Ten Common Experiences of New Nonprofit Leaders

The following list was compiled based on my personal experiences and those of peers. It’s biased, but still valuable. New nonprofit leaders might not experience all of the following, but at least a few of these cautions will be relevant, even if only in hindsight. Whether you’re stepping in to the nonprofit leadership scene for the first time or joining a new organization mid-career, there is wisdom in being prepared. 

1) You’ll be informed of anything and everything that has ever bothered anyone. 

There’s a new sheriff in town and many will hope that you address things previously overlooked. Whether it’s the brand of copy paper in the printer or the frequency of volunteer newsletters, each and every matter that has ever bugged anyone will be brought to you…with urgency. Whether softened with “I’m so glad you are here to fix this!” or presented as a threat to the existence of the public sector, each matter will be considered urgent by the person presenting it. You’ll have to decide whether it truly is and if not, does it even warrant your attention? 

It’s always important to hear people out, but if your predecessor didn’t take action, perhaps there was a reason. Chances are you can noodle on these items for a month or two or three in order to make an informed decision.

 

2) Your leadership will be tested…and you might fail. 

Someone thinks you’re unqualified for your new role. I guarantee it. There’s a nay-sayer in each hiring situation. They may bait you in board meetings or simply ask you for opinions on institutional matters you’re not oriented enough to address yet. There’s a decent chance you’re not going to pass their tests, too. How could you? You just arrived.

Nay-sayers can be won over, but if they can’t, they usually self-select out due to frustration. Try to demonstrate patience and gratitude for them preparing you for what you’ll eventually need to know. Whatever their tactic, exhaust their energies with positivity. So what if you don’t have the answer yet? You will soon.

 

3) You’ll feel judgy.

How could they have done it this way for so long??? Don’t they know any better??? Well, no, probably not. That’s why they hired you! Try to resist feelings of superiority and the urge to be a “know-it-all.” The Biblical truth holds true in new employment situations: the measure in which you judge others will be used to measure you. 

Rather than fostering a culture of critique and criticism, try to create a culture of innovation by always asking, “Can we make this better?” 

 

4) You’ll try to find allies, and allies will try to find you.

To quote Anton Ego, famed antagonist in the Disney film Ratatouille (a family favorite at my house): The new needs friends.

It’s lonely at the top, and never quite so much as upon arrival. No matter how fantastic your new organization’s onboarding system is, you’ll likely feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep-end.  A friendly face or kind word can and will go a long way toward your security and comfort in the new role. Be cautious, though. Solid colleague relationships usually involve ‘iron sharpening iron,’ so if your new buddies nod in unison more than they challenge or provide unbiased insight, you may want to take a step back. As mentioned in #1, a new leader can be seen as an opportunity to move a previously unaddressed agenda forward or save a sinking ship. 

 

5) You’ll want to change something…big. 

It’s hard to feel at home until some part of the place resembles you. Someone else’s office chair. A former executive’s filing system. A style of team meetings that you never would have chosen. A powerful combination of fresh eyes, personal taste, and different lived experiences will wake you up at 3am with an insatiable appetite to start the day. Enjoy it, embrace it, but don’t overdo it. (you’ll read why in #9). 

The biggest thing you’ll be tempted to change is the culture and, unfortunately, to do so safely takes time. Modest tweaks can lead to big gains so long as your focus remains as much on your team and mission as those 3AM epiphanies about how it should have always been done differently. Demonstrate responsibility and restraint by kicking off your new nonprofit leadership with a strategic plan that involves your team and board. 

 

6) There will be a honeymoon period.

“Move fast and break things,” was the early motto of Facebook, and in the years following the platform’s massive growth it became a mantra of entrepreneurial leaders everywhere – including Nonprofitland. While this motto/mindset has some major inherent flaws, it also has its season. When you’re new, you will have the right combination of courage, will, and outside thinking to pull off radical changes with collateral damages taken in stride. 

So what if you’re over budget by $20,000? The organization has revamped X,Y and Z! 

So 25% of the team resigned? It’s the price of moving forward. 

We didn’t include a certain partner in the conversation? Oh well, you can’t be expected to think of every detail. 

These combinations of consolation/accolades will eventually transform into admonishments. The more you know the more you’re expected to behave as though you know better. Knowing the honeymoon will someday be over, execute on goals that may require the most grace from your peers and board in the early days. 

 

7) You’ll miss opportunities.

The last time I started a new executive role I found myself missing meetings, important deadlines, etc. due to lack of training/onboarding. I finally started asking each person I met with this question, “Is there anything else I should be aware of to do well in this role?”

Oh my. The floodgates opened. Granted, I received more gossip and opinions (see #1) than I bargained for, but I also started getting the details I needed. This simple question provided a shift in onus for my success that made all the difference. 

 

8) You’ll wonder if you made the right choice.

At some point in your new leadership role, whatever you did before, even if it was crying into the couch about awful career decisions will suddenly glisten with the glow of nostalgia. Deciding to lead is a big decision. You’re signing up for a huge amount of responsibility, sacrifice of personal time, and a learning curve. When you signed that employment agreement, you signed up to climb a mountain. At some point, you’ll be tempted to look back. As tempting as it is to wax nostalgic, you took this opportunity for a reason. Keep your eyes forward and keep a journal. Give yourself a roadmap to remember how you got to where you’re going. 

 

9) You’ll get tired.

Remember those 3am epiphanies from #5? They come at a price. While being tired feels like burnout, it’s not the same. When you’re burned out, there is no more spark to fan into a flame. You’re done. The challenge is to recognize and treat tiredness before it becomes something more permanent. You’ve probably had your hands in everything trying to get to know your new organization’s operations. Now is a good time to take a step back and test out other areas of responsibility on your team. Who is most reliable? What areas run seamlessly? Pull back where you can and rebuild your reserves. After all, there is more work to be done. 

 

10) You’ll no longer be new. 

“This is our executive director, [insert your name].” Is there anything as sweet as the absence of the word “new” in that sentence? Enjoy it. You’ve come a long way.