A Simple Way to Conduct an Executive Director Performance Review
Time and time again, I see boards dropping the ball on one of the single most important responsibilities they have – the annual performance evaluation of their staff leader.
It just plain makes me mad.
I do kinda get it when board members balk at fundraising. But an annual performance review? Really?
When I ask board members how they would feel if their bosses (at their day job) did that, I get the answer you’d expect. That would never happen.
In my executive coaching work with clients, it is so clear to me that Executive Directors do not receive the feedback they need to feel supported and to grow and develop in their roles.
I ask: When were you last reviewed?
I hear: Does a 20-minute coffee with the board chair count?
I hear: The board really doesn’t know what I do. How could they evaluate me fairly? I’d prefer not to hear what they have to say.
I hear: I had to all but harass my board chair to do SOMETHING. It was like 3 months late and kind of lame.
I hear: I was reviewed informally by the board chair before this one. Or maybe the one before that one.
I hear: Reviewed?
I believe there are many reasons that boards don’t conduct performance reviews – I outline a few of them here.
But let’s assume for the purpose of this post that it just all seems too overwhelming. Board members don’t know where to begin.
In that spirit I offer you a recipe for an effective, and very simple Executive Director performance review.Continue Reading
The Move from Corporate to Nonprofit
We are on the cusp of a huge leadership gap in the nonprofit sector as more and more boomer leaders retire. Search committees and executive recruiters will need to look at more and diverse ponds for leadership candidates. As a result, we see (and will continue to see) lots of “fishing” in corporate America ponds.
Unfortunately, nonprofits are not always welcoming of folks without years in the nonprofit trenches. As a product, originally, of the corporate world, I remember that pretty well.
There were folks who saw me as unqualified, without the “chops” for the gig. I hadn’t paid my dues. I didn’t understand or appreciate the trenches and there was of course a risk that I just might attempt to inject an “evil” corporate paradigm into the consensus driven world of advocacy. This skepticism even found its way into the press.
Ridiculous, right? Infuriating, yes? Especially when this criticism comes from your own community, the one you have raised your hand to advocate for. I only wanted to help.
But there is no question – you absolutely can transition to nonprofit leadership and be successful with no prior professional nonprofit experience. I did it.
So, at the risk of overstepping, I’d like to tell you about a few of the lessons I learned and pitfalls I overcame. It might come in handy if you are hunting for a new leader or if you are this new leader I describe.
7 Ways to Avoid Burnout
Riddle me this Batmen and women… What’s the number one issue nonprofit leaders ask me about?
Here’s a hint… It has nothing to do with a disengaged board.
You figured it out, right? After all, it’s in the title of this blog post!
Burnout.
How do I avoid it? I know I should take better care of myself. I know in my heart that I will be more effective if I am not running on fumes, but I can’t get my head to execute.
Sound familiar?
It sure does to me. I work incessantly. And so when I get asked about this, I feel like I don’t exactly have a wellspring of credibility.
So I decided to ask friends and colleagues and share some of their easy and terrific ideas with you. I’ve made them available as a free download.
––> Download 7 Ways to Avoid Burnout
But…
Before you have a look, take this quick quiz to see if you are in desperate need of self care.
Don’t worry. It’s short. I know how busy you are…Continue Reading
10 Creative Ideas for Nonprofit Staff Retreats
Nonprofit staff retreats are really important. They’re a chance to step away from your regular day-to-day stuff and focus on the bigger picture. To remove yourself from the normal distractions.
They are also a significant investment of time and energy (and sometimes money). You should plan them with intention and creativity, and engage the staff in the design.
Think about the best staff retreat you’ve ever attended. I bet there was some creativity thrown into the mix. That keeps things interesting.
So if you’re looking for some creative ideas for your next staff retreat, well, I’m here to help.
Do not worry for a nanosecond. No ropes courses or “let go and we’ll catch you” exercises to be found here.
Actually the help is not coming from me alone. I’ll offer a few, but I cannot take credit for all of them. I dropped into the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, my online membership site that supports board and staff leaders of small nonprofits around the world to ask for their creative ideas.
No surprise. They had some very, very good ones. These are very good people who are changing the world in ways large and small.
So here you go. Try a few of them on and see how they fit.Continue Reading
Nobody Warned Me About the “Executive Director 20”!
I knew what she meant the moment she hit “post.”
If you’re unfamiliar with the “freshman 15,” it’s all about that first year of college…. Too much pizza and beer. A lot of stress. And 15 pounds gained.
So this is the “Executive Director 20”.
Nothing in the Thriving Nonprofit Facebook group (my free Facebook group for nonprofit staff and board leaders which you can join here) has ever struck a chord quite like this. 371 likes and counting.
Plus, more than 80 folks weighed in with comments (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.) I have a feeling they’ll resonate with you.
