Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

021: 3 Keys to Maximizing Your Nonprofit Leadership Opportunities (Justin Dionne)SUMMARYJustin Dionne knew he had a great opportunity on his hands when he arrived at the Cain Center for the Arts.   As a relatively new executive director, he also knew he needed to maximize all of his productivity and professional development resources to get this new organization off the ground as well as navigate its very aspirational campaign of $25 million to build a new performing arts center.  Justin and I had a great conversation on Episode #21 of The Path and explored many of his tools and tactics to maximize his talented board of directors, engage the regional community and key donors, and how he built a staffing structure that is poised for even greater growth and success.  We also had the added bonus of filming our episode at the studio of Wheelhouse Media, whose talents are on display for Justin and many nonprofit organizations across the country.  “Big impacts don't come without big risks; you have to be willing to try."ABOUT JUSTINJustin is in his third year as Executive Director of Cain Center for the Arts. Originally from Salisbury, NC, Justin attended Catawba College for Undergraduate studies and Florida State University for Graduate School. He has spent over 10 years in the arts industry and Non-Profit Sector. While in Salisbury he helped to build the Norvell Theater and then went on to spearhead efforts to renovate a 1920’s warehouse into a performing arts center which became Lee Street Theater. Along with serving communities, Justin is passionate about his family, fitness, bourbon, travel, the Carolina Panthers, and the Florida State Seminoles. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESProductivity hacks: utilizing Gantt Charts, List makingSimon Sinek’s book The Infinite GameConducting a Values RetreatPenny Hawkins’s podcast episode #3 on Women in the Nonprofit SectorTools for learning: podcasts (here’s PMA’s 7 recommendations), YouTube videos Attracting successful board membersCreating a successful staff hiring process 

020: BONUS: A Dozen Resources for the Nonprofit Professional (Leighton Fogan)SUMMARYLeighton Fogan has not only enjoyed a successful career in the nonprofit sector, but she’s also a dedicated student of professional development resources!  Her career path includes hands-on experience at several nonprofits, many successful consulting engagements, and coursework through Columbia University and Duke’s Nonprofit Management program.  Episode #20 of The Path features our conversation on three categories of career-enhancing resources, and is a gold mine for current and aspiring nonprofit leaders.  We cover a range of options, from online tools you can access right now to graduate programs that might be part of your long-term journey.ABOUT LEIGHTONLeighton Fogan is a fundraising and development professional who joined PMA after returning to her hometown of Charlotte, NC. She has extensive experience with corporate and foundation partnerships, successfully structuring relationships with national and international firms in the private and public sector. Leighton spent nine years in New York City where she launched her career in nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy management. Prior to joining PMA, she led the institutional investor portfolio as a Senior Development Associate for Echoing Green, a global social venture fund. Her career has also included working with New York City nonprofits Common Cents and Synergos, and Charlotte nonprofits Care Ring and Physicians Reach Out, where she completed a year of full-time service with AmeriCorps.  Leighton graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University with a bachelor's degree in English and holds certificates in Business Management from Columbia Business School and Nonprofit Management from Duke University.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESFoundation Center and GuideStar are now Candid.orgNonprofitReady.org Young Nonprofit Professionals NetworkNational Association of Nonprofit ProfessionalsBoardSource Leadership Forum May 7-8, 2020NC Center for NonprofitsAssociation of Fundraising Professionals; Association for Healthcare PhilanthropyGrant Professionals Association; National Association of Charitable Gift PlannersThe Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Chronicle of Philanthropy; Philanthropy News DigestCertified Fundraising Executive (CFRE)The Institute for Philanthropic Leadership

