Nonprofit Leadership, Innovation, and Change

There is and always will be a lack of resources

It doesn’t matter if you are leading in the nonprofit sector, business community, or government, you’re always going to face the problem of not quite having enough money. The fact that money is scarce is what makes it valuable.

As many of you know, A Day of Hope is a volunteer based program (I earn my income working full-time for United Way). I often catching myself saying, “If I only had the financial ability to hire that person to do "this" and to do "that" for A Day of Hope.”

But, I believe once I had that financial ability to hire someone to do the job, I probably would find myself wanting more money to hire someone with more skill.

It’s natural for a leader to always want more. Leaders are always pushing the envelope hard in an attempt to grow their organization. They always want more of what they’re doing and they want things to be better.

Lack of resources is always going to be a problem for a leader in any context. So, it’s not the increase in resources a leader needs to always seek, he needs to seek an increase in innovation and ingenuity.

He’s got to be creative to come up with ways to not just raise money, but to get the best and most capable work from the people he leads.

Leaders Are Productive

Is it me, or does it seem that people who are productive are usually leaders? Not always, but most of the time this seems to be true.

Here’s the true question, “Is someone a leader because he is productive, or is he productive because he is a leader?”

I believe it’s a little bit of both. Leaders are naturally productive because they have to be. They are being pulled in a lot of different directions, by many different people.

It’s also a leaders productivity that helps establish him as a leader. If you are someone who can get the job done day-in-day-out and manage many projects and tasks while keeping them all moving forward, you're more likely to be seen as a leader.

Why do you want to be a leader?

That might just be the most important question that you ever ask yourself as a leader.

So,
Why do you want to be a leader?

To make great change in the world? To have the front parking place? To help others who are less fortunate than yourself? To be the highest paid person at your nonprofit? To be able to take more vacation time than anyone else?

I lead because I know that as a leader I’m able to help others help others. I know that the work we do improves the lives of those in the world who are often forgotten. We’re able to give hope and encouragement to those who don’t have any, but who also need it the most.

I know that as a leader I also enrich the lives of those who I lead. I encourage them and lift them to a level that they probably would not be able to reach on their own. With me I’m doing my best to teach them what I know so they may grow and develop as someone who can also make a great difference in our community.

So,
Grab a piece of paper, a pen and write this sentence in the middle of the page, “Why do I want to be a leader?” Then just let the pen ink flow and see what happens.

One person can make a difference but a team can create a movement

One person can make a difference but a team of people working together can create a movement.

About a year ago I made a post about this guy. If you drive in downtown Modesto, you will still find him faithfully outside protesting, every single day. In many ways I admire his commitment and persistent for a cause that he believes in.

However,
He is only one man. Yes, he is making a difference (enough of a difference for me to talk about him), but he is limited.

What if he as able to recruit 300 people who were just as passionate as him to stand with signs protesting? I’m sure there a lot of other people who have suffered from the same circumstances that he is protesting about. If there were 300 people out there with him he would be creating a movement.

What’s the difference between making a difference and creating a movement?

Most of it is leadership. It's the ability to gather people together around a shared purpose and mission.

People Are Always Leaving and Coming

If you lead for any length of time you will realize that there will always be people leaving and there will always be people coming.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the greatest member of your staff or the worst, if you lead long enough you will find that there will always be someone leaving your organization and there will always be someone coming to your organization.

However, through this process you will realize there are no indispensable people that you work with. No matter how good someone is, if he leaves, you can always find a replacement.

Why people leave and what you can do to keep them with you is a total different topic, but as a leader always remember that no matter how long you lead or how great of a leader you are, there will always be people leaving and always be people coming.

Getting Back to the Basics

Based on the current economic situations that the nonprofit industry is facing, I want to share a few things I think are the basics that we need to get back to as leaders and fundraisers in the nonprofit sector.

