Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11
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?
RT @YNPNDetroit: The brilliant @ajlovesya offers her key takeaways from #ynpn11 – http://ow.ly/4nfv0 #ynpn #ynpchat
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I think we need *opportunity*. With some of the boomers retiring but a lot staying longer because of the economic collapse – I think the opportunity aspect of being able to lead in small ways before taking on the big fish, is going to be vital.
Great post AJ!
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ajlovesya Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Good point, Nick. We can spend a great deal of time discussing building leadership, however what is leadership without practice and action?!
On the other hand, I’ve seen young nonprofit professionals make their own opportunities by being free agents, social entrepreneurs, building their brands, and more. This may not be the solution, however it does offer an alternative instead of waiting and hoping for a formal chance to lead.
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RT @npmillennials: Are young #nonprofit professionals ready to lead? 2 critical components from #ynpn11 by @ajlovesya http://bit.ly/dEIW81
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RT @CauseWire: Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11: I’ve spent the… http://bit.ly/hzciNx #nonprofit
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RT @YNPNDetroit: The brilliant @ajlovesya offers her key takeaways from #ynpn11 – http://ow.ly/4nfv0 #ynpn #ynpchat
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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!).
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ajlovesya Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Thanks for sharing, Melinda. We have an awful tendency to think that leadership comes in a certain package which greatly limits the impact we can have and our expectations of what justice looks like. I wonder what a nonprofit working with a flatter definition of leadership looks like. It would be great to explore what shifting definitions look like on the ground.
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Are YNP’s ready to lead? 2 critical components from #ynpn11 by @ajlovesya http://bit.ly/dEIW81 (via @NickDiCo @npmillennials) #nonprofit
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RT @KellyCleaver: Are YNP’s ready to lead? 2 critical components from #ynpn11 by @ajlovesya http://bit.ly/dEIW81 (via @NickDiCo @npmillennials) #nonprofit
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RT @KellyCleaver: Are YNP’s ready to lead? 2 critical components from #ynpn11 by @ajlovesya http://bit.ly/dEIW81 (via @NickDiCo @npmillennials) #nonprofit
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RT @YNPN_TC: Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11 http://bit.ly/fC6OF5
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RT @YNPN_TC: Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11 http://bit.ly/fC6OF5
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RT @YNPN_TC: Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11 http://bit.ly/fC6OF5
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Oh, that “asking for help” one is tough! I always feel that I’ll be bothering the person I’m asking for help. Good reminder to focus on the mission and not ego, though.
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ajlovesya Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
I struggle with that too, Sarah! One thing that helps is being very specific about what I need help with and how that particular person can help me. When Im focused I make better use of my time and the other person’s time.
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While I believe that both of your key points are absolutely right on, I think that collaboration is especially important. I cannot tell you how much being able to work with my colleagues on certain projects has lightened the load and allowed me to get a better perspective on the organization and how best to get things done there (especially in my first year there).
Furthermore, I completely agree with Nick that it is imperative for young nonprofit professionals need the opportunity to step up to the plate. When we are marginalized and left on the sidelines, it is done to the detriment of the sector as a whole.
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ajlovesya Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Good point, Dan. I think reaching out to others, as Sarah mentioned, is challenging but beneficial. I also agree that being left out will harm the sector in the long run. I like what I am seeing though as far as young people being to a. create their own opportunities and b. highlight the great work they are doing which may make nonprofits think more about formal leadership development.
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Are young nonprofit professionals ready to lead? Two critical components from #ynpn11 http://t.co/tCXguN4
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Asking for help is definitely a must, learning from others is a lifetime job. Whether we are young professionals or senior leaders, it never stops. The challenge young professionals have is to find their purpose in life, once a person has found his/her purpose, leading becomes easier, becoming more authentic becomes easier because you know who you are and you know what you want in life and business. Purpose first, then leading !
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