3 Traits of Impactful Nonprofit Leaders
I was having a discussion with a client recently who was engaged in a planning process for a large grant opportunity. As we turned to goals, the focus quickly shifted to how to use novelty to impress the funder, so we could increase the chance of being awarded. “We need to be doing something new,” they said.
“I disagree,” I told them. “We need to focus on impact.” And here’s why.
To be clear, I’m not against innovation. I’m not against trying new solutions to try and solve our society’s most complex social problems. However, nonprofits can often fall victim to the trap of novelty for novelty’s sake. They allow the desire to make things new and the desire to appear innovative in the eyes of a funder distract them from the impact that they can have on those they serve.
At the end of the day, it’s doesn’t matter if what you do is new or decades old; what matters is whether it has an impact.
So how do you maintain an impact mindset when planning programs and activities at your nonprofit? Here are three traits of impact-focused leaders.
Impactful leaders know: It’s not about them.
The most important question you an ask yourself as a nonprofit leader is: “What will the community that I serve be able to do differently as a result of our programs and services?” Framing the question in this way - as about what the community will do, not what you as an organization will do - shifts the emphasis to those you serve. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what the organization does. What matters is the change that is experienced by those who are served and how that change leads to better outcomes.
The next time you start the planning process, consider re-framing the question. Instead of asking “What should we do with this grant opportunity?”, instead ask, “What is the change we would like to see in the community?”
Impactful leaders have a north star.
To have an impact, you have to align everything you do to a strong, clear goal. Impactful leaders have “north stars.” They have a desired change they wish to bring about in the world that guides everything they do. Often, this goal or “north star” is stated directly in the organization’s mission.
If you are an organization who focuses on changing academic outcomes for youth, then everything you do should support that goal. If you are working to make an impact on diet, nutrition, or weight loss - then everything you do should focus in this area. It also means that you should remove things that do not contribute meaningfully in the areas where you think you can have the most impact.
So when you’re engaging in a planning process and examining the pros and cons of a particular activity or initiative, ask yourself: how does this support our mission?
Impactful leaders align what they’re good at with what the community needs.
Sometimes, the best thing to do as a leader is to know when to say “no.”
There are so many things that can distract nonprofit leaders. A new funding opportunity, a new partnership, a turnover in staff - all of these can lead organizations off-course from their mission, distracting them from impact.
Impactful leaders know exactly what their organization is good at. And that means also knowing what your organization is not good at. It means being unapologetic about your mission and sticking to what you do well, because that is where you know you will have the biggest impact.
I often tell clients that depth is more impactful than breadth. In other words, it’s much more impactful to do one thing really well than to do lots of things poorly. Impactful leaders avoid the temptation to constantly re-invent the wheel. They resist novelty for novelty’s sake, and stay true to their mission.
Looking for some external expertise? Common Good Data can assist your organization to deepen your impact. Visit our Consult page to learn more.