• Relationships are key – One thing that stands the test of time is relationships (if we maintain them). Well maintained and healthy relationships based on a win/win mindset almost always stand the test of time.
• Communication is a must – The only way to rid away the uncertainty and uneasiness of the people you lead is to consistently communicate to them. Always emphasize that you understand the tough times going on right now and remind them you’re doing your best to lead them out of it.
• Expect the best from your people – When budgets are shrinking and you’re looking for ways to save money, the sole responsibility doesn’t rest on you as the leader. As one person you can only do so much. When times are tough you need to rely on the people you lead to innovate and come up with new ideas to save money and increase efficiency within your organization. Many folks in the nonprofit sector call this, “running lean.”
• Focus on your #1 – Jim Collins, author of Good to Great stresses the idea of creating a ‘stop doing list.’ The stop doing list consists of everything that is not 100 percent productive and efficient for you and your organization. One of the keys to running lean is to focus the majority of your energy and attention on doing your number one activity. If there is anything that you’re doing right now that doesn’t serve people in need the most, then it’s time to get rid of it. This can be a very hard decision for leaders in the nonprofit sector because we always see a need in the community and we do everything that we can to fill that need. We feel that if we don’t fill the need then no one else will. So we do everything that we can to serve the people that need help, regardless if we know how to do it, or if we can do it very well. Instead, find ways to collaborate with other organizations to do the same work and work together to serve those people in need.

Board Leadership Interview with Roger Carr

Below is an interview that I recently did with Roger Carr who is a great volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation in Virginia as a board member. Some of my past interviews have been mostly targeted towards general leadership, but this interview really narrows down to the leadership required as a board member for a nonprofit organization.

Enjoy. . . .

Q: What caused you to become a board member for the Arthritis Foundation?

A: My wife has been suffering from several forms of arthritis for years. One day I decided to do something about it so I called the Arthritis Foundation (http://www.Arthritis.org) and offered to help as a volunteer. Through my volunteer work, I learned firsthand about the impact the Arthritis Foundation continues to have on individuals and families affected by arthritis. I was ready to get involved in a new way when I was asked to consider becoming a board member of the Arthritis Foundation, Virginia Chapter.

Q: Do you believe a board member should have some type of personal experience or relationship with an organization in order to be a board member?

A: Not necessarily, but I would strongly encourage it. I do believe a board member must be passionate about the organization’s mission. This does not necessarily mean that the potential board member has to have a personal experience or relationship with an organization, but it does mean that there needs to be a passion for the cause. The organization and person needs to do enough research to ensure they have compatible interests and values. Of course, this is best done if the person does have a personal experience or relationship with the organization.

Q: What is the size of your board and what size do you believe is the most effective for nonprofits to use?

A: There are currently 20 board members. I don’t think there is one fixed number that is most effective. The number can change based on the member skills needed, the involvement the board members have with the organization and the total purpose of the board. I would not recommend that the board be any larger than is needed.

Q: What is satisfactory and fulfilling about being a board member?

A: I enjoy seeing and being involved in creating the “big picture.” Being a board member allows me to influence the organization’s strategy. It also provides me a more complete picture of the impact the organization is having on people’s lives.

Q: How do you use your strengths and talents to contribute to the Arthritis Foundation?

A: My contributions to the Arthritis Foundation go beyond being a board member.  I am continually excited that the organization has encouraged me to find new ways to apply my strengths and talents into my volunteer work. And while I am performing my volunteer work, I am enhancing my current strengths and talents as well as developing new ones.

I have been able to apply my administrative and management skills as a board member and as chair of the annual Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk. I brought my Internet marketing skills into my personal fundraising and as an adviser to the Let’s Move Together movement (http://www.LetsMoveTogether.org). I even get to use my developing skills as a photographer to capture photos of events.

There is an endless number of ways to contribute. Everyone has strengths and talents that are needed.

Q: What do you believe is your most important role as a board member?

A: Each board member is involved with the Arthritis Foundation in different ways. Each board member also has different skills and experiences to contribute. In my case, I believe my most important role as a board member is to find ways to help the organization meet its mission and to help it stay financially sound. I also bring my experience of volunteering (with the Arthritis Foundation and other organizations) and my involvement with the Arthritis Foundation national office into the board discussions.

Q: What principles and life lessons from your everyday life are you able to incorporate and use for the Arthritis Foundation?

A: My wife Kim and I have chosen to expose our everyday life in dealing with arthritis in support of the Arthritis Foundation and those individuals and families who also suffer from arthritis. I use our life lessons to write and speak on the topic. Go to http://www.everydaygivingblog.com/2008/11/what-is-your-world-changing-story.html to read a recent speech about our lives that I presented at a fundraising event.

Q: In a board of people, it can be difficult to rise up from the crowd of people and be a leader, what ways can a board member become a key leader of the board to really contribute and serve the organization.

