What do you do if your philanthropy organization needs to develop and nurture talent?

The first rule is to recognize people are people. Mentorship, career paths, etc. are important, but rarely does anyone leave because he or she did not have a good career path. That may be what they said, but likely not why they left. Treat people with basic human dignity and respect. When I was house counsel for an insurance company the "boss" bought pizza for us once a month. Everyone came to the break room, from the top guy to the custodian. We all interacted. We knew each other. The head guy sat next to you - and talked with you (not at you). Career paths took care of themselves. It is hard to leave when they treat you with respect and kindness. No amount of career training will keep someone who is only seen as a completer of tasks.

Firstly, establish mentorship programs pairing experienced staff with newcomers. Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge. Encourage collaboration and cross-functional teamwork to foster a culture of learning and innovation. Offer leadership development programs to cultivate future leaders within the organization. Additionally, create pathways for career advancement and recognize and reward employees' contributions. Continuously solicit feedback from staff to identify areas for improvement and tailor development initiatives accordingly. By investing in talent development, the organization can better achieve its philanthropic mission and sustain long-term impact.

Super concordo que adaptar os programas de treinamento para atender às necessidades exclusivas de cada organiza??o é o ponto chave. Isso demonstra uma compreens?o profunda de que n?o existe uma solu??o única para o desenvolvimento de talentos e que é essencial personalizar o treinamento para maximizar seu impacto.

Have an unselfish sense of territories and accomplishments. Teach new people your tricks. Older ones share ideas and techniques with younger members.

Acknowledge the trope about philanthropy and its “golden handcuffs.” Be open about the reality that a job in philanthropy can be part of a career and it may not be the bulk of someone’s career. Normalize talking about and supporting people to have career transitions.

I led an organization that did the same work as a co-located partner, for 60% of the pay. Morale was understandably awful when I started and we didn't have the financial resources to compete.Instead, I supported team members who had passions that were related to our mission. I helped them craft proposals, provided that they were willing to do the bulk of the leg work. If proposals were funded, they had the opportunity to take a leave from their regular job, to lead the new project. The strategy worked. Many of our team members participated and found new, previously unknown, career pathways. Our community also benefited with the development and delivery of a number of innovative projects.