How can you gain exposure to different areas of nonprofit leadership?

One of the best things I did was seek a mentor. She was external to the organization and she was such a rock as my career was leveling up. We would meet quarterly for lunch and at some point we just became really close friends. I miss having this in my life. Anyone can use a mentor. ??

Gaining exposure to leadership depends on the size of your nonprofit. Generally, my advice is to take initiative, ask to be in the room where discussions are had and decisions are made and offer ideas and solutions with a bold, humbled attitude. Put your passion to work! Small orgs: Try on all the hats! Sign up to help with tasks that you may not be experienced in. Your attitude speaks volumes. Large orgs: If there are budget or resources for continuous learning, take those opportunities! For example, The Nature Conservancy offers employees free training from LinkedIn, Rutgers U. and other sources through our advanced intranet system. This includes leadership topics or the skills or knowledge needed to advance your career.

To gain critical exposure in nonprofit leadership, particularly in complex humanitarian settings, focus on the following top three strategies: Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engaging with multiple departments enhances your breadth of understanding, fostering innovative solutions to address complex challenges. Mentorship and Reverse Mentorship: These relationships offer fresh insights and different perspectives that are crucial for holistic leadership growth. Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing metrics to evaluate your initiatives aligns with the UN's goals of transparency and accountability, making you a more effective leader.

I joined the Association of Fundraising professionals and it has completely changed the way I feel about my career choice. The support, networking, and education has helped me grow as a fundraiser. I’m so thankful and encourage anyone else to look into their local chapter!

An example of this network might be a local chamber of commerce or small business group. In certain sectors, not for profits attend professional organization meetings in order to build volunteer and donor base. By attending similar meetings, you may be able to begin networking with other not for profit leaders. If such meetings do not prove fruitful, reach out to peers and leaders in other sectors and ask to take them to lunch or coffee.

Really show up to your volunteer job or internship! Demonstrate responsibility, leadership, and dedication. Your hard work could turn into a full-time role at that organization.

Workshops, podcasts, and Ted talks have been massively successful for me. Beyond that connecting with my fellow fundraisers to talk about trends or just to be a support to others as been wonderful.

Podcasts are usually free, so they're a great way to learn leadership skills! My favorite nonprofit podcasts are We are For Good, Nonprofits are Messy, and Missions to Movements. Consider business podcast like How We Built This, too

Make time to have conversations with peer and leaders in different areas of nonprofit work. Ask friends and colleagues if there's anyone they can connect you with to learn more. Creating connections with and through the folks you already know is a great way to build your knowledge and meaningful relationships.

Identify leaders in your own organization you'd like to cross-train with/shadow. You can also gain interesting insight from within.

Conferences tailored to your specific sub-sector are a great way to connect with like-minded folks outside of your usual circle.