Learn six tips to enhance your leadership skills for non-profit program development. Find out how to assess, learn, adapt, develop, seek, and celebrate your leadership style.

Perhaps more present today in the nonprofit world than in the past is the desire for stability, certainty, simplicity, and clarity. Unfortunately, the world is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). Some nonprofit leaders think they "fix" all this VUCA. That's a big mistake because the activity generated to do so usually exhausts them. Leading in the nonprofit world takes courage and compassion. It requires courage to engage with people and circumstances without stability, certainty, simplicity, and clarity. It also requires compassion for yourself and others when things do not go your way.

What do you do if your leadership style is not effective in non-profit program development?

As a non-profit program developer, you need to lead your team and stakeholders towards a common vision and goal. But what if your leadership style is not working well with the people you work with? How can you adapt and improve your leadership skills to suit the needs and expectations of your non-profit program? Here are some tips to help you.

1 Assess your leadership style

The first step is to understand your own leadership style and how it affects your program development. There are many frameworks and tools to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, such as the DISC, Myers-Briggs, or the Leadership Practices Inventory. You can also ask for feedback from your team, peers, and mentors to get a more objective perspective on your leadership performance. By assessing your leadership style, you can recognize the areas where you need to improve and the areas where you excel.

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Robert English III

Leadership Development and Human Behavior Consultant * Six Working Geniuses Certified
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Assessing your own leadership and personality style is critical and the first step. Then you need to understand the personality styles of the people you lead. This will allow you to adapt their styles and more effectively lead them. I once led an organization with many engineers and technicians who were primarily reserved and task oriented. My style is of an outgoing people person. I had to adapt the way I communicated with them and led them by tamping down the energy a bit, giving them more information, and allowing them more time to digest and process information before making decisions.

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Tim Domini

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others" Booker T Washington
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I am a CFO with an untraditional CFO personality - once I understood that many folks expected a different sort of person in the numbers room I knew I had to demonstrate that I had the numbers chops and could work with an approachable demeanor - as I grew the advantages of working as my true self outwieghed the expectations of the consumers - and yes - nice guys can so no.

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Bojan Pavlovic

Data | Research | Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning | Workflow Automation | Digital Transformation
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I actively research how admired nonprofit executives balanced ambition with care for people using empathy and vulnerability. Their wisdom on servant leadership guided my evolution beyond transactional dynamics.

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2 Learn from other leaders

The second step is to learn from other leaders who have successfully developed and managed non-profit programs. You can find examples of inspiring and effective leaders in your field, sector, or network, and study their strategies, approaches, and behaviors. You can also seek opportunities to connect with them and ask for their advice, insights, and guidance. By learning from other leaders, you can gain new ideas, perspectives, and skills that can enhance your own leadership style.

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Tim Domini

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others" Booker T Washington
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Keeping an open mind to new ways to present information and process data has saved my career many times. This ability has been from taking feedback from superiors to google research to participating in Webinars - always be open to new approaches.

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3 Adapt to different situations

The third step is to adapt your leadership style to different situations and contexts that you encounter in your non-profit program development. You need to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs, challenges, and opportunities of your program, team, and stakeholders. You need to adjust your communication, decision-making, and problem-solving methods according to the situation at hand. You need to balance your vision and direction with the input and feedback of others. By adapting to different situations, you can increase your effectiveness and efficiency as a leader.

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Bojan Pavlovic

Data | Research | Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning | Workflow Automation | Digital Transformation
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Growth requires behavioral flexibility appropriate for the circumstance from directive vision-setting to collaborative conflict mediation. Expanding my repertoire to match contexts enables impact.

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4 Develop your emotional intelligence

The fourth step is to develop your emotional intelligence, which is the ability to understand and manage your own and others' emotions. Emotional intelligence is crucial for non-profit program development, as it involves working with diverse and complex people and issues. You need to be aware of your own emotions and how they affect your leadership style. You need to be empathetic and respectful of the emotions of your team and stakeholders. You need to be able to express and regulate your emotions in constructive ways. By developing your emotional intelligence, you can improve your relationships and collaboration as a leader.

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Tim Domini

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others" Booker T Washington
(edited)
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I was embarassingly green and awkward early in my professional career, eager to fit in I went outside the lines in many ways. The best teacher is experience, the best managers have gravitas from experiences - life has given me empathy, restraint, and emotional stability. Naturally a collaborator and sharer these traits became me being a mentor and coach.

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5 Seek feedback and improvement

The fifth step is to seek feedback and improvement on your leadership style on a regular basis. You need to be open and willing to learn from your successes and failures as a leader. You need to solicit and accept constructive feedback from your team, peers, mentors, and evaluators. You need to reflect on your actions and outcomes and identify the areas where you can improve. You need to set goals and action plans for your leadership development and monitor your progress. By seeking feedback and improvement, you can grow and evolve as a leader.

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Tim Domini

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others" Booker T Washington
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Best three day seminar I ever took - how to give and take feedback - I live it - seek it - do it. To be a great team member and you need the feedback from your 360 degree of colleagues to be the most effective you can be.

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6 Celebrate your achievements

The sixth step is to celebrate your achievements and the achievements of your team and stakeholders as a result of your leadership style. You need to recognize and appreciate the efforts and contributions of everyone involved in your non-profit program development. You need to share and celebrate the positive impacts and outcomes of your program. You need to acknowledge and reward yourself and others for the hard work and dedication. By celebrating your achievements, you can boost your morale and motivation as a leader.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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David Langiulli

10+ years Coaching 100s of Executives at Harvard, UNICEF, Yale, USO, Princeton, & More | Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Black Belt | 6x Published Author
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Perhaps more present today in the nonprofit world than in the past is the desire for stability, certainty, simplicity, and clarity. Unfortunately, the world is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). Some nonprofit leaders think they "fix" all this VUCA. That's a big mistake because the activity generated to do so usually exhausts them. Leading in the nonprofit world takes courage and compassion. It requires courage to engage with people and circumstances without stability, certainty, simplicity, and clarity. It also requires compassion for yourself and others when things do not go your way.

Like

What do you do if your leadership style is not effective in non-profit program development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your leadership style

2 Learn from other leaders

3 Adapt to different situations

4 Develop your emotional intelligence

5 Seek feedback and improvement

6 Celebrate your achievements

7 Here’s what else to consider

Non-profit Program Development

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What do you do if your leadership style is not effective in non-profit program development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your leadership style

2 Learn from other leaders

3 Adapt to different situations

4 Develop your emotional intelligence

5 Seek feedback and improvement

6 Celebrate your achievements

7 Here’s what else to consider

Non-profit Program Development

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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