How can you create a nonprofit leadership development program that meets your organization's unique needs?

Before engaging in a rigorous Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis of the whole organization (or a section/unit of it), I recommend taking time to have a strategic thinking session asking big questions about the organization. For example, who are we, what's our history, where do we want to go, how are we going to get there, what services can we provide that others cannot, are our mission, vision, values, and goals aligned with our capacity? Answering these questions will help to illuminate what leadership you have in place currently and what leadership you think you need to develop for the future. Then you can aquire data to inform and assess your needs for a leadership development program.

Before creating a leadership development program, the very first thing to do is brainstorm on the problem you want to address with such program, a form of series of surveys should be carried out to understand the needs of such program. for instance, questions like; are we focusing on a particular group? what is the end goal?, should we collaborate with other parastatal for an effective program?, Does this program aligns with our nonprofit visons and goals?. etc. These questions asked during brainstorming phase would determine the methodology and approach needed in the application of the project.

Sharing from my experience building a youth-led organization with more people who have more passion than capacity, I introduce learning programs that are considered fundamentals and cross-functional. Having conversations during interviews around their weaknesses also makes it easy to know areas each member was lacking. The trainings aren’t done specifically for a team because of the team size and occasions when members have to wear multiple hats. Secondly, in determining the learning needs of members, I educate members on the objectives of the organizations, our midterm goals, and the responsibilities of their roles in achieving the goals. Then I conduct a survey to know what capacity they need to build to function effectively.

A needs assessment is always improtant, but the types of things we focus on during that assessment matters. Often, our attention centers on gaps, but we also need to think about the vision we want to acheive and the strengths we bring. That's why instead of a SWOT analysis, I prefer to a SOAR framework that asks us to look at our Strengths, the Opportunities we see, our Aspirations for the future, and the Results that will tell us we've gotten there.

I always recommend that organizations begin with a needs analysis before launching a new training or development opportunity. Without speaking directly with our team to understand from their point of view what the opportunities are and where their leadership challenges lie, we miss a key step in diagnosis. And since great leadership always starts with diagnosis, it’s a must for effective leadership development.

Designing an experiential learning program is essential to growing effective leadership traits. Applying leadership theory to organizational practice is imperative in any development program. The program should be 'hands-on' and involve relationship building exercises with coworkers. Leadership development should be concentrated on the ability to inspire professional growth in the team and achieve organizational outcomes (measured through effectiveness, efficiency, increased capacity, etc.). Individualized training where you learn as much about yourself (your leadership styles and characteristics) is important to becoming an empathic and trustworthy leader that others want to follow.

In my organization, we have a year-long learning plan which includes a monthly virtual workshop that is practical and hands-on. And a physical 2-day retreat which has a training component and is conducted by professionals in the industry. For our retreat, I developed learning objectives for each session based on the capacity deficiencies of the team and shared it with the facilitators to serve as a guide in developing their training materials, and all our learning objectives were met. Understanding our organization’s goals influenced the objectives. We also have a resource database that contains recommended podcasts, newsletters, and links to external events to encourage self-paced capacity-building and industry-awareness.

There's a lot of leadership training models out there, but a lot of it gets too caught up in job titles and theories. My top pick is adaptive leadership because it's about jumping in and leading right now. Connect with your team, handle the tough stuff, make sure everyone's heard, understand risks, and try out new things. It's a model that can be applied immediately to any of your team’s most pressing leadership challenges.

In my experience, a curriculum should be flexible enough to allow room for changes and improvements. Sometimes what looks good on paper may fall short during implementation. The organization needs to be adaptive in order to develop an excellent curriculum that is most appropriate.

In my experience, delivery methods should be agile enough to meet the needs of the company. A hybrid design is more inclusive than all in person or online. One of the biggest single components that is a non-negotiable in creating true transformation is creating community within the cohort.

Third-party facilitators (individuals outside the organization, such as consultants and professors) are imperative to having a robust leadership development program because they can help the organization detect blindspots and maneuver around entrenchments. Facilitators should also be selected from within the organization and include representative stakeholders from every level (board, staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners). Selecting a broad array of internal and external participants and facilitators will not only impart wisdom, but most importantly will build trust, grow relationships, increase a sense of belonging, gain collaboration skills, and produce more outcome and goal-related 'buy-in' for everyone involved.

Outside facilitators are important, but you will need to take appropriate time to vet them. Many services "interview" well, ask for recorded sessions, get referrals from other clients, ensure that they are a good culture fit for your organization.

Most facilitators will provide a free discovery meeting. I highly recommend showing up with a wishlist of your ultimate outcomes. Try to built a candid list so you can set realistic expectations—let them know the tough stuff! Don’t forget to set a budget and be transparent about it. The right consultant will be transparent about their fees and likely recommend you out if your budgets don’t align. In my practice, I want to make sure clients understand the model I use for leadership development and my facilitation style. I also ask questions about specific ways the organization supports belonging and accessibility for their team to ensure I can offer my services with the most integrity.

Choosing the right facilitators will make or break your leadership program. They need to be invested in the outcome for each individual going through the program. To create investment on their part, you can train them, have them be part of the team that designs the curriculum, or put them through the program first. I highly encourage you to have more than one facilitator. Not all facilitators need to come from the industry and a mix of inside and outside experience is best. Additionally, include guest facilitators/trainers who are experts in a single topic.

