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Give Something Back

Help a Nonprofit Organization

HOW DOES IT FEEL to take charge of your own leadership development? Is your hard work paying off? What differences have you noticed? Better yet, what has your team noticed? How about your boss or your peers? If you’ve done your homework, you should feel good about the changes you’ve made; becoming a better leader gives you more confidence, and frankly, it simply feels good to be in touch with your advanced skills. Not only is it important to you, it’s great for your team and the company. When you improve, the team becomes more productive and the company builds more leadership capability. This is part of the implied employment contract: You work to improve your skills and the company benefits—it’s a case of a rising tide lifting all boats.

But you and the company both know that these new skills and behaviors are completely transportable. Even as the company invests time and money into your development, it knows that you will likely apply those skills elsewhere someday. You know that too, which is why you’ve taken charge of your own development. You can’t just sit around and wait for the company to develop you.

Another reason to develop your leadership skills has nothing to do with your job or your career but has everything to do with how you apply these new behaviors off the job, in other parts of your life. Hopefully, you’re using what you learn to fuel other passions. Maybe your improved leadership is rubbing off on the kids you’re coaching (those six-year-olds seem more engaged, right?). Maybe you’re stepping up and leading more effectively on the school board or church committee or in other corners of your life. With any luck, working on your leadership skills is even making you a better parent, spouse, and friend. You can lead in all kinds of situations—anywhere people come together to set goals, solve problems, and accomplish something together.

Here’s one more place to apply your new skills outside of the office: Put your leadership to work for a nonprofit group in your community. Whether you work for a large organization or a small company, you have skills that can be of great use to a local charity, foundation, or volunteer group. The experience of those who manage people, set strategy and lead change can be a real asset to these organizations. They need your help, and you could use the complementary leadership experience (it’s likely to be very different than your current role). Here are three ways you can contribute while developing yourself as a leader in a nontraditional setting.

Leverage Your Functional Skills

First, offer a nonprofit your services as a consultant (pro-bono, of course) or mentor in your functional area of expertise. If you’re an accountant, offer to review and assess the financial tools and procedures. If you’re an IT professional, offer your expertise in evaluating the group’s systems and making recommendations for upgrades, for example. Whether your field is marketing, operations, business development, HR, etc., look for ways to offer your functional or technical expertise to review current processes or design new ones. You can also serve as a coach or mentor to the incumbent or staff in your functional area. Determine knowledge or experience gaps and offer your advice and guidance (this is a great platform for practicing your mentoring skills). Whether you’re “doing” or “teaching” from a technical perspective, set specific boundaries or parameters for the project. Be clear about where help is required, how you can assist, and how long the engagement will last.

Put Your Leadership Skills to Work

Second, put your leadership skills to the test and offer to lead a program or campaign. Nonprofit groups are eager for volunteers to help organize and lead funding campaigns, pledge drives, charity events, and other functions. This is another great way for you to practice your strategy, planning, and organizing skills. Sure, you can command a bunch of people who report to you at work, but can you influence and earn the trust of volunteers with whom you who don’t have a formal reporting relationship? The challenges are different, and whereas you may use many of the same management techniques, this process will stretch you in ways you wouldn’t be stretched on the job. How are you at juggling deadlines and multiple personalities? How are you at dealing with the public? What’s it like to take on responsibility for something that is a little bit beyond your control? How about getting the job done with limited resources? OK, so you’re familiar with that last one! The point is that lending your leadership talents to the challenges of a nonprofit campaign provides you with rich experiences unlike those you face back on the job. For starters, the stakes are usually high; fail to raise enough money and the organization’s future may be at risk (do you have that much control over whether your company stays in business?). Also there’s an emotional commitment that you naturally feel from being part of something so important. What can you learn from the engaged and passionate staff? What will you take away from this experience that you can apply back on the job?

Finally, you might be able to serve in an even larger capacity by taking a seat on the group’s board of directors. Your strategy and leadership skills would be particularly useful at this level, especially if you have senior leadership team experience. Serving as a board member puts you in touch with a wide variety of executives and public officials that you probably wouldn’t otherwise meet; builds your skills in shaping policy and strategy; and exposes you to budgeting, regulatory, and social challenges uncommon in your day job. It’s a very rewarding experience that every leader should try at least once.

Decide to Make a Difference

At this point, I hope you’re thinking: “You know, I’ve always wanted to do this. How do I get started?” Well, I’m glad you asked, because the very act of getting involved is development in its own right. First, get in touch with your own passions: What would get you excited about putting in extra time for a mission-driven cause? What organizations are doing work that gets you energized? Next, search online for local charities, nonprofits, or volunteer groups, and do your homework. There’s bound to be several nonprofit groups in your area that can fulfill your enthusiasm for getting involved. Finally, contact them and go in for a visit. Ask to meet with the executive director, describe what you can contribute, and see what happens. Don’t be shy about sharing your expertise and how you’d like to lend a hand. At the same time, be open to starting out as a volunteer; the group members may need to get to know you before they invite you into a consulting or leadership role.

When you connect with a nonprofit organization that matches your passion, not only do you build new skills and apply your leadership talents in a different venue, but you also gain experience and the reward of giving back to the community. And that might be the biggest gift of all—one that you give yourself.

Bootstrap Takeaways

Help a Nonprofit Organization

1. When you decide to do this, jump in with both feet. This takes commitment and dedication, but the rewards are worth it.

2. Figure out what moves you: What are your passions? How can you best help your local charity or nonprofit?

3. Determine how you can make the greatest contribution, and volunteer your skills for a good cause—the experience will make you a better leader.