Every New Year’s Eve millions of us tune in to watch that illuminated ball descend upon Times Square — and even more of us make a list of resolutions intended to better our lives. With a deep breath, a clear mind, and committed intention, I’m taking a dive into my collection of favorite posts around the subject of leadership.
More specifically, effective leadership. We could all name “leaders” with, or for, whom we’ve worked who were not effective. They just had an executive title and a lot of power. Effective leaders manage in a style that inspires everyone around them to do their best work.
Sometimes we make the assumption that a person with a resume highlighting a long list of accomplishments or certifications will make a great leader. Not true. Accomplishments and certifications are reached by hitting objective benchmarks. Effective leadership, on the other hand, is a bit more subjective and harder to define. But we all know it when we experience it. It is special. It compels us all to try a little harder and to give our best.
Inspiring speaker and nonprofit leader Joan Garry breaks it down further. She lists just two basic needs in The Two Things Every Employee Wants —and those two things are well within our grasp.
- They want to feel successful
- They want to be fairly treated
In this recent post from Entrepreneur, the author Marty Fukuda gives a name to effective leadership that is especially appealing: “Elevator Leaders”. Elevator Leaders are those who lift up their whole team– recognizing that the end result will be much greater than the efforts of one person. He goes on to highlight how to incorporate the style into your routine.
It all comes back to that Golden Rule we learned as young children: Treat people the way you’d like to be treated.
Here’s three final musings to get you fired up to be the most effective leader your organization and coworkers could hope for in 2019 and beyond.
9 Ways to Drive Employee Engagement at Your Nonprofit
The Importance of Professional Development at Your Nonprofit
You Can Make Their Day: 10 Tips for the Leader
Amy DeVita is a publisher, entrepreneur, mother, wife, social media enthusiast and fan and avid supporter of the nonprofit/ for-impact sector. She has written for Top Nonprofits and Third Sector Today; she has been quoted on pieces about social media and social impact on The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast. She was named to the Leading Women Entrepreneurs in NJ Monthly and she is a member of Social Media for Nonprofits’ Leadership Council. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking, yoga, hiking, traveling, and playing Scrabble. Amy lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and two dogs. In 1984 she earned the “Most Improved Average” honor on her bowling league.