019: Hiring Talent and Sharpening Your Nonprofit Leadership Skills (Tiffany Capers)SUMMARYTiffany Capers did not plan to go into nonprofit leadership, and in fact, she thought her graduate degree would take her into a corporate environment. But after opportunities in government and in a community foundation, she found a calling that led to leadership in our sector.  She now serves as the Executive Director of the CrossRoads Corporation, which creatively partners with the residents of the Grier Heights neighborhood in Charlotte and numerous other stakeholders to revitalize the community about which she is so passionate.  Tiffany and I discuss many topics related to her leadership journey, including how she turned career changes into opportunity, and some of the tangible and intangible attributes she’s looking for when hiring talent.  Tiffany also describes how she uses role plays to evaluate a candidate’s preparation, data management and performance in an interview setting.  She’s also got great resources for productivity and for curating high-quality content.  ABOUT TIFFANYBorn in New Jersey and raised in South Carolina, Tiffany experienced a little bit of city life and a lot of rural life throughout her childhood which helped her develop an appreciation for contrast and difference and juxtaposition. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia with a degree in psychology and completed her graduate work at UNC-Charlotte with a degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She’s spent the better part of her professional life working in the public sector, for the Foundation For The Carolinas and Teach for America, managing programs, leading teams, working in spaces that addressed equity, access, inclusion and opportunity.  She is also the mom of and constant negotiator (!) with a 2-year-old daughter. She is also interested in art (creating it and appreciating it), books, social and economic justice, and “being more curious than certain and being brave enough to have conversations that matters.”EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESProductivity hacks: Microsoft outlook, careful delegation of work to empower teamPublic sector work included youth employment program and budget evaluation officeUse of role-plays in interviews: prompts, scenarios, and data for presentation Content Curation: Medium, Harvard Business Review, The AtlanticJim Collins’ book: Good to Great and the Social SectorsDeveloping a personal board of directors

018: How Do You Blend For-Profit and Nonprofit Leadership Lessons? (Will Jones)SUMMARYLike many in the nonprofit sector, Will Jones gained leadership experience from other arenas, including the social service and for-profit sectors. He now serves as the President and CEO of Thompson, a leading provider of clinical and prevention services for children and families across the Carolinas. Will and I dive into many topics related to the blend of best practices he’s gained from his experience, and what he’s learned that will help current and aspiring nonprofit leaders along the Path.  How do you push for “profitability” in a nonprofit world?  How do you find and hire the right people, and how do you keep your team engaged and motivated?   This episode will give you much to consider, and many resources to boot!ABOUT WILLWill started his career with the Orange County Youth & Family Services Division and moved from there to the Children’s Home Society of Florida in Orlando. He then served as senior vice president of One Hope United in Orlando, and after that become the chief operating officer at Eckerd Youth Alternatives. In 2015, Will joined SAS, the largest privately-owned software company in the world, as a human services industry consultant. Since joining Thompson as President/CEO in 2017, he has steadily moved the organization forward including 200% growth in its foster care program and the facilitation of community mental health services that served 145% more children and families.  Will earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida, and he and his wife Yereely have five children.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESWill’s 3 C’s for hiring:  competency, capacity, culture fit “Potential can get you fired"“Leaders are learners”“No margin, no mission” Patrick Lencioni’s book The Ideal Team PlayerKeith Ferrazzi’s book Never Eat AlonePatty Azzarello’s book MoveKim Scott’s book A Radical CandorJohn Maxwell’s book 21 Laws of Leadership

017: How Do You Move from Manager to Senior Leader at Your Nonprofit? (Katherine Lambert)SUMMARYKatherine Lambert is passionate about professional development in the nonprofit sector and is a champion for internal candidates who can serve as senior leaders. Her advice provides great insight for other senior leaders who want to better develop their talent, but also provides many clues for those pursuing a new job in the charitable sector.  Katherine talks about how she allocates professional development funds in her organization, and exactly what she asks in interviews to determine whether someone has the requisite skills but also the intangible “fit” dynamic that will better predict success. How can we better orient and onboard our talent - in the first 30 days - to assure long-term success?  How do we better clarify job descriptions and job plans to align with the organization’s strategic plan, as well as assure a professional development path is clear going forward?  Find out these answers and many more resources in this episode.ABOUT KATHERINEKatherine joined the Alzheimer’s Association, Western Carolina Chapter, in 2014 as its Chief Executive Officer.  She works with a volunteer and staff team across the 49 counties in Central and Western North Carolina, and in 2017, her role expanded to serving as the Regional Leader for all chapters in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.  Prior to leading the Alzheimer’s Association, Katherine served as Executive Vice President for Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council for five years and as Chief Development Officer for an additional three years.  She also founded and led The Lambert Group for four years providing strategic planning, fund development and training resources for non-profit organizations.  Preceding her non-profit career, she spent six years in the financial services and headhunting industries. Katherine earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Certificate in Marketing and Management from Duke University and has achieved her CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) designation.  Currently, she is an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and Women Executives.  She’s chaired two nonprofit organizations, Sharon Towers and the Charlotte Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESPreparing for nonprofit job interviews to show skill and potentialIdentifying comparison and aspirational peersOnboarding strategies to assure rapid successBrian Tracy’s book Eat That FrogAnn Rhoades’ book Built on ValuesTom Rath’s book Strengths Based Leadership