In my experience it is always useful to have facilitators from both inside the organization as well as external experienced contributors who can offer fresh perspectives. People from outside the organization are unburdened by insider biases and can help participants come up with new ideas, which insiders might automatically dismiss as unrealistic, ‘too this or that’, supposedly not feasible for whatever reason. Even if those new ideas might not be a perfect fit, you can always think what barriers there are to realizing them, why they are there and whether or not they can be removed or overcome. In my opinion one of the most important resources are the participants themselves, it is vital to draw from their experience, needs and vision.

The most common things that leadership development programs leave out are application and follow-up. If we can’t practice what we’re learning, we won’t retain it. The same is true for leadership development. Leadership is an action and the best leadership trainings will provide in-class time to practice leadership. Finally, don’t forget to follow up! Check in with the team at pre-determined intervals to identify what support they might need and to share their recent wins.

Program implementation is also about completetion and accountability. Sometimes it takes a while to see the results you expect, sometimes you achieve different results than needed, and sometimes you are unsure of the results. Ensuring the success of the program starts with having the commitment and perseverance to see the program through to completetion. Additionally, those in charge of the program need to accept accountability before, during, and after the program. Mistakes will likely occur, disagreements will probably be had, and frustration and/or boredom of the later stages of a consequential program are all obstacles that can be expected during implementation. Maintaining a positive attitude throughout is essential for morale.

??Collective leadership is a model that emphasizes the shared responsibility and accountability of leaders across different levels, sectors, and backgrounds, to achieve a common goal or vision. Collective leadership development programs help nonprofit leaders cultivate the competencies and practices to work effectively in diverse and collaborative settings, such as building trust, communicating clearly, leveraging diversity, resolving conflicts, and facilitating change. Some examples of collective leadership development programs are the Collective Leadership Certificate Program, the Leadership Learning Community, and the Collective Impact Forum.

I agree with all of the statements above and I would suggest creating ample opportunities for the learners to provide feedback during the process. What this does is help the program to remain agile and not get stuffy and outdated. I also encourage the design and implementation team to have as many of the details of the program worked out as possible before launch. They should put themselves into the shoes of the learner and consider what information is needed for all types of adult learners. Above all, don’t make them guess what they need to do to prepare for the program or to achieve their desired results. Provide clear direction and bread crumbs along the way. Delight them whenever you can.

Having agreed-upon benchmarks with both qualitative and quantitative elements throught the program's planning and implementation stages will help set up a successful evaluation stage. Now it's time to see if the program worked as intended, and this is an often overlooked but essential part of the program. Here the organization learns what worked and what didn't and asks why and how to improve. Specific goals set against targets will help to have a data-informed assessment of the program. Data collection instruments should be specific in their quest to uncover how the program performed and why. Data should be gathered from all participants. Multiple people working on the evaluation can help ensure a fair and rigorous assessment.

Know what you want to accomplish going into your leadership program, have metrics that can measure it. Get feedback from those who participated and ensure you evaluate your program over the course of time also, not just the most recent.

While it’s important to have benchmarks to evaluate your program against, make sure you are not expecting immediate “results”. The ROI of investing in your team is their growth as people and professionals. This doesn’t always translate to the bottom line right away, but often will if enough runway is given to see the changes.

Evaluating a nonprofit leadership development program immediately after its conclusion is a common practice, yet it's crucial to recognize that the true impact may unfold over an extended period. Many participants may experience the benefits in the long term as they apply newly acquired skills and insights to their roles. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation strategy should include both short-term assessments and mechanisms for tracking sustained, positive outcomes over time.

In my experience, crafting a nonprofit leadership development program tailored to your organization's needs involves strategic collaborations. Engage a volunteer who perceives possibilities rather than challenges, injecting fresh perspectives into the program. Partnering with research-based institutions or incorporating internships enriches the curriculum, infusing it with practical knowledge. Consider corporate alliances, aligning the program with their goals and creating a symbiotic relationship that benefits both parties. Intentional partnerships can provide the program with strength, ensuring not only its relevance but also a lasting impact on aspiring leaders within your organization.

A successful leadership development programme is an ongoing process that evolves with the ever changing needs of an organisation. In ROE, the Non Profit I founded, there is stakeholder involvement where leadership and staff make input. We also include mentorship and coaching for hands on guidance and to enhance individual leadership capabilities as proficiency levels differ. Feedback loops are available too for continuous improvement.

As learning happens throughout the program, intentionally create space for participants to apply what they are learning in the program. I highly recommend identifying what soft skills leaders need right now to be successful in their roles. If possible, assess each learner to see what skills they possess and create intentional space for them to learn what they don’t possess. For example, communication is a highly underrated soft skill for leaders. This can be incorporated into the entire program. One skill that some people have and others don’t is empathy. Create a side group or intensive learning track to help them explore and develop this skill. Always, always, always be willing to tweak the program to meet needs of participants.

In my experience, the formal delivery of the leadership program is great, however it is made even better by personalized mentorship. The transformational leadership approach delivers great results for both the organization and the individuals being mentored. It takes time and patience to develop a good leader, organizations should be willing to invest time in individuals.