Leading a non-profit : A personal reflection

Recently a potential intern brought up some interesting questions during an interview for a placement at UNGCMYB. "What is the work culture like? Do we work late nights? Are you overworked?"

During the Eid break, I've had time to reflect on my working experience in the past 13 years: in an SME, an MNC, my own gig and now leading a non-profit. My latest adventure with UNGCMYB is now 2.5 years old, and has been the steepest and the best learning curve yet. In this time, from a financial perspective, annual funding grew >10x in year one and doubled in year two. In the talent department, the team has grown to 10 full timers vs when I first entered into the role.

In reflection, working for a non-profit has some unique parameters. Make or break requires:

Speak in the language of value

A non-profit need to be brave and unworried by difficult questions. Start by asking oneself: “what value does my organization bring in any equation?” If unable to answer, then strategize to be able to. If able to answer, continue to strategize to provide even more answers. Unlike business entities that can prosper looking at cost and quality equations, non-profits have only their value proposition as their unique selling point. The magic thing about value is that it automatically demystifies itself from complex targets and expectations. If you or your team can’t understand the value you bring, then rest assured neither will your external stakeholders.

By speaking in value, it immediately creates the mental models that governs how the organization will be run, the type of talent that is required and the commercial model to sustain the non-profit. It also helps to retarget output and impacts customized to the various stakeholder the non-profit is in existence to engage.

Passion over expertise

In my early days, I was constantly looking out for top talents. I was consistently frustrated that no one wanted to join, as we cannot possibly offer serious competition to much more attractive business compensation packages. If I did manage to convince the one or two to join, they didn't last too long as joining decision was due to the romanticization of the brand, not the work.

Then I switched to hiring on the basis as passion first, skills second. My learning is that when there is fire in the belly for sustainability, the expertise gap is made up by sheer will and willingness to learn. On the job skills can be learnt, but passion is the fuel to the "we can do it!" mindset.

In fact, now I receive pro-bono volunteering offers from exceptional talents due to passion.

Care for your financials

Altruism doesn't put food on the table. Running a non-profit is like any other organisation, there are bills to pay and bonuses requirement for morale building. I do not shy behind the fact that funding is critical to keep us operating and providing value that we crave to bring.

Non-profits must adopt a mentality to pay as well as they can, and reward good performance as often as possible. The fastest possible way to shared prosperity is by having a sustainable commercial model. I wear as a badge of honour, that we work hard to ensure full timers in the team earns a living wage as a minimum.

The other upside of a commercial lens is non-profits can screen potential partners better by understanding their profit motives in offering support or partnerships.

Trust or go bust

Managing via trust has kept me sane. Our recent quarter review showed 20+ key programs for the rest of the year, and with more in the pipeline. (My team keeps telling me to learn to say no, but old habits die hard haha). Not to mention the need to engage our 135 (and growing) membership pool nationwide.

The only way our small team can manage is by trusting each other to do what is needed and, more importantly, that the entire team is a safety net to each other if mistakes happen and help is needed. Nurture trust by enabling everyone their own level of decision-making authority and to make mistakes. Then quickly fix it when it happens.

It has taken 2 years to build a team that has "chemistry". And now when hiring for new roles, my key consideration is if the talent can fit into our trust first culture no matter how talented s/he is. I have learnt that 99% of times we are social and naturally helpful beings.

Being Key Results Areas focused

Being a small team, we can't afford to do KPIs. What we focus on instead are team focused performance areas, so each of us can envision and play a collective role in achieving it.?This must be cultivated by an active macro management approach, where time belongs to the individuals, but output is a cooperative. This also helps key decision making where the main criteria to satisfy, will be to achieve the "common good".

However, performance delivery must not be compromised, as it will affect the entire team. Stern action still needs to be taken to remedy constant issues. Active team briefings, bonding and interactive update sessions are critical to ensure active line of communication and creating an environment for each of us to empathize on pain points and offer help wherever possible.

Less networking, more friendships

A key learning for me is that non-profits should not be afraid to ask for help. In my younger days I had a mindset that I need no help to achieve, but after shifting to a "I need to help and be helped" mindset, I have met so many supporting parties who have done so much to help the growth of UNGCMYB. Of course, always bear in mind that reciprocity is key ingredient in any friendship and stand ready to help friends back in return as much as possible.

It is too costly for non-profits to be able to provide satisfactory response to the "what's in it for me" expectation that comes from asking help from networks. Time is also a limited resource so spend it as much possible to develop friends who share the same passion. For non-profits, social capital can be even more critical than financial capital. Spend the effort to nurture it and you are guaranteed to find friends along the way.

My fondest memories will always be off old and new made friends who continue to put in their time and resources to support us, despite knowing that we cannot provide commensurate levels of payments for their services.

Tak kenal, maka tak cinta (If you are not recognized, you can’t be appreciated)

Non-profits must be able to share their stories and work that they do. Active external communication will engage larger pool of stakeholders, partners and supporters that are critical for success. I have learnt that non-profit have an unfair advantage of “having a good cause” to attract support and help, however, if no one knows about you, then no energy can be channeled to any cause.

In my early days, when we posted for interns, we hardly got any response. Today we must spend some days to categorically sort out applications received from all over the world.

My quick conclusion, if you can confidently delegate your team members to respond to posed questions on your non-profit value or working style, then you are in safe ascent. Often times, their response can surprise you and leave you happier than any big fat bonus the business world can throw at you.