016: 4 Writing Practices for Nonprofit Success (Clay Hodges)SUMMARYThe concept of writing might not be an activity that brings back pleasant memories (late-night term papers anyone?), but as attorney Clay Hodges illustrates, it is a powerful tool to activate in your productivity toolbox.  In this episode of the Path, Clay and I explore four different writing rituals and routines that can help you build skills for professional development and more effective communication.  How can you utilize journaling to monitor personal and professional progress? How can you improve your technical and persuasive writing abilities? How can you use writing to distill knowledge in an age of information overload?  Find out more in this episode, and how Clay has developed the discipline and focus required to be a consistently effective writer and communicator.ABOUT CLAYClay Hodges is a partner at the law firm Harris Sarratt & Hodges, LLP, and represents clients in personal injury cases with a focus on medical device and failed drug litigation. He graduated with honors from UNC Chapel Hill in 1990, where he wrote his undergraduate honors thesis on the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Supreme Court case. He earned a master’s degree in literature and received his JD from the UNC School of Law, where he won the Gressman-Pollitt Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy. He’s been recognized as a North Carolina Super Lawyer, is a member of the 2003-2005 class of the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations, and has served as Chair of his Rotary Club’s scholarship committee.  He has also taught law in the graduate studies program at Meredith College.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESWriting for Self-Care: journaling/therapy, affirmations, charting habitsWriting to Distill/Acquire Knowledge: book reports, memo summariesWriting to Goal-Set/Plan: weekly ritual, quarterly review, annual goalsWriting to Communicate & Produce Content: blog posts, articles, books Dan Harris’ book 10% HappierCal Newport’s book Deep WorkClay’s website and blog

015: Personal Branding for the Nonprofit Professional (Yvonne Levine)SUMMARYWhat is Personal Branding, and why is it important for you as a nonprofit professional?  That’s exactly what Yvonne Levine and I discussed in this episode of the Path.  Yvonne’s great coaching and consulting experience with different organizations - and their senior leaders - provides many useful take-aways for current and aspiring nonprofit leaders who want to engage in genuine activities to build their positive brand.   Among other things, we talk about when to begin crafting your personal brand, and the many things to consider beyond just your resume.  In addition to the digital elements of your brand, her advice certainly addresses the chances you’ll have to make presentations and speeches, and how to best maximize those opportunities. ABOUT YVONNEYvonne is the president and chief marketing consultant of YGL Enterprises, Inc. and is a results-driven marketer with over 25 years of experience in assisting professional services organizations, small and mid-sized businesses, and other community-related organizations in the development and execution of successful marketing strategies.  Her strengths include strategic planning, branding, content development, community partnerships, creative agency and vendor management, client surveys and focus groups, marketing communications, social media, project management, and corporate sponsorships.  Additionally, Yvonne believes in giving back to her community, where she has served on numerous boards and committees, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Carolina Raptor Center, GenerationNation, the Mecklenburg Livable Communities Initiative, and the Mecklenburg County Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service Committee. She is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte, Class 31, and a committed volunteer for the Charlotte Humane Society.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESGreat resources and writing at Yvonne’s Blog"A personal brand is a person’s perception of another person, primarily in a business context.""Whether you're a nonprofit or corporate leader, understanding your brand and what you have to offer greatly impacts your influence over others."Molly Barker, Girls on the Run"With the vastness of reach of social media today, you can't ignore that you have to take control of your brand early on.”“There’s a fundamental difference between bragging and clearly articulating one’s unique strength.”Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People