A: I don’t believe a board member needs to “rise up from the crowd of people” to be a leader. Each board member can be a leader in his or her own way. There is no board member who is more important than any other.

I have watched a volunteer organization destroyed in the past because “leaders” were more interested in the power they could wield then in forwarding the cause and mission of the organization. That is not my definition of a leader.

A board member needs to evaluate his or her skills, connections and experiences and find a tangible way to get involved in the organization. The board member then needs to actively participate in board meetings. By asking questions and sharing ideas and opinions with the other board members, that person will be influencing others and the organization in a positive way. That is my definition of a leader.

Q: What type of relationship do you believe a board of directors should have with the executive director(ED) or chief executive officer (CEO) of the organization?

A: An open and honest relationship is most important. Without that there will be little or no trust and there will be no way to be effective as an organization. I am fortunate to be a board member of an organization that has a great and mutually supportive relationship across the board and staff.

Q: What are some common ways that a board serves and supports the ED or CEO?

A: The board needs to be an encouragement. The board also needs to provide advice and help in the face of challenges. The board members most likely have skills and connections not available on the ED/CEO staff that can be critical. The board must be willing to be actively engaged.

Q: What are some common ways that a CEO or ED can serve and support his board members?

A: The ED/CEO should be doing everything within his or her power to build quality staff and maintain an effective program with a focus on the organization’s mission and strategy. The ED/CEO should communicate successes, but also be open and honest about the challenges being faced by the organization.

Q: I believe that board members should have to endure training and information sessions for their organization before becoming a board member. What do you think of this?

A: I absolutely agree. A new board member needs to have both a fundamental understanding of the organization and of his or her responsibilities as a board member to be effective.

Q: It’s often said that the job of a nonprofit organization is to work themselves out of a job by eliminating the need that they are working to fill. What are your thoughts on this as a board member?

A: Of course that is the ultimate goal. I would love the need for the Arthritis Foundation to disappear because arthritis is eliminated! In the meantime, I’m going to support the organization to make that a reality in the future.

Q: Do you have any books or resources that you would recommend for people thinking of using their leadership skills as a board member?

A: There is a significant amount of resource material available. I spend a significant time In my car, so podcasts I’ve become very valuable for my learning experience. Two that I would recommend for board members are: BoardStar: On Being Board (http://www.boardstar.org) and the Nonprofit Law Podcast (http://nplawcast.com).

A great resource for board learning materials is at http://www.boardsource.org.

Finally, I learned a significant amount in just a few minutes at a workshop led by Carol Weisman (http://www.boardbuilders.com), If you have the opportunity to learn from Carol, jump at the chance.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with the Nonprofit Leadership Blog readers?

A: Everyone should identify their passions and then use their skills and experiences to make a difference in the world. Being a board member of a nonprofit organization is only one way to get involved. You need to find what is right for you. Don’t put it off. Do it today.

Leaders don't always feel like leading

Sometimes leading is like exercise. There is going to be times where you don’t feel like leading, but you know you should. Times when you’re tired and worn out, but you know that you need to step up and make a difference.

For me it’s when I’m outside of the office and my cell phone rings. I spend a lot of time at the office, and when I’m at home watching a movie or relaxing, the last thing I want to do is answer the phone. But often it’s what needs to be done, and it’s my job as a leader to show my support to other people on my team who need me.

When leading there might be certain areas that you never feel like leading in. For many leaders this is probably emails and administrative work. For church pastors this is probably counseling. Administrative work and counseling are two tasks that often drive people crazy. The reason being both of these tasks require skill sets and talents that leaders often don’t have which is a detail mindset and patience.

When we spend time of these activities that we’re not strong in, that’s when we get burnt out and feel like quitting.

Just as many leaders think about quitting, there are going to be times when you don’t feel like leading period. Times when you’re tired, burn out, and ready to take a few days off (or even a vacation).

The key to feeling like leading more is to focus time and energy in places that play to your strengths. Do things that energize you and that you know you do well.

But remember, if you want to quit leading, then you’re just barely leading long enough.

Positional & Relational Leadership

People will follow you as a leader a lot farther based on your relationship with them, than they will based on your position to them.

Positional leadership only goes so far.

Positional leaders don’t have the ability to lead people to go the extra mile and to go outside of their comfort zones.

Why? Because people will only follow you so far based on position and pay.

