Are You Leading Your
Development Operation? Part 2
You Are the CEO of Your
Development Office.
How You Lead Is Critical.
FastCompany.com recently featured what
GE’s CEO Jeff Immelet teaches to up-and-coming
leaders at the company's famed Management
Development Center. He calls it “Things
Leaders Do” and it reveals his own
leadership values. This is part two of the
10 “Things Leaders Do” and how
they specifically relate to those leading
the development function in nonprofit organizations.
Click here for
Part 1.
6. Stay true to
your own style.
"Leadership is an intense journey into
yourself. You can use your own style to
get anything done. It's about being self-aware.
Every morning, I look in the mirror and
say, 'I could have done three things better
yesterday.' "
Be careful not to confuse style with method.
The successful, modern development officer
must quest for better, faster, cheaper,
more efficient ways of accomplishing development
responsibilities. The wireless revolution
has resulted in unparalleled increases in
efficient ways to communicate with donors,
staff, and funding sources. Be sure that
the technology is applied with a unique
sense of personal style.
On the other hand, some of the old is new.
Handwritten notes on embossed cards or fine
stationary is seen as a gesture of appreciation
and respect that will set you apart. The
personal touch and private visits are time
consuming, but will continue to be the cornerstone
of building deep relationships and understanding
what will motivate major donors. In the
final analysis it is your sincerity and
“Emotional IQ” that defines
your style and connectedness to people.
Staying in touch with your style, understanding
it and the techniques to you can use to
refine it should be challenging and fun.
Simple tests can help you understand how
your personality and leadership style can
be more effective. Don’t overlook
collegial relationships that you can rely
on to critique your style using real-time
feedback from real-life situations.
7. Manage by setting
boundaries with freedom in the middle.
"The boundaries are commitment, passion,
trust, and teamwork. Within those guidelines,
there's plenty of freedom. But no one can
cross those four boundaries."
Setting and openly discussing boundaries
with everyone involved in the work of development
will help motivate and focus the development
team. Sometimes called “norming,”
these four boundaries become the basis upon
which your team can achieve and share in
the success of the development effort. (Remember
group work and team building “forming,
storming, norming and reforming”?)
The entire process of setting and then
clarifying boundaries will lead to open
communication, clarification of leadership
expectations, mutual understanding of goal
setting and achievement, and team unification.
Understanding and practicing these elements
of leadership with volunteers and staff
will result in quantifiable results and
instill enthusiasm for the next project.
8. Stay disciplined
and detailed.
"Good leaders are never afraid to intervene
personally on things that are important.
Michael Dell can tell you how many computers
were shipped from Singapore yesterday."
Do not confuse knowing the details of your
development office with micromanaging. Many
leaders do, driving the best and brightest
volunteers and staff to other organizations
competing for the charitable dollar. Be
clear on desired results, what will be measured.
What is measured gets done! Don’t
intervene in the process of staff and volunteers
as they work to achieve their results unless
the process will do irreparable harm. Their
growth and yours will come by letting go.
Staying disciplined and detailed means
knowing where your (organization’s
and staff’s) strengths, weaknesses
and opportunities lie and possessing the
best information available on your donors
and the organizations that may compete for
their donations and long-term involvement.
9. Leave a few
things unsaid.
"I may know an answer, but I'll often
let the team find its own way. Sometimes,
being an active listener is much more effective
than ending a meeting with me enumerating
17 actions."
We sometimes become so concerned about
presenting (articulating) the vision, mission,
and goals of the organization or immediate
project that we overlook the art of listening.
“Process Consulting” skills
can assist every development officer lead
and solicit. Start your own scorecard and
compare these areas:
If these are not balanced when you are
working with volunteers, staff, or during
a solicitation, you risk inhibiting buy-in
and commitment.
10. Like people.
"Today, it's employment at will. Nobody's
here who doesn't want to be here. So it's
critical to understand people, to always
be fair, and to want the best in them. And
when it doesn't work, they need to know
it's not personal."
Those of us in development are passionate
and dedicated and often have difficulty
understanding why everyone in our organization
does not demonstrate comparable enthusiasm.
On several occasions I have heard Jeffrey
Byrne speak about “The Rule of Thirds:”
