Nonprofit Leadership Across Generations

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Nonprofit Leadership Across Generations

Emily Davis

June 13, 2012

Sponsored by:A Service

Of:

Advising nonprofits in:

• Strategy

• Planning

• Organizational Development

www.synthesispartnership.com

(617) 969-1881

[email protected]

INTEGRATED PLANNING

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Affordable collaborative data

management in the cloud.

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Today’s Speaker

Emily Davis President,

EDA Consulting

Hosting:

Sam Frank, Synthesis PartnershipAssisting with chat questions: Jamie Maloney, Nonprofit Webinars

NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP ACROSS

GENERATIONS

Emily Davis, MNM

EDA Consulting LLC

June 13, 2012

MEET THE PRESENTER: EMILY DAVIS

– President of EDA Consulting– Author, Fundraising & the Next

Generation– 21/64 Consultant– Author, Preparing the Path to

Leadership Research– Founder of YNPN San Diego– Member of The Gordian Fund &

Women Give San Diego– Associate Partner, Social Venture

Partners of Boulder County

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OUTCOMES

• Understand leadership dynamics & challenges among the four generations.

• Identify strategic and attainable solutions to bringing the gap among generations.

• Find a more inclusive approach to working with next generation leadership.

• Learn how to motivate staff and volunteer leadership

across generations.

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HOW DO YOU DEFINE INCLUSIVITY?

• Experience

• Ethnicity

• Culture

• Gender

• Sexual identity/preference

• Handicapped/ able-bodied?

• Age?

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GENERATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS

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HOW HAS THIS AFFECTED YOUR ORG?

• Work ethic

• Time management

• Office environment

• Internal communications

• External communication

• Staff recruitment & retention

• Professional priorities

• Personal priorities

• Staff management

• Motivations

• Investment in technology

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GENERATIONAL

EXPERIENCES

INFLUENCE

MOTIVATIONS, MANAGEMENT, AND

WORK STYLES.

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WHO ARE THE GENERATIONS?

GENERATION TRADITIONALISTS (1900-1945)

BOOMERS(1946-1964)

GEN XERS(1965-1980)

MILLENIALS (1981-1999)

ALSO KNOWN AS…

Veterans, Silent Generation, WWII

Generation

Baby Boomers

Xers Gen Y, Nexters, Nintendo

Generation

INFLUENCERS World wars, The Depression

Television, Vietnam War,

Civil Rights Movements

Internet, Madonna, Bill

Gates, Friends,

Rodney King

Social media, iPods, 9/11,

American Idol

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GENERATIONS IN US POPULATION*

* Courtesy of: http://www.catalyst.org/publication/434/generations-in-the-workplace-in-the-united-states-canada

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US WORKFORCE BY GENERATION

* Courtesy of: http://www.catalyst.org/publication/434/generations-in-the-workplace-in-the-united-states-canada

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MULTIGENERATIONAL NONPROFITS: MANAGEMENT STYLES

GENERATION TRADITIONALISTS (1900-1945)

BOOMERS(1946-1964)

GEN XERS(1965-1980)

MILLENIALS (1981-1999)

MANAGE-MENT STYLE

• Top down• Conformist• Respect for

authority• Emphasize

loyalty

• Hierarchy• Pay your

dues• Emphasize

respect• Appreciate

recognition

• Flexible• Inclusive• Self-reliant• Direct

communication• Independent &

collaborative

• Mutual respect

• Shared leadership

• Interactivity• Collaborative

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MULTIGENERATIONAL NONPROFITS:WORK STYLES

GENERATION TRADITIONALISTS (1900-1945)

BOOMERS(1946-1964)

GEN XERS(1965-1980)

MILLENIALS (1981-1999)

WORK STYLE • Separate home & work

• Hard-working• Loyal• Thrifty• Little

customization• Work for work’s

sake

• Flexibility• Optimistic

& idealistic• Struggle

with work/life balance

• Strong work ethic

• Self-reliant• Quick fixes• Results-

oriented• Multi-taskers• Job

movement & flexibility

• Direct communications

• Question status quo

• Multi-taskers

• Global focus• Digital

natives• Mutual

respect

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MULTIGENERATIONAL NONPROFITS:MOTIVATORS

GENERATION TRADITIONALISTS (1900-1945)

BOOMERS(1946-1964)

GEN XERS(1965-1980)

MILLENIALS (1981-1999)

MOTIVATORS • Authority• Work itself, less

personal meaning

• Acknowledge what they know AND do

• Hierarchy• self-

improvement• Materialism• Symbols of

recognition

• Healthy work/life balance,

• Flexibility• Money• Results• External

recognition• Instant

gratification

• Interaction• Challenges• Feedback• Causes• Money• Customiz-

ation• Acknowled

gment of value

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WHAT TENURED PROFESSIONALS WANT

Next Gen Training

Acknowledgment

Engagement

Respect for legacy

Dialogue

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WHAT THE NEXT GEN WANTS

Advice

Acknowledgment

Shared ownership

Opportunity to lead

Flexibility

Sector history

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WHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON?

Commitment to the nonprofit sector

High hopes for the future

Value recognition & relationships with our peers

Want to share stories about nonprofit work and history

Desire mutual respect & trust

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QUESTIONS?

Has this had an impact on

your organization?

If so how?

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SO WHAT IS THE LEADERSHIP GAP?

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DEFINING THE LEADERSHIP GAP

• The period of time when executive Boomers are preparing to leave their leadership roles to when new leadership is installed.

• Describes not only temporal gaps, but perceptual gaps in what well-qualified leaders look like.

• The lack of communication, preparation, and support available among multiple generations of leaders.

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DEFINING THE PROBLEMS*

• Replacement Theory• Staying On Top • Redefining the Position• Recognition Problem• New Structures and Practices

*Working Across Generations, 2009

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REPLACEMENT THEORY

Not enough people to fill leadership gaps so we need to develop a pipeline.

SOLUTION: If we recruit and train enough people we won’t

have a problem. Develop a pipeline.

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STAYING ON TOP

Little to no room for the next gen to lead & advance the sector.

Boomer-led orgs will continue as usual & next gen will start new orgs.

SOLUTION:Find ways to integrate new ideas into the sector.

Shift Boomer leadership roles in the sector.

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REDEFINING THE POSITION

The traditional idea of the Executive Director is no longer appealing or effective.

SOLUTION:Try new leadership models that share executive

director responsibilities.

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RECOGNITION PROBLEM

There is a generation ready to step up to the plate that feels invisible to the current leadership.

SOLUTIONS:•Search internally when recruiting•Acknowledge value & contributions of next gen leaders•Shift mental models – inclusiveness, mentorship

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NEW STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES

SOLUTION:

Evaluate current models and redefine structures.

Current organizational structures are