and written, and offering training sessions to enhance employees’ skills and knowledge regarding the strategic priorities and their meaning, can greatly contribute to Line-of-Sight. Also, having team leaders who clearly articulate the organization’s direction and foster a shared sense of purpose among team members can further enhance Line-of-Sight. 2. Prioritize helping employees understand the strategic priorities needed for their decision-making rather than concentrating all efforts on explaining how they should contribute to these strategic priorities. Excessive focus on training, information, and directives related to Line-of-Sight actions may lead to adverse effects. 3. Managers should not only target alignment efforts across the organization but also strategically focus on where it matters most. Visualizing Line-of-Sight can help indicate where specific actions are needed. 📰 DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT #PMGR? Read the editorial of Jurgen Willems “Practitioners and researchers as alienated lovers in management and governance: A new journal to the rescue!”:  https://lnkd.in/eMWuue4A or check out the open-access articles and data reports at https://lnkd.in/ekWHshS7

Feeling grateful for positive responses to my post last Friday! (I announced that I'm launching Karen Perry Co., a coaching and consulting practice that helps cause-oriented organizations and change-makers grow and thrive.) As I prepare to build my coaching practice, I think a lot about the people I will be coaching. At first, I assumed it would be entirely nonprofit people (my people!), but I've heard stories of coaches whose presence resonates with people in different industries completely outside the realm of their professional expertise. I'm very open to whoever comes my way, but I'm naturally inclined toward the nonprofit community I've been part of for most of my career. I've been thinking a lot about staff retention, the wellness of nonprofit professionals, and how coaching might help. Along those lines, I'm sharing an article about managing stressful nonprofit leadership roles. In it, the first section of peer advice is "get help." The article speaks of hiring an assistant, but in a broader sense, getting help can be an empowering first step toward greater wellness, no matter what challenges you are facing (personal or professional). I believe all of the tips in the article fall under the category of getting help -- even, and perhaps especially, focusing on staff retention. In a nutshell, don't go it alone! The world is full of helpful, supportive people. Reach out to me if you think I can help you or your team, or if you just want to talk about ways we can all work together to strengthen our nonprofit community. (If you aren't a Chronicle subscriber, you can get a free account and/or subscribe to the Philanthropy Today newsletter.) https://lnkd.in/g-FkpQe5

#QuestionForGroup How do you prioritize your time as to where you will invest your most energy and time? Some say to invest it in whatever brings in the most income. Or what takes the least time and least amount of effort but still has a return. In the nonprofit sector, I believe you and I should always invest your most energy and time into what moves your mission forward and has the greatest impact, irregardless of the amount of time or effort it takes. I think mission-driven leadership is not just effective in the nonprofit world, it is just as effective in the for-profit sector. Thoughts? #missiondriven #missiondrivenleadership #nonprofitleadership

In the dynamic realm of managing non-profit home care and low-income housing projects, advanced personal development is key to achieving transformative leadership. Cultivating competencies in strategic planning, emotional intelligence, and team dynamics not only enhances your leadership abilities but also drives the success of your initiatives. Here’s how focusing on these areas can lead to impactful outcomes: ✅ Strategic Planning Effective strategic planning is foundational to non-profit success. It involves: 🌟 Long-Term Vision: Craft a clear, actionable vision that addresses immediate needs and future objectives aligned with your mission. 🌟 Goal Setting: Utilize SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to break down larger objectives into manageable tasks. 🌟 Forecasting and Adaptation: Anticipate challenges and employ scenario planning to adapt strategies for continued success. ✅ Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is essential for nurturing relationships and effective leadership: 🌟 Self-Awareness: Understand your emotions and their impact on decision-making and stress management. 🌟 Empathy and Communication: Foster a supportive environment through effective communication and active listening. 🌟 Conflict Resolution: Use emotional intelligence to address conflicts constructively, leading to effective problem-solving. ✅ Team Dynamics Strong team dynamics are vital for project execution: 🌟 Promoting Collaboration: Encourage open communication and teamwork to leverage diverse skills. 🌟 Understanding Strengths: Align roles with individual strengths for effective contribution to project goals. 🌟 Building Trust: Create an environment of trust and respect to enhance morale and unity. ✅ Elevate Your Leadership Skills Investing in personal development equips you to tackle challenges, inspire your team, and create a meaningful impact in home care and housing projects. By focusing on strategic planning, emotional intelligence, and team dynamics, you can transform your non-profit’s approach to achieving positive community outcomes. #AdvancedPersonalDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #CommunityImpact #NonProfitSuccess

NONPROFIT LEADERS! 📢 Raise your hand if you dream of being in perfect sync with your development director and your board. 🙋🏾♀️ Or do you wake up screaming because that seamless alignment is so much easier said than done? Dreams can come true - with an experienced executive assistant - the unsung hero who keeps the leadership team humming like a well-oiled machine. As someone who has worked as and with nonprofit leaders for years, I can attest to the invaluable role executive assistants play in facilitating harmony at the highest levels. Here are 5 key ways they create leadership synergy: 👇🏾👇🏾 1️⃣ Calendar Wizardry 🪄EAs are masters at juggling complex schedules with precision and finesse. They optimize the CEO's time, ensure fundraising efforts are properly staffed, and integrate board members' input seamlessly. From recurring check-ins to last-minute strategic meetings, they make it all happen without breaking a sweat. 2️⃣ Information Conductors 🚂 Like skilled conductors, executive assistants choreograph the flow of critical information across the leadership team. They synthesize data into digestible briefings, compile comprehensive reports, and ensure everyone operates from a unified base of knowledge to drive the organization's mission. 3️⃣ Proactive Problem-Solvers 🧩 Top-notch EAs don't just react to fires – they prevent them from igniting in the first place. They anticipate roadblocks, smooth over communication gaps, and implement systems to head off issues before they derail productivity. This proactive approach keeps leaders focused on big-picture goals. 4️⃣ Relationship Architects 🫱🏼🫲🏾Through a deep understanding of each leader's communication style, executive assistants foster strong working relationships between the CEO, development director, and board. They facilitate open dialogue, ensure all voices are heard, and cultivate an environment conducive to collaboration and innovation. 5️⃣ Cultural Ambassadors 🫶🏾 At their core, EAs are the heartbeat of an organization, embodying its values in every interaction. They set the benchmark for professionalism, maintain confidentiality, and nurture a positive workplace culture. This inspires trust and fosters leadership alignment as a united front. When the CEO, fundraising director, and board operate in such exquisite synchronicity, the impact is nothing short of magical ✨💁🏾♀️. Programs flourish, fundraising soars, and communities are transformed. If your nonprofit is missing that special spark of leadership synergy, reach out to me! It may be time for my team to bring some harmony to your team. #NonprofitLeadership #ExecutiveAssistants #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #NonprofitImpact #LeadershipSynchronicity #Outsourcing #DoubleDownOnStrengths