Think about it, wouldn’t you follow someone a lot farther based on the relationship you had with that person, than the position and power they exert over you. If your best friend asked you do to something, you’re a lot more likely to do it for your friend than you are to do it for your boss.

It's what you do outside of the office that counts

Often times what we do as leaders outside of the office is just as important as what we do in the office.

Important and productive things we do outside of the office are activities such as developing relationships and taking time to grow from reflection.

Developing relationships are often heard to do inside of the office. Human resource laws make it difficult for most people to truly express themselves, and it holds many people back from building authentic relationships.

The bottom line is that relationships are strong when people spend time with each other both inside and outside of the office. Think about the three people you consider to have the best relationships with in your office. I would be willing to bet you often spend time outside of the office with them going to events, BBQs, watching the Sunday football games, or attending your kids sporting events together.

When staff people are outside of the office they can be a little more free flowing and have fun, crack jokes, and make fun with each other in ways that help them bond.

The best ways to foster this interaction is to take everyone to dinner, go on a team building retreat, or go on a volunteer service project (which is naturally my favorite).

Taking time to reflect on experiences is an extremely important activity, not just for the entire team, but for the leader. John Maxwell has stated many times that, “Reflection turns experience into insight.”

I’ve heard several stories of Albert Einstein always sleeping with a notepad and pen on his nightstand so he was prepared to write down ideas and thoughts when we woke up. Einstein knew that his mind was continuing to think and process ideas, even while he was sleeping and he wanted to always be ready for them when he woke up in the middle of the night.

Thinking and reflecting allows you to learn from your mistakes so that you can avoid them in the future. It helps you improve your performance in the future so you might actually experience some new problems that you didn’t have before.

One of my favorite activities that I do every week is to go to Starbucks (thanks Jason for the gift card) with nothing but my journal, a legal pad of paper and a pen. And for anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours I will just sit, think, sip on my coffee, write and think some more.

I go with no agenda or specific topics to think and write about. All I do is sit and think and write about whatever is on my mind.

Learning and growing outside of the office is one of my favorite things to do. It’s what energizes me and gives me fresh ideas.

So remember, sometimes it's what you do outside of the office that counts!

Leaders are glad to serve the needs of others

Leaders are glad to serve the needs of others. Often they are too glad to serve the needs of others.

Most people in the nonprofit sector have a service mindset. They are at their organization to serve their cause and serve the people benefiting from the cause.

Because of this, nonprofit leaders are always eager to serve their people. They know that when they serve their employees, they are serving the people who normally serve their clients.

This is both good and bad.

Good for the following reasons:

• The leader has a service mindset and is ready to do what is needed to serve his people. Even if it means spending time and money.
• Not only do they focus on meeting the needs of their people, but they are glad to do it. They serve their people with joy and excitement.
• The leader is willing to do things outside of his comfort zone and strength zone. He will go to great lengths to serve and help, even if it makes him feel uncomfortable.

Bad for the following reasons:

• The leader wants to serve too many people, and will not focus on serving the highly productive people who will get the most results from the leader’s service.
• He tries to serve people in areas that he is not strong, and in areas that he is weak. It's ok for a leader to do this a little bit, but must not make it a habit because he becomes unproductive and is efficient in his work.
• He becomes burnt out and his performance suffers as a result.

My thinking is that we should always do what we can to serve the people we lead. However, it’s our responsibility to focus that time of service in the areas of our strength and on the most productive people in our organization.

Forgiving Leaders: Saint Patrick & Nelson Mandela

I recently read a simple but profound article by the folks at Giant Impact entitled, Leadership Lessons from the Life of Saint Patrick.

The one thing that really stood out to me from the article was how forgiving Saint Patrick was.

Saint Patrick was captured as a teenager and used in forced labor for six years as a slave. After six years he mustered up the courage to escape from his captors and headed for his homeland. Once in his homeland he began his religious training in preparation for a return trip to Ireland; this time not as a slave, but as a missionary.

What strikes me as significant about Saint Patrick was his forgiveness for his captors. The story is told that he not just forgave his captors publicly for kidnapping him, but Saint Patrick also paid them the ransom price for being a runaway slave.

This forgiveness reminds me of the amazing Nelson Mandela who lead the transition in South Africa to multi-racial democracy. After being imprisoned for 27 years, Mr. Mandela worked for reconciliation and negotiation, when he easily could have not.

