Boards: Engaging the Next Generation

Emily Davis from EDA Consulting had a great post awhile back on recruiting emerging leaders for your board. As I thought about this, I realized that the board I sit on, for a local food Co-op (which is not a nonprofit, but similar), is already there. We are young business owners, young nonprofit professionals, and young community leaders, as well as experienced community organizers, professors, and business-people, and others with a long and varied history to draw from. 

Why?

Well, Emily provides a great list in her post.  I would add:

• Young people will give you an entry into a new, and likely highly engaged community of new supporters.  
  
• Emerging leaders can help provide a bridge to understanding their generation and how it thinks, what it cares about, and what it is looking for in a cause
• On that same note, young people can help an organization engage new constituents through tools, namely social media.

In addition to the organizations Emily lists, take a look at the other nonprofits in your field.  Are there young emerging leaders in those organizations that you have worked with and could approach about serving on your board?  Ask your colleague's if they have any bright, shining stars that might be interested.  

Its also a great way for an organization that cannot afford to promote their younger workers to encourage and support their development through introductions to leadership opportunities outside of work, such as serving on a board.

The (Young) Face of Community Forestry

I just came back from a fabulous three-day workshop that brought together leaders and practitioners in the field of community forestry and collaboration. It was actually a workshop that my foundation puts on every year. This was my second time organizing it, and I really put my heart into it--its one of the highlights of my job--bringing all of these small grassroots groups together from across the country to share their successes, challenges, lessons and passion.

And you know what? A lot of these people look a lot like me. They are young, passionate, energetic, forward thinking and innovative. They are working in rural communities, alongside their neighbors, friends and enemies to improve not only their local natural resources, but their community and economy, too. More importantly, they are making it possible for the next generation to lead a meaningful life connected to the land and community in a way that values their heritage and traditions.

But even better, they did not all look like me. They were young, old, liberal, conservative, loud and quiet. And I am honored to be working in the same field with these inspiring leaders.

Not the "L" Word Again

No, I am not referring to the drama series on Showtime. I have been a bit redundant in my last few posts, so I am swearing to not talk about the "l" word for awhile.

What I want to talk about is technology. Nonprofits have been slow on the uptake when it comes to technology. I would argue that Conservation groups have been even slower. Here in Missoula and in many cities around the country are groups called 501 Tech Clubs (as in 501c3). These clubs are local chapters or affinity groups of the Nonprofit Technology Network. Whose mission is:

NTEN aspires to a world where all nonprofit organizations skillfully and confidently use technology to meet community needs and fulfill their missions.

We are the membership organization of nonprofit technology professionals. Our members share the common goal of helping nonprofits use all aspects of technology more effectively.

We believe that technology allows nonprofits to work with greater social impact. We enable our members to strategically use technology to make the world a better, just, and equitable place.

NTEN facilitates the exchange of knowledge and information within our community. We connect our members to each other, provide professional development opportunities, educate our constituency on issues of technology use in nonprofits, and spearhead groundbreaking research, advocacy, and education on technology issues affecting our entire community.

At my organization, I hear the comment a lot that "our grantees and partners don't use technology, they are too rural, they spend too much time in the woods" etc. And I remind them, not all community-forestry practitioners are your age any more (i.e. in their 40s or older). There are lots of young people getting involved in this field and they are undoubtedly using blogs and RSS feeds and other web-based services to find information.

I think my organization is doing a great job in moving past the "grantmakers only give money" typology by integrating non-monetary technical assistance such as referrals, coaching, mentoring, peer learning teleconferences, etc. We are even trying to begin offering podcasts and blogs.

But we also have a ways to go. Like many nonprofits, we don't have the ability to hire someone to take explore and create New Media and Social Networking opportunities--it could be a full-time job. IN fact at Meyer Memmorial Trust, it is! They have done an outstanding job (and service) to the philanthropic and nonprofit field through the development of their networking and information sharing technology called Connec+ipedia. I would encourage everyone reading this blog to check out the Connec+ipedia website and share your knowledge and resources with the community.

