Monthly Archives: March 2011

What does “flat leadership” look like? A new approach to nonprofit leadership


Posted by ajlovesya

In response to my recap of the YNPN National Conference on what young nonprofit professionals need to do in order to lead, Melinda Lewis offered compelling insight:

As part of owning one’s own experience, there’s a need to create organizational cultures that value different kinds of experience as equally legitimate–that means, in some cases, recognizing that social service agency clients have greater expertise about a given problem, from having lived it, than the professional with the degree…and it means honoring the life experiences of older generations whose ways of approaching problems may be different than younger ones. We need a flatter, broader understanding of what leadership is, and looks like, and does, not just for younger leaders in a nonprofit setting, but for the pursuit of more just social relationships everywhere (as lofty as that may sound!).

Are our definitions of leadership making it harder for us to lead?

We’ve had these conversations before about moving towards a broader more just definition of leadership.  However, I’m really interested in what this looks like. I would love to hear from all of you examples, practices, resources, and challenges you have seen or experienced when it comes to redefining leadership on an organizational level. This goes beyond what we experience at our jobs to how we connect and share different voices in our discussions about justice.

Are organizations moving towards more inclusive leadership?  What does that mean?  What does it look like?

Be sure to check out the newest issue of OnlyUp, where writers tackle new visions of leadership.


Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11


Posted by ajlovesya

I’ve spent the past three days in Grand Rapids, MI for the annual Young Nonprofit Professionals Network conference. In between connecting with twitter friends in real life, absorbing lots of new information, and eating yummy food, I had the opportunity to reflect on key themes when it comes to young nonprofit professionals advancing their careers and the causes they support. The various discussions and presentations touched on many different aspects but when it comes to evolving (the key focus of the conference) I walked away with two critical approaches:

1. Own your experience: When it comes to expertise we tend to rely on education or formal forms of experience. However your life experiences shape your values and the choices you make. What has brought you to the sector? What are you passionate about and act on every day? What do you excel at and struggle with?  Reflecting on your experiences helps you practice authentic leadership and helps you build more genuine relationships with the people around you.

2. Ask for help: Collaboration was a major theme throughout the conference. We have to realize that the issues we are tackling are too big for us to do it alone. Being able to reach out is a challenge–it requires us to recognize our own shortcomings and become more open to the ideas and work of others. Yet the benefits include sharing the work load, being exposed to new approaches and perspectives, and combining resources. So when you’re hitting a wall, the simple act of asking for help can turn everything around.

In other words, a great deal of self knowledge and humility are required to lead. Setting aside ego, desire for title/position, and focus on values, collaboration and thoughtful action will help take our leadership to the next level.

What do we need in order to lead?

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Four helpful lessons I’ve learned about nonprofit fundraising and communications


Posted by ajlovesya

As some of you may know, my day job is in fundraising and marketing. I am regularly engaging a variety of people and making different “asks”: money, air time, in kind donations, volunteer support–you name it, I have had to ask for it and manage it :) While I am constantly learning and am excited by all of the movement both in my profession and my field (education), I’ve picked up some important lessons that are helping me grow professionally:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask: My concern was always “what if they say no?!” Well, if they say no, I still value the experience and keep in touch. Instead of looking at asking people for support as a sign of weakness or a burden, view it as one of many ways people want to contribute to the betterment of their communities. Your job is to make it easier for them and help them see the impact of their work.

2. Know what to ask for: You’ll also feel more confident about asking if you have done your homework. I usually think of three questions: What do you need? Be specific. No more mass “asks.” Who can help you? Narrow down your audience. Why would they/should they help you? Tailor your approach: how do they benefit?

3. Focus on building relationships: One strategy that has been successful when reaching out to reporters is to highlight an article they have written, why I find it compelling, and how my organization is doing similar work and so we should keep in touch. We’re not pitching a specific story, instead I’m finding common ground and gauging interest. This approach–focusing on the common ground–helps build trust, a crucial ingredient in any fundraising and marketing endeavors.

4. Connect regularly with your colleagues: I cannot stress how important it is to develop your network. It goes beyond “Oh, what if I need a job someday.” (networking has a dreadful reputation). Being able to share stories, resources, and ideas is incredibly valuable. Recently, I had a wonderful meet up with fellow young women in the education field. While we each work in charter schools, we have different roles at very different schools, which results in different lenses when examining challenges and opportunities. I have a richer understanding of my work because of those interactions.

In my short, sweet time in this field I have come away with a better understanding of relationships and the importance of support. If you are new to fundraising and communications, what lessons have you learned that are helping you become a stronger employee?

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Social Media for Social Change: Are you ready for Twestival?


Posted by ajlovesya

About two years ago I attended Twestival which benefited Charity:Water.  And honestly, I had a mixed reaction.  While it was exciting to see so many people gathered together for  good cause, there was little meaningful interaction during and after the event.  As a result, I felt removed from the charity and the event itself.

However, the biggest change since then has been the focus on supporting local organizations, which I hope will make it easier and more likely to stay in touch and stay involved.  I am SUPER excited about this year’s NYC Twestival because it is benefiting one of my favorite organizations iMentor.  I currently mentor a wonderful high school junior through iMentor and will be her mentor for t e next two years.  I am so impressed with the level of support the organization provides to both mentors and mentees. Their model of fusing online and offline interactions makes this relationship manageable and rewarding.

The NYC Twestival page has great posts about the people mentoring and the mentees so you can get a better sense of the work iMentor does.  Also feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or want to be involved!  I love sharing my experiences with this organization.

While I wont be able to attend Twestival this year (I’ll be at the YNPN National Conference!) I encourage you to check out the twestival happening in your city and lend your support. If you attend the NYC Twestival, I would love to know your thoughts!  Feel free to comment below or email me.  It’d be nice to do a round up of reactions to this year’s twestival.

Are you attending twestival this year?


Resource Share: How are you maximizing your productivity at work?


Posted by ajlovesya

I’m trying something new here: a resource share!

One thing I love about social media is being able to connect and share interesting ideas and resources. I wanted to bring this energy and spirit of sharing to my blog and ask folks to chime in on productivity.

I had an evaluation with my boss a few weeks ago and a challenge that I have is managing smaller tasks. Once I get into a big project it becomes way to easy for me to forget about the smaller day to day work that pops up. Since that meeting I’ve been experimenting with different strategies for managing smaller tasks and my time more efficiently. Here are three strategies that are working for me:

  • Get the small tasks out of the way before starting a big task: I feel much more confident and motivated when I knock out five tasks in a short period time. Plus, instead of having an email hanging over my head all day, I respond and move on.
  • Stop checking my email after a certain hour. When I consciously stop checking email, I find that I am more present when I resume checking email and more thoughtful in my responses. Also, why bother checking email if I am not in the right mind or time to fully engage? It’s a distraction.
  • Set aside time to do the small tasks: Most of the small tasks are emails, follow up phone calls, or other responses to requests. While they may have deadlines, they are rarely urgent so I can complete the work at a better pace.

These are working for me yet there is always room for improvement. What strategies are helping you identify and overcome challenges in your productivity? Share your challenge and any websites, resources, ideas that are helping you!

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