Mega resources to help you better LEARN how to LEAD your nonprofit team

I bet there are times you wish you could be involved in an engaging leadership experience? Not a one-off course, webinar or conference session, but an experience, over time, that deepens your learning!

In 2012 I did that. For 10 months, about 20 other leaders from around the world and I learned together, online and in person. Four times we met for a week at a time in California. Between those sessions, we met online and had partner projects that required us to meet in person with our partners. It was an incredible experience. It was also one of the most transformative things I've ever done. 

Not everyone can do something like that, but we can create learning experiences for our teams. Not training per se, but an experience where you learn, grow and develop over time.  

I am blessed to be working with a large group of nonprofit leaders for nine months to help them become inspiring leaders. Inspiring leaders motivate and engage their teams, so they enjoy their jobs and do meaningful work together. 

One of the first things I covered with the participants of the Inspiring Leadership group was the four fundamentals of leadership. They are the base for the future of the work we do together.

Even though you may not be involved in a group program, you can benefit from these fundamentals and use them over the next several months of your leadership journey. I'll give you a brief overview and share some suggestions that you can do to work on yourself! Then you can create your strategy and plan for growth.


The 4 fundamentals of leaders

Be yourself
As teenagers, we spent a lot of time figuring out our identity, answering the question, who am I? But as we mature, we have spent more time conforming to what's expected of us than who we are and are more focused on; how do I fit in? As such, we've often lost touch with who we are.

The first thing I do with individuals or teams is help them identify their strengths, values and morals. Understanding what makes you tick, thrive, and the triggers that make you react is fundamental to inspiring, motivating and engaging others. 

 Suggestion: Take time to consider:

• What are your strengths?
• What are your values?
• What is morally and ethically right for you?

Extra Resources for The Training Library membership members: 

• COURSE: Values Verification: Validating What's Important to You
• COURSE: Understanding your VIA Signature Strengths
• COURSE: Understanding your VIA Signature Strengths

 Develop yourself
Ongoing personal and professional development is critical. For example, when I was in the ten-month leadership program, we had a list of required reading, each had a coach, and we learned A LOT about leadership and ourselves. At the end of the course, I committed to continue learning to be a better speaker and joined Toastmasters. I'm still involved!

 Suggestion: Create your learning plan

• What will you learn?
• How / where will you learn it from?
• How will you practice what you are learning?

Extra Resources for The Training Library membership members: 

• COURSE: My Training and Growth Annual Analysis
• WEBINAR: Create Your Quarterly Goal Setting & Planning Strategy!
• WEBINAR: Develop your personalized curriculum for Leadership Development

 Take care of yourself 
Taking care of yourself is critical for effective leadership.

• You can't be composed when you are hangry. 
• You won't be focused when you haven't stood up in 3 hours. 
• You can't be decisive on 4 hours of sleep. 

When you don't take care of yourself, your body won't be able to endure the demands of leadership.

 Suggestion: Commit to wellness

• Start with micro-moments of wellness
• Create wellness habits
• Focus on balancing, not balanced

Extra Resources for The Training Library membership members: 

• COURSE: Wellness AT Work
• COURSE: Bouncing Back from Leadership Adversities
• WEBINAR: The 5-Minute Self-Care Strategy for the Swamped Gal

Teach others to do the same
If you want the best for and out of the people you work with, they need to be themselves, develop themselves and take care of themselves. Teach, role model and mentor these habits to them. 
 
 Suggestion: Coach your people

• Ask them about their strengths, values, and ethical approaches. 
• Infused learning and growth conversations into regular supervision
• Ask them about what they need to do to be at their best and help them apply that 

Extra Resources for The Training Library membership members: 

• Course: Staff Supervision That Transforms
• WEBINAR: Creating Comfortable Coaching Conversations
• WEBINAR: Team Morale: Confidently boost the mood of your team!​

Starting the journey of mastering these fundamentals is critical for you to BECOME confident in your abilities, BOUNCE BACK when adversity hits and BE your best self!