Nonprofit Leadership 101: People

There are six things a nonprofit leader must focus on. First is purpose, the core reason any enterprise exists (see last week’s post). But once that and the related markers of progress are clear, the leader's primary attention must go to people. A discussion on the remaining four (Policies, Products, Priorities and Profitability) will follow in subsequent weeks.

Statements about valuing people are popular, but what does it mean in practice? Beyond the slogans on websites, a priority on people means adopting an attitude that leads to curiosity about individuals.?

Many of us have quipped that this organization would be great if not for the people. We are tempted to that sentiment in moments of frustration when people are being challenging; when they are acting out of fear, jealousy or other destabilizing motivations. The frustration is understandable, but it is the opposite of the attitude needed as a leader.

To value people is to embrace even irritating moments as opportunities to understand and invest in others. Remember your team is as tempted as you to think that their own job would be great if not for you :) We all struggle to live by the better angels of our nature.?So the first stop in adopting a people forward attitude is humility. We are all human; leaders too.?

I hear the objection. I’ve had it as well. Yes, you have a goal to achieve. Yes, harmful employee behavior has to be addressed. Yes, people sometimes are not a good fit for the work. But until the leader begins from a place as a co-human with others, they will be tempted to treat people only as problems to be solved.?

“Problem-ification” is what I call this attitude that turns a human into something less in order to solve a perceived problem. For example, your employee is consistently snarky and highlighting only the negatives to every outcome. Problem-ification is turning them into a caricature and slowly ceasing to listen to anything they have to say. You’ve made them THE problem, devalued their contribution and set up scenario where your perception of their performance is unassailable. When they become THE problem, the customary response is to solve it by getting rid of them. Problem-ification leads to devaluation.?

To value people as an animating attitude is to resist this process. When the person is snarky, let it first spark in you curiosity, rather than judgement. Why are they saying this? Where is this coming from? Are they seeing things from a perspective that I don’t understand? Instead of the annoyance producing immediate resentment, push to ask the questions to unearth the origin of the behavior.?I once had a team member who was much like the scenario I described above.?When I sat down with them in curiosity, rather than condemnation, I learned that there were serious issues in their home life. Knowing that created a very different structure for understanding and addressing the situation.?

Valuing people is hard work, but the result is a team that likewise begins to value one another and others. As people are genuinely heard and understood, they bring their best selves to the work. This steadily builds a united, collaborative team. Margaret Mead once remarked that “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”? Your team can be that unstoppable force when you shift your attitude to truly value them.