How are you and/or your organization using new media tools?

Next Generation Conservation Leaders

My hat goes off to Dale Hall, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for his article on developing the next generation of conservation leaders:

Read the letter here.

His comments are right on, and if I could, I would challenge Gail Kimbell (Chief, US Forest Service), Mark Tarcek (CEO, The Nature Conservancy) and Carter Roberts (CEO, World Wildlife Fund) to tell us what they are doing to support the next generation.

What would you ask our agency and conservation leaders if you had the chance?

How do you know when you're a leader?

This may seem like an obvious question. The easy answer is: you're a leader when your title has the word "director" in it, like Executive Director. Or, you are a leader when there is no one else above you in the organizational chart.

But sometimes, "directors" don't know how to lead and middle managers (which I think of as Program Associates and Coordinators, but could also be a Director who isn't given the authority to lead) are taking on big projects and inspiring others. Yet, it's hard to feel like a leader sometimes when you are not given the title or authority (or credit). I find it easy to slip into negative thinking about this situation and the feeling that I just keep hitting walls.

At this point, I don't have answers to these questions, but here are some great insights from a few of my favorite bloggers:

You Don't Need a Title to Lead
Young Nonprofit Professionals Need to Keep it Real
The Generational Divide At Work
Ready To Lead

If you haven't read the report the last link refer's to, do it now. Its very informative, and truthfully, helped me to not feel so alone in these battles.

Leadership for the Long Haul

The National Network of Forest Practitioners is offering a 7-month leadership training for existing and emerging leaders and I am madly scheming how to get myself there. The cost is not cheap, especially if you are trying to fly out of small town Montana, but the format looks great:

Initial Session: A 3-day session to introduce participants to the fundamentals of Leadership with Emotional Intelligence, Purpose and Vision and provide an opportunity for participants to gain a full understanding of program resources, build a network, and form peer learning groups.

Bi-Weekly Assignments: Research shows that many of the skills needed for leadership are developed in the limbic areas of the brain and are therefore best learned through motivation, extended practice, repetition and feedback. The more parts of our lives that we can identify as relevant to our leadership learning goals, the more chances to practice. Being mindful of learning opportunities when they arise and spontaneously seizing them as a way to practice new abilities offer one way to improve quickly.

Five Monthly one-on-one coaching calls with an Executive Coach: Coaching will focus on specific issues as identified by the participant and on the adaptation and application of learning gained through the other project activities.

Five Monthly Peer Learning Calls: Once a month, participants will join 2-3 of their fellow participants as established during the launch event. In addition to learning from each other, project fellows learn with each other through discussion of readings, and individual and shared reflection. It is anticipated that the calls will foster continuity, applied learning, and peer networks program participants can call upon.

Second Session and Reflection: This two and a half-day session will focus on Leadership Renewal. As renewal is a need of both new and seasoned leaders, a limited number of seasoned leaders will join the group for this event, thereby also facilitating learning across generations. There will also be an opportunity for participants to evaluate the program and make recommendations. This session will precede the 2009 NNFP Annual Meeting in Arkansas.

Training sessions at the Annual NNFP Membership Meeting: Up to four sessions focusing on Leadership for Resilient Organizations will be offered. This will create an opportunity for program participants and individuals from the general membership to participate.

The big question is: how do I sell this to my superior(s)? I have had only marginal success in the past and am trying to view this as my next stretch assignment: making a case to my E.D. (who makes me really nervous!). I know he will want to know how it will benefit the organization, and I need to be well prepared to answer that question. I also know that I will need to negotiate how much my organization will cover and what I am willing to chip in.

I recently had a conversation with a seasoned professional and colleague who said that when he and his wife were working professional jobs that didn't support their professional development, they made a commitment to set aside 10% of their meager salary to invest in themselves. If we don't take care of ourselves, who will, right? But, we also need to be able to ask for those things we want and give others the opportunity to hear us and decide whether to support us or not.