014: Finding Your Nonprofit Leadership Shadow (Will Sparks)SUMMARYWhat is your leadership shadow, and why should you worry about it?  That’s exactly what Dr. Will Sparks and I discuss on this episode of The Path.  He’s spent 20 years researching the characteristics of great leaders, and also the “shadow” side of their leadership styles which often hold them back in ways they’re not even aware.  Will and I explore the practical aspects of his studies, and how nonprofit leaders can amplify their positive qualities but – more importantly – identify specific ways to identify their shadow side and do something about it.   You’ll see how this can not only accelerate your journey on the leadership path, but also create a more dynamic and productive environment for your staff, board and volunteer colleagues.  ABOUT WILLWill Sparks is the Dennis Thompson Chair & Professor of Leadership at the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte, where he also serves as the Director of the Office of Leadership Initiatives. He serves as the Managing Director for William L. Sparks & Associates, LLC, a professional services firm founded in 1997 focused on leader and team development, personal transformation and change management. He has consulted with a variety of international organizations in the public and private sectors. He serves as a Director on the boards of the Dilworth Center in Charlotte, NC, and The Project Appraisal Methodology (PAM) Institute in Washington, DC.  He completed his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development from The George Washington University’s School of Business and Public Management, where his research focused on group dynamics, organizational culture, and leadership. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESText 362 260 to WILLSPARKS to receive free app with the ALP SurveyWill’s book Actualized LeadershipWill’s Ted Talk "The Power of Self Awareness"Cal Newport’s Deep WorkViktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for MeaningPeter Browning’s The Director’s ManualErich Fromm’s Escape from FreedomStephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Brene’ Brown’s Ted Talk The Power of Vulnerability

#013: Build A 2020 Personal Strategic Plan That Works (Patton McDowell)SummaryWhile the start of a new year often inspires well-intentioned efforts to put a new professional development plan in place, too often the result is a set of vague goals that don’t survive very far into the Spring season.  This episode offers multiple ways you can make your plan more actionable and productive for 2020 and beyond.  This is the third of three episodes in a year-end series that first covered the keys to an effective year-end review (episode #11) and then a second episode that recommended seven professional development books (episode #12) to add to your reading list. Listen to this episode to explore:1. How to effectively Sharpen Your Vision to provide the basis for your 2020 plan2. How to do a self-assessment and Map Your Course with clear milestones3. How to Get in Shape by establishing six routines and rituals These activities will get you beyond setting generalized annual goals, and help you put practical steps in place to accelerate Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.  Interested in a copy of the 10 skills and experiences assessment worksheet? Email me at pm@pattonmcdowell.com.  About PattonPrior to founding PMA Consulting in 2009, Patton served as Vice President for University Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte where he was responsible for all fundraising, communications, and alumni programs for the university.  Before Queens, Patton served as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the 16- campus UNC system.  He previously served as Program Director for Special Olympics North Carolina in Raleigh, following his tenure with Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C.  He is a native of Elizabeth City, NC, and received a bachelor’s degree in English Education from UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar.  He received his MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens, and his Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.  He is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a Master Trainer for AFP International, and a member of the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations.  Patton is a former board president of AFP Charlotte and served as the Chapter Representative on the AFP International Board.  He also serves as the Lead Faculty Member for the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership and both of its signature programs: New Development Director Training and Leadership Gift School.  Patton and his wife Cindy have three adult children.

#012: 7 Professional Development Books for Your 2020 Reading List (Patton McDowell)This is the second episode in a three-part series focused on an effective year-end review and an actionable personal strategic plan for the year ahead.  Many goal setting exercises include an effort to read more on professional development topics, and this episode recommends seven books that correspond with each “stop” on Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Listen to hear summaries of the following outstanding resources:1. As you Sharpen Your Vision, read Carol Dweck’s Mindset2. To help you Map Your Course, read Brian Moran’s The 12 Week Year3. As you Get in Shape, read Loehr & Schwartz’ The Power of Full Engagement 4. To better Curate Knowledge, read Cal Newport’s Deep Work5. To better Express Yourself, read Paul Smith's The 10 Stories Great Leaders Tell6. As you Build Community, read Susan Cain’s Quiet7. To Practice Leadership, read Marshall Goldsmith’s What Got You Here Won’t Get You ThereAbout PattonPrior to founding PMA Consulting in 2009, Patton served as Vice President for University Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte where he was responsible for all fundraising, communications, and alumni programs for the university.  Before Queens, Patton served as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the 16- campus UNC system. Patton is a former board president of AFP Charlotte and served as the Chapter Representative on the AFP International Board.  He also serves as the Lead Faculty Member for the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership and both of its signature programs: New Development Director Training and Leadership Gift School.  Patton and his wife Cindy have three adult children.