When you're a leader people are going to do things that hurt you. In your eye, they are terrible things that will affect and change you forever. But as the leader and the person who is in charge, it's up to you to forgive that other person and do what is right.

Special thanks to Jason Womack

Last month I was privileged to coordinate a very special event for about 35 of my nonprofit colleagues here in the Central Valley area.

Writer and speaker Jason Womack spent a day with us to share his best insights on time management and productivity. The most amazing part is that Jason volunteered his time to do this.

What a great example of someone using his gifts and talents to serve those of us who are working hard to serve others in need. It goes to prove that you don’t always have to be doing “hands on” volunteer work to truly make a difference.

Here are my two leadership take away’s from the day:

• The better you get, the better you get – Jason elaborated a little more saying that the people who are getting better are usually the best already. An illustration used was that the people who made it to his seminar were skilled enough to block out a day to spend learning more about their workplace performance. Many people wanted to attend the workshop, but weren’t skilled enough to make the time that they needed to find more time.

• People will teach what they need to learn the most – This was Jason’s response when a participant asked, “Do you have a natural giftedness for being organized and productive?” I think we often teach what we need to learn the most because we have had to spend such a significant amount of time learning and mastering it.

If you’re interested in learning more about Jason’s amazing Mastering Workplace Performance content, he has monthly conference call coaching that starts on Tuesday, March 10th. More information can be found here, www.ojaiinstitute.com

Thanks Jason!

Create an enviornment where it's easy to be great

As a leader one of your many responsibilities is to create and cultivate an environment where your people can perform well.

This means giving them training for their job, tools they need and the freedom to make decisions.

What I’ve found is that if you can do these three things, people will find a way to do their job better than you would know how, and better than you expect. If you train them, give them tools, and allow freedom to make decisions, they are going to become good at their job.

Why?

Because that’s their job. They are spending 40 + hours a week working in their specific area, and if there is one person who might know how to do it better, it will be that person.

Companies have proven time and time again that the best ideas bubble up from the bottom of the organization where people are in the trenches doing the day-to-day work.

In Kevin & Jackie Frebeirg’s book BOOM!, they tell the story about how pilots at Southwest Airlines realized they could save their company thousands of dollars in brake maintenance expenses simply by reverse thrusting their jet engines just before landing.

No offense to the CEO of Southwest (I highly admire Herb Kelleher) or any of it’s other great leaders, but that idea probably would have never have come out of an executive board meeting. It had to come from the people who were on the front lines of the work in the battle trenches day after day.

However, this presupposes that you have placed the people in your organization in their areas of strength. This means you took the time to get to know each of their individual strengths and talents, which requires more than a quick glance at a resume.

I honestly believe that a majority of American workers and volunteers all want to be good at their job, and even though they might not want to be at work, I know they want to do a good job while they are there.

People want to be good at their job, and it’s our job as leaders to create an environment where they are allowed to do that.

Thoughts on MLK day

While talking to a friend in Virginia this morning, he asked why I was not at work today. I reminded him that today is Martin Luther King Jr. day. To my surprise he didn't know that today is MLK day and that turned in to an interesting discussion about how Mr. King is not as popular in his area of the country (Virginia) as he is in mine (California).

Last year I wrote a short post highlighting some of the great work Mr. King had done in his short life of 39 years with us.

Here are a few other links where you can learn history about one of our country's great leaders:

• Here are some stories and history
• Volunteer projects and events honoring the work of MLK
• Some interesting discussion about whether or not Mr. King's "dream" has come true yet

Morale in a Recession

With employment reaching numbers we haven't seen since 1982, 401(k)s and retirement accounts being cut to 40 percent of what they were only months ago, it's no secret that morale of our country is going downhill.

As leaders it's our job to communicate to the people we lead content that will help them keep their morale up during difficult times such as these.

Here is some interesting stats from The Modesto Bee on morale that might help you as a leader. Once you get to the page, scroll down to the bottom to where it says, Figuratively Speaking (I would post the stats here, but I do not have copyright permission).

About a year ago I wrote a short article on Morale at Helium. The article was written in a very different context at that time because we weren't even thinking about a recession (which is one of the reasons that we're in one), but I think you still might find a few useful ideas in the article.