- “Per year?”
- “Or the one meal per 14 hour day which may be at 9 pm and will be fast food, because it’s easy and you’re starving. The rest is sugar and caffeine.”
- “Grrreaattt. another job perk!”
- “It’s all the drinking”
- “Make it 40 for me!”
- “Totally real. I think it’s from being chained to the desk for 40+ hours per week, stress, and being to tired to cook good food when I get home. Chipotle has been very accommodating since this job started.”
- “Don’t forget the ED blood pressure meds & antidepressant lol or is that just me?”
- “For me, first time ED following the founder… ED 35, migraines, bronchitis, six months chronic back pain, some other stuff I can’t remember. Trying to get some sort of handle on managing the stress and pressure, and loneliness.”
- “The comments on this thread are crazy. I really thought it was just me.”
While some of these comments illustrate the sense of humor that I really appreciate in nonprofit leaders, others border on heartbreaking. Folks are working their asses off (hope I’m not offending anyone but that feels like the real deal phrase) and working themselves into the ground.
I get it. I know I work too hard too. Just the other day I wrote the words “self care” and for some reason my iPhone autocorrected to “self scare”.
Clearly, many of you are stressed out beyond all reason. It’s not healthy and it’s not good.
But what can we do about it?
This topic is a big part of my upcoming free workshop, How to Build a Thriving Nonprofit, which starts on April 3rd. After all, you can’t thrive if you’re overwhelmed, stressed out, or if you feel completely alone. If you’re feeling those things, I invite you to please reserve a spot so I can help you.
I also want to say a few things about this here in the blog that I hope will help.
It’s Time to Stop Using This Word
You know there’s a word I hear a lot from board and staff members of nonprofits, and it kind of drives me nuts. Actually makes me a little bit angry. Would you like to take a guess at what the word is? I’ll give you a minute. Why don’t you toss some ideas in the comments below? I’ll wait. The word that drives me crazy makes me kind of angry. One word. Almost ready?
The word is competition. When I first became a nonprofit executive director, I was floored at how often I heard this one word, competition. “Oh, she’s not gonna give to her organization because she already gives to XYZ org.” Or “What is that ED working tables at my fundraising gala?” Or the board members are bringing in news clippings or see things online where your colleague is quoted and not you. Right? You’ve been there.
So first, if your organization does not fill a unique gap in a sector or has some substantive overlap with another organization, could you just fix that? Address the problem, not the symptom. Secondly, considering an organization to be competitive misses the true essence of philanthropy. It was taught to me a long time ago by a mentor. She sat me down with her major donor list, we ordered in Chinese, and we looked through the list. She said, “Mary’s gonna really like what you’re doing,” or “Tom is in the entertainment business and he was really anxious for new leadership. I need to introduce you to those two people, and I think there are some others on the list too.” She understood what other leaders miss.
When you introduce people to the power of giving, guess what happens? It makes them feel good. Like, good good, like scientifically good. Like philanthropy actually releases dopamine in your brain, the neurotransmitter that creates pleasure. Amazing, right?
Here’s the other thing, is when you get invested in the sector, you care about a lot of organizations because the more you understand about how important the work is, the more you understand that it has to be tackled from different perspectives. So the big takeaway is that rising tides lift all those. Specifically, eliminate the word competition. Keep your mission clear and focused, and lastly, play nicely in your sector sandbox.
Share this video with your development committee, with your board, and remind them, “Please, all of you remember, you are part of a movement working to create real and lasting change.” You’re part of a movement, an orchestra of organizations, tackling the same issue from a host of different perspectives. Making real and lasting change, it takes a village.
Board Retreats Done Right
Have you ever gone to a board retreat?
Close your eyes for a moment and think back to the last one you attended.
Maybe it was last year, maybe a few years back. Try to remember the basic contours of the agenda. Or better still, something that changed as a result.
Struggling?
Get in line. Here are some things board members have told me about their most recent board retreats:
“It was fine.”
“I wonder if we ever did anything with the flip chart stuff and the action items.”
“I remember we had a really great strategic visioning conversation, though I’m struggling to remember the details and I have no idea if anything actually came of it.”
You’ve invested all this time and money. Your board members gave up a Friday night and full day on Saturday. And yet, just months later, they can barely even remember the agenda, much less any outcomes.
Wow. This is NOT OK!
Look, here’s the truth. Most board retreats really are just fine. They’re not disasters. If they were, board members would actually remember a whole lot more about them!
Really, though, most board retreats are wildly mediocre.
But we can do a lot better.
We can create board retreats that are valuable, memorable, and actionable.
That leave board members with a sense of camaraderie, pride about the work, and an urgency to be great ambassadors.
Today, I offer some practical advice and a downloadable agenda for a retreat that does exactly that.
