LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED TO LEAD NON-PROFITS

The Board Leader | Leadership of Distinction | Leadership Issues

The Board Leader

The chief executive, executive director, or president is the leader, visionary, and often the founder of the non-profit board.  The board is organized to ultimately secure funds and resources to support a specific cause. This leader typically may appoint volunteer board members who share their ideas, vision, and commitment to the cause. In some organizations, however, the leader works with board members who have been elected by the organization membership. This is the case with the chapter boards of TRIO Associations.

Leadership means many things to many leaders. In the course of doing research for this manual, we found listings for thousands of books, articles and manuals on the subject of leadership. Many sources converge on a handful of characteristics; several sources further agree that non-profit board leadership is a special brand of leadership.

Board leaders in general must be fair and tough, show sensitivity, maintain enthusiasm, provide consistent direction, act reliably, and exhibit controlled ambition.  Leaders must also provide an inclusive and encouraging environment so that board members feel comfortable working among the group— board members should not be intimidated into inactivity out of fear or embarrassment.  Leaders should:

·        Be committed to serving the cause

·        Be a team-player

·        Work well with others and generally like people

·        Think objectively and put others’ needs ahead of their own

·        Be flexible about change, yet realistic and practical when considering feasibility issues

·        Exhibit patience, maturity, and tolerance

·        Work diligently

In a 1980s study by Kouzes and Posner (as cited in Nanus & Dobbs, 1999), fifteen thousand executives were surveyed for the qualities they admired most in a leader and would want to see in a leader they would follow. Four characteristics consistently rose to the top: being honest, being forward-looking, being inspired, and being competent. Nanus and Dobbs concluded that these characteristics are especially important for leaders of non-profit organizations.

Leadership of Distinction: The Non-Profit Board Leader

Nanus and Dobbs further suggest that a non-profit board has its own distinctive leadership flavor. Regarding the aforementioned survey results, the authors found that honesty is the only policy when it comes to non-profit leadership.  Leaders will only be supported or followed if they are trusted and believed. Moreover, the implicit nature of a non-profit organization represents the institutionalization of public trust. A forward-looking focus is desirable in a non-profit leader because he or she can show the way to a brighter future, and that this is endemic to the passion and idealism that members of non-profit organizations espouse. Members of a non-profit organization also tend to support a leader who inspires them to do the good deeds and services for others; they respond well to someone who appeals to their better nature. Finally, competent leaders of non-profits not only impress others with their effectiveness and ability to get things done, but they also attract volunteers, contributions, and other leaders to their cause.

Non-profit board leadership is unique in other ways. Most, if not all, board members are volunteers who hope to find personal fulfillment and satisfaction for the greater good. The success of the non-profit board, as with TRIO chapter and regional boards, is then measured not by finances or the bottom line; it is measured in terms of social good.  The board leader should therefore thrive on inspiration, passion, and persuasion rather than display the stereotypical authoritative leadership style. This drive to improve lives and address social issues gives leaders the flexibility to exercise judgment and insight, and to employ innovative ideas. In addition, because most board members are successful people and leaders in their own right, the ‘leading’ is often more important than in other organizations where the caliber of leadership is not as high. 

Nanus and Dobbs surveyed several non-profit leaders and asked them to identify the issues of concern they find most prevalent within their organizations. Some of their responses include:

·        Increasing the number of donors and size of endowments

·        Developing strategies for long-term effectiveness

·        Building consensus and forming alliances with other organizations

·        Developing effective leaders

·        Maintaining the infrastructure of the board

·        Maintaining relationship with constituents (government, media, donors, etc.)

·        Adapting to change

Although challenging, non-profit leadership can be very rewarding. Leadership in a non-profit organization allows leaders to inspire the membership, instill passion for the cause, and move the organization in innovative ways. The leader is given the opportunity to bring other great leaders to the boardroom. With regard to TRIO programs, this is borne out in people of diverse backgrounds working and leading together, for the common cause of equitable opportunities in post-secondary education.