Use mission-driven leadership to create dramatic growth at your nonprofit
In The Five Truths for Transformational Leaders: How Nonprofit Organizations Thrive, Grow, and Make a Profound Difference, former Chief Strategy Officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Ed Mishrell, delivers an insightful and practical discussion of how to achieve extraordinary results when leading nonprofit organizations. The author explains how to use your organization’s mission as your north star and build an exciting, growing, and thriving nonprofit.
You’ll benefit from the book’s step-by-step guidance and advice as it outlines the five key principles of mission-driven leadership. You’ll also discover incisive quotes and observations from board members and staff leaders at fast-growing nonprofit organizations you can apply to your own nonprofit for immediate results.
The book also offers:
- Strategies for eliminating or repairing ineffective systems and practices that are holding your organization back
- Techniques for centering your nonprofit’s mission in everything it does
- Ways to build - and execute - a mission-driven strategy
A start-to-finish blueprint for exceptional, growth-oriented nonprofit leadership, The Five Truths for Transformational Leaders will revolutionize the work of every nonprofit board member, manager, and leader who reads it.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Foreword xiii
Introduction: The Origin of the Five Truths for Transformational Leaders 1
Chapter Organization 6
Background Information: The Community Centers of Mission City 7
1 Truth 1: Be Fanatical About Mission 9
Community Centers of Mission City: Board Meeting Summary 10
Three Reasons for a Fanatical Believe in Mission 16
Questions and Thoughts for Aspiring 19
Community Centers of Mission City Board Meeting One Month Later 19
Mission-Driven CPOs 22
My Mission Origin Story 23
Notes for Board Members 24
Resource Center for Truth 1 27
2 Truth 2: Fix, Stabilize, or Replace Systems, Practices, and People Who Are Not Working 29
Helen’s First Board Meeting as CPO 30
Fix and Stabilize Systems and Practices 33
Make Needed People Changes 38
Two Weeks After Helen’s First Board Meeting 40
Ruthless Leadership? 45
Community Centers of Mission City Emergency Board Meeting One Week Later 46
Caution: Solving Problems Can Be Addictive 48
Summary 49
Notes to Board Members 50
Resource Center for Truth 2 51
3 Truth 3: Establish a Mission-Driven Strategy 53
Six Months Later: Community Centers of Mission City Board Retreat 54
A Mission-Driven Strategy 57
Keeping a Mission Focus 63
Hiring Mistakes 71
On-the-Job Orientation and Training 72
Community Centers of Mission City Measurement Plan 78
Measurement Resistance 80
Operating Versus Restricted Funding 86
Community Centers of Mission City Board Meeting One Month After Board Retreat 87
Community Centers of Mission City Strategy Overview 87
Summary 90
Notes for Board Members 91
Resource Center for Truth 3 99
4 Truth 4: Execution Drives Results 101
Community Center of Mission City One Year Later 104
Relentlessly Communicate Strategy at Every Opportunity 106
Focus on What Is Most Important 109
Strategic Planning Committee Meeting to Review Operating Plan for Coming Year 109
Establish an Annual Plan with Clear Priorities, Targets, and Progress Measures 112
Community Centers of Mission City Annual Operating Plan 116
Execute the Plan 118
Ends Versus Means Goals 122
Summary 123
Notes for Board Members 124
Resource Center for Truth 4 124
5 Truth 5: Continue to Grow as a Leader 125
Let’s Start at the Beginning 126
My Leadership Journey 127
Community Centers of Mission City: Three Years Later 131
Leadership Changes 134
Four Keys to Continuously Growing as a Leader 135
Nurturing a Growth Mindset 138
Gender Differences? 140
Continue to Learn 142
Some Leaders Have a Specialty 144
Executivitis 147
Summary 147
Notes for Board Members 148
What About Succession Planning? 151
Resource Center for Truth 5 152
6 The Road Ahead: Trends and Challenges That Will Shape the Future 153
Community Centers of Mission City: Six Years Later 154
Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities 155
What Will Be Required of Leaders? 166
Developing the Next Generation of Leaders 173
Final Thoughts 174
Notes for Board Members 175
Resource Center for The Road Ahead 176
Resource Center 177
References 219
About the Author 223
Index 225