Seminar for public health professionals living in California Bay Area

My friend and colleague, Jason Womack is going to be presenting a seminar for public health professionals on Tuesday, January 27th in the California Bay Area. To briefly summarize the seminar, it will be on what Jason calls, "Workplace Performance" where he teaches tools, strategies and techniques to be more productive.

Here are two places you can learn more about the seminar:

• Squidoo lens
• Jason's blog

If you're a long-time reader of Nonprofit Leadership blog, you know that Jason has presented two public seminars in Nor Cal for my nonprofit leader friends. Jason graciously volunteered his time for both of these events in order to keep the cost as low as possible for the under-paid nonprofit employees who attended.

Feel free to pass along the links to anyone you might know in the Bay Area that would benefit from attending Jason's seminar.

An Amazing Few Weeks for A Day of Hope

The last few weeks have been amazing.

If you're on the A Day of Hope email newsletter list (if you aren't, you can sign up below) you've probably already heard that we exceeded A Day of Hope's goal of feeding 250 families for Thanksgiving.

Back in February we tentatively set the goal to feed 250 families this year, but when it was all said and done, we ended up feeding 294 families. This was something that we were very excited and satisfied to do because of the increased need in our community due to the poor real estate market and economic suppression that currently exists in California.

This year we saw elderly folks on disability, young single mothers with several kids to feed and working families who normally do not need assistance, but were put in a situation that they needed a basket of food and a turkey for Thanksgiving. Our mission is to simply give hope and encouragement to these families in need, and it's our hope that a basket of food and a turkey can give them what they need to someday not need our help. We hope that someday they can do the same to a family in need.

Here are some pictures from this year's event and feel free to sign up for A Day of Hope's monthly newsletter so that you can stay up to date with everything that we're working on.

Sign up for A Day of Hope's email newsletter

For Email Marketing you can trust

Interview on the 501(c)(3) cast

I recently was interviewed by Corey Pudhorodsky on the 501(c)(3) podcast.

The 501(c)(3) Cast is a great podcast that Corey puts together twice a month. It has fresh news, updates and interviews with great people doing great work in the nonprofit sector.

If you're interested in listening to the interview, check it out here.

Support A Day of Hope

As the holidays draw near we should be thankful for the many good things in our lives...a warm place to sleep, food on our tables, the ability to provide for our families and friends that enrich our days. It is sad to think that many people in our country are not as fortunate.

Thanksgiving can be a time of extreme grief and disappointment for the less fortunate families of our country who do not have a Thanksgiving meal to eat.

In 2005 after reading a book I had the idea of feeding needy families in our local community. At the time I had never really volunteered, but thought it would be worth the time for me to put together 30 baskets of food and turkeys and then deliver those 30 baskets to needy families in our community.

That first year we ended up delivering baskets of food and turkeys to 48 families, and since then we have fed 415 families over the past three years through my program, A Day of Hope.

As a reader of this blog, would you consider supporting A Day of Hope?

Everything on this blog is given for free, from me to you as a way to help you grow and learn as a leader. Consider this as a way to return the favor, below is a list of three ways you can become involved to make a difference in the lives of 250 families this Thanksgiving.

Here are three ways you can make a difference in the lives of families this Thanksgiving:

• Make a donation via Paypal or check. Every donation of $20 will allow a family to have a glorious Thanksgiving meal that they would not have otherwise had. Details on making a donation can be found here. 
• Join A Day of Hope's Facebook Cause Challenge. From November 7th - 27th the person who recruits the most members to the A Day of Hope cause on Facebook will receive a $20 gift card to Pizza Hut or Fuddruckers.
• Make a lens for A Day of Hope on Squidoo. If you're an experienced lensmaster, visit this lens, if you're new to Squidoo visit this lens to get started.

Test post for email

I've had a few problems with the feedburner email subscriber service, this is a test email.

Sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused you.

Billy Graham's birthday

Today is Billy Graham's 90th birthday.

Very few leaders have had such a significant impact on our world as Billy Graham. He dedicated his life to serving people for God's glory by helping them to know Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham is perhaps the best example of a leader who found what his passion and purpose was in life, and then stuck to it for his entire lifetime. When he launched his career with the LA Crusades in 1949, he realized that evangelism was his gift and it was what God had called him to do.

Since then Mr. Graham has dedicated his life to doing just that, evangelizing and helping everyday people to come to know Jesus Christ. After doing this for more than half a decade the result is the legacy and reputation that he now has.

