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Leadership traits every great executive director should have.

non profit, Uncategorized
It’s been said before and it will be said again: A nonprofit executive director, much like nonprofit staff in general, wears many hats. Except, in the case of the executive director, these hats are especially public and often come with the weight of funding, visibility, and programmatic success heavily attached. The responsibility to lead an organization to success is not one of brevity. Leadership is defined as the ability of one to influence and guide others. Yet, the question of what makes a great leader is somewhat subjective, in part because leadership is just as much a process as it is a set of personality traits. With that said, there are certain hallmarks that are undeniable indicators of leadership that every nonprofit would benefit from finding in an executive director (and staff member). Nonprofit leaders are: Focused on the mission An effective leader keeps the organization focused on its goals and strategic plan, making sure that the board and staff is on target. Leaders set the example for others, demonstrating how to live the brand and work to accomplish a mission, communicating both internally and externally. Visionary Leaders not only consider the organization’s present role, they look down the road…

How to improve your odds of getting hired in 2018

non profit
Build a personal brand. Everyone has a personal brand. You may not have cultivated it, but it’s there. Most people think of personal brands in terms of followers, likes, blog subscribers, etc. If this is your measurement, time to re-cut the cloth. Building a personal brand is the process of associating your name with particular traits. Check out Why Being a Jack-Of- All-Trades Won’t Help Your Personal Brand, written by Kathy Bloomgarden for Fortune. Increase your EI (Emotional Intelligence). Emotional Intelligence impacts how we see opportunities and challenges, and factors into everyday decisions. It’s no surprise that a study by the U.S. Department of Labor shows that employers are looking for candidates who know how to listen and communicate well—both important aspects of emotional intelligence. With more and more nonprofit employers evaluating EI during the hiring process, it pays to know how your skills rate. David R. Caruso and Peter Salovey, authors of The Emotionally Intelligent Manager, share four of the core skills involved in the Inc. article, How to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence. Manage your LinkedIn presence. Most nonprofit employers include a review of your social media, particularly Facebook and always LinkedIn. There are hundreds, if not thousands of…

What’s the Difference Between a Manager and a Leader?

Uncategorized
When aliens land on earth in the movies they never say, “take me to your manager.” But why not manager? Aren’t leader and manager synonyms? I mean, my boss leads my department, so she must be my leader. Just what exactly is the difference? In an ideal situation managers are leaders. But when it’s not, here are five differences between a manager and a leader. 1) Managers Manage the Tasks at Hand. Leaders Lead Towards the Future. Managers are focused on getting the current job done. That’s fine—it needs to get done. But a leader is looking at the big picture. He or she asks the tough questions, such as: How does this task lead towards the quarter’s goals? How does this fit into the company’s overall plan? How does this help prepare the employees for their future career goals? 2) Managers Supervise People or Tasks. Leaders can be Individual Contributors. There are people managers and project managers. Each has a defined set of responsibilities. Sometimes a leader doesn’t have a big title, and it’s just the person that everyone looks up to for guidance and direction to be an individual contributor. This person embodies leadership and people naturally follow.…

Nonprofit Salary Report and Nonprofit Staffing Trends

job search, non profit, nonprofit salary, recruiting
PNP’s NonProfit Salaries and Staffing Trends Report reflects a positive and aggressive hiring outlook for nonprofits. For the second year in a row, program growth is the primary reason for anticipated staff increases in 2018, followed by turnover and replacing retirees. 80% of respondents said they plan to recruit new staff in 2018, as compared to 57% who reported that they added staff in 2017. Issues overwhelmingly revolved around the importance of recruiting and keeping good people who can successfully deliver services and mission. A majority of respondents noted that they would prefer to stretch their organization’s budget to hire a more experienced, high performance employee, rather than hire a competent worker with less experience but stay within budget. A significant finding in this year’s survey is that, more than ever, senior executive management positions in nonprofits are filled by women. PNP’s CEO Gayle Brandel notes that the survey also reflects “a growing presence of Millennials in leadership roles, with around half of the respondents reporting that Millennials now hold senior leadership positions.” The survey shows that several essential best practices are critical for nonprofits to be successful in finding and keeping talented staff in a competitive market. Eight best…

[Podcast] How to Integrate Findings from PNP’s 2018 Salary Report into Your Nonprofit

Podcasts
PNP’s Managing Director Brandi Scott and Chris Egan, Director of Client Services, share thoughts on how you can incorporate findings from the 2018 NONPROFIT SALARIES and STAFFING TRENDS REPORT in your nonprofit organization. Amy DeVita, Managing Partner & COO of TopNonprofits, leads the way with this engaging podcast as these professionals share their sector knowledge and experience in nonprofit staffing. You’ll learn: How to handle salary discrepancies The balance of salary vs. other benefits in compensation The importance of training and professional  development How to get—and keep—the best talent in a competitive marketplace