Kelly M. Hannum, Jennifer Deal, Liz Livingston Howard, Linshuang Lu, Marian N. Ruderman, Sarah Stawiski, Nancie Zane, and Rick Price (2011). Emerging Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations: Myths, Meaning, and Motivations. (Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership). 원문보기

자료정리: 김예영

Recommendations

  • Foster Learning and Build Talent at All Organizational Levels
  • Foster Learning and Build Talent in the Sector
  • Adapt to Changing Work and Workplace Expectations
  • Measure, Communicate, and Connect to Impact

Introduction

Leadership is not produced by a person; it is something people create together. For our purposes we define leadership as the roles and processes “that facilitate setting direction, creating alignment, and maintaining commitment in groups of people who share common work (Van Velsor, McCauley, & Ruberman, 2010, p.2).[1]

The Context of Nonprofit Organizations: Opportunities and Challenges

The National Center for Charitable Statistics developed the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities Core Codes classification system which divides nonprofit organizations into 26 major groups under 10 broad categories (including Art, Culture and the Humanities, Education, Environment and Animals, Health, Human Services, etc.).

Measuring Impact

Measuring social impact is more complex than measuring profits and losses. A nonprofit organization can monitor and demonstrate effort, but measuring the impact of that effort is more challenging.

Nonprofit Workforce

The Importance of Impact

People want to see the impact of their organization’s work and of their work specifically. It is not just a matter of working for an organization that has an impact, but also seeing the value and impact of the specific work they are doing. It also appears that the conversation about impact, in general, is getting more sophisticated. Fewer people are willing to take it on faith that they are making a positive difference; they want tangible evidence of the difference they are making, and to understand the bigger picture of how diverse elements come together to make a difference or to solve a social problem.

I can’t imagine being in a place for 15 years. What motivates me is to learn new things

and do new stuff; but I don’t believe an organization can keep reinventing itself to offer me new things. If I’m not learning, I lose my motivation. I want to be married to a cause, not an organization.

Recommendations

Measure, Communicate, and Connect to Impact

People want to have and to see an impact. They want to see the impact of their organizations and of their work specifically. People may leave an organization if they believe the organization is not having a sufficient impact, or if they believe their personal impact is negligible. Conversely, being able to see and to contribute positive impact in an area about which they care deeply can be extremely motivating.

Current Leaders

  • Focus on outcomes and impact in discussions with diverse stakeholders. These discussions should examine current outcomes/impact and seek ways to create improvement (in other words, engage in impact-driven learning).
  • Don’t limit yourself to the metrics funders ask to see. Seek tools to define and measure organizational impact and, where appropriate, the impact of collaborative work with other organizations.
  • Use measurement to make the impact case not just to funders but to all stakeholders, including employees, volunteers, clients, donors, and others.
  • Help employees create connections between performance goals and the goals, objectives, and strategies of the organization. Talk to individuals about the type of impact they want to create, and link the outcomes of their work to impact so impact is the focus of the work.
  • Provide regular positive recognition and feedback about the impact you see individuals and teams having, and the impact the organization is having. Not all employees understand or see the impact of their work. Employees may appreciate both private and public recognition.

[1] Van Velsor, E., McCauley, C. D., & Ruderman, M. N. (2010). The Center for Creative Leadership handbook of leadership development (3rd ed., pp. 2, 375-404). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.