I hope you will take some time to read a few encouraging notes that people have written to Mr. Graham to honor his 90th birthday.

Mr. Graham is truly of one of the best leaders our world has seen in the past decade.

Happy birthday Billy. . . . . .

Chapter 1 of Young Leadershp ebook

My ebook, Young Leadership: How a young person can make a difference in his organization and community which I gave away free has been pretty well received. It is a very short ebook, only about 17 pages, but it provides some simple principles that young leaders can learn and practice to do a better job of leading in their organization, regardless of their age.

Below I've given you the first chapter. If you're interested in reading more from the ebook, go here.

- - - - - - - -

Young Leaders Deal with "Stuff"

Hopefully I'm not the first person to tell you that being a young leader working for a nonprofit organization is difficult. I was given a reality check at the first nonprofit organization that I worked full-time for when two of my coworkers walked in the door and expressed their feelings of not wanting to work that day. I remember thinking, "We are working to make a difference in our community and in the world, how could they not want to be here? How could they say they would rather be at home than working here?"      

I quickly realized that everything which happens in for-profit companies happens in nonprofit organizations. Examples are:
- There will be people who hate their job
- Coworkers are going to fight with each other and not work as a team
- People will complain

As a young leader you probably have had similar experiences and I hope to share with you what I've learned that has helped me on my journey. As a young leader you will realize very soon that you are not the go-to person, you are the go-do person. There will be times where you're singled out and selected to do the grunt, nasty, non-fun work.

Sometimes there will be days where you give your very best effort and you feel like you did a great job on a task or project, but your Supervisor or Manager won't say anything about it. They might not even acknowledge the fact that you finished, but rather will just tell you what your next project or task might be.

The first job I had for a nonprofit organization was the lowest paying job I've ever had. I made more money by the hour washing dishes at a restaurant while in High School than I did with a full-time salary at my first organization. As a young leader that's the price you have to pay when you're new to the nonprofit sector. When you're at the bottom of the organization chart you are there for the reason that you haven't proved yourself yet. When you were hired you didn't have a prior track record of bringing and adding value to other organizations. Hence, you are paid as little as legally possible (which is usually the federal minimum wage) and you're given a chance to prove that you deserve more.

Nothing is more frustrating than working for someone who is less committed to making a difference than you. This often happens when a young leader works hard to grow and improve, but his Supervisor doesn't take the steps and hard work to improve. This causes the young leader to pass his Supervisor in motivation, skill, and leadership ability—which becomes the most common reason that a young leader moves to another organization or transfers to a different department within that organization. 

A good friend of mine was working for a company where he had spent half a decade of extremely hard work and sacrifice to do the best job he could. He had made every step and taken advantage of every opportunity to improve himself to do his job. As a result, when he approached his Supervisor to ask for a raise, he had outgrown her in ability to judge and recognize great talent and what it was worth. She responded by telling him he needed to stop worrying about learning and growing, and focus on doing and teaching what he already knew.

As a young leader he was continuing to develop, learn, and grow while his Supervisor was not. After this conversation he realized that his leadership ability exceeded her leadership ability, and as a result he went to another company where he could continue to grow and develop.

My  goal isn't to discourage you from leading. I want to convince you that even though you might be at the bottom of an organization, there will be times and circumstances where you will feel like giving up. There will be times when you're working hard, seeing zero progress, and feel that you are not making a difference. These things are going to happen, and they are just part of the price you have to pay to become a nonprofit leader.

I’m sure you’re filled with enthusiasm and passion to make a massive difference in the world. However, to make a massive difference in the world you first have to make a small difference—and you start that small difference as a young leader. There are several steps and principles that a young leader must acknowledge and use before he can expect to make a big difference. The first of these steps is committing to personal growth and development.

Fundraising and Leadership

I was very surprised to see a guest post on Seth Godin's blog talking about fundraising and leadership in the nonprofit sector.

Check it out here.

We Can Always Learn

One of the things I've learned from karate, leading, competitive golf and life is that there is always someone bigger, better, smarter and richer than you. As a golfer there was always someone a little bit better than I was. My Dad loves to fish, and there is always a bigger boat that he is thinking about purchasing. With leadership, there is always someone who has accomplished more and is a better leader than I am (and probably ever will become).

That's one of the great things about this world: there is always someone bigger, better, smarter and richer than us who we can learn from.