That is why I will be sitting down with my E.D. in the next two weeks to have a heart to heart about my skills, my potential and my career goals (which are not to stay an Associate forever!)

What "Leading from the Middle" Means to Me

In my last post, I asked readers what "leading from the middle" means to them. In my professional life so far, this has meant taking on projects. Not just the ones needing to be done, but taking initiative and developing new projects or ideas/proposals to present to my "team".

At the same time, I have been very hesitant to take on projects that go beyond my "team" and would benefit the organization as a whole and go beyond my expertise (such as fundraising and membership). Yet, if I want to make an impression on the Executive Director, this is the scale I would have to reach and the kind of leadership I would have to demonstrate to be considered for a higher position. I find this very daunting. I have been inspired, though, by the writings of Rosetta Thurman on her blog Perspectives from the Pipeline. Specifically, I would recommend readers check out the following post on Stretch Assignments.

I also began serving on the board of a local food co-op. While it is not technically a nonprofit, much of the work is similar and it is providing a great place for me to meet new people outside of my field at work and gain new skills. Interestingly, I did not run for the board because I thought it would be a 'stretch assignment' but because I just saw everyone I knew with a professional nonprofit job sitting on a board of some kind. There is a place for copying others and learning later.

What kinds of things are you doing to "stretch" yourself?

Rural Youth and the National Rural Assembly

The newsletter of the National Network of Forest Practitioners (NNFP) just came out with an article covering the National Rural Assembly. Not only did they send their intern to this national convening, but there was apparently an entire contingent of youth presenting on Youth Voices: Youth Response to the Rural Compact. As far as I can tell, proceedings have not been published yet; following is an excerpt from Jessica Turner's article:

My favorite part of the entire conference was ‘Youth Voice,’ which was a session that focused on young adults’ concerns for their communities. This was my generation demanding that rural people have the same advantages given to other members in society. The voices of Arthur Joe Jr. from Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, Jacqueline Smith from Marks, Mississippi, Gabriela Torres from Edcouch, Texas, and Brittany Hunsaker from Whitesburg, Kentucky, spoke with a unified message of the need for sustainable development of rural areas where the health of the people, community and the land are all priorities.

Each youth showed a short documentary film that they produced and answered questions from the audience afterward. Watching Brittany Hunsaker’s documentary about coal mining in Kentucky was heart-wrenching because it showed that coal mining affects every aspect of the rural community. When they all finished speaking, they were met with a standing ovation. My generation has the arduous task of continuing the momentum for change and justice in response to our country’s needs. It was encouraging to be in the presence of today’s leaders, showing such support for the next generation.

As a young professional stuggling to find opportunities to develop skills and leadership-to "lead from the middle"-I am encouraged by organizations that provide opportunities for younger (read: non-executive level) staff to attend national and regional convenings around such important issues. In my experience nonprofits, in their constant struggle to make new connections with funders and other people of influence, tend to capitalize on these events by sending high-level staff that can speak for and represent the organization.

However, in our (young professionals) effort to gain the skills we need, access to information, ideas and others in our field are crucial and the building blocks to becoming leaders and experts in our field.

What does "leading from the middle" mean to you?

For more about "leading from the middle" see Trista Harris's guide on her website Do Good Guides.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

First, I would like to give due credit to Trista Harris, primary author of the trend-setting blog New Voices of Philanthropy, and from whom I have borrowed the name.  My hope for this blog is to take the inspiration gained from Trista's blog (and others) and begin a conversation about next generation of Conservation Leaders and the change we want to see in the field, in our work and in the world.

The dialogue that exists around the leadership deficit and the needs of next generation leaders is compelling.  Unfortunately, the conversation doesn't seem to have reached the conservation community.  

What are we, in the conservation field, doing to nurture and support our next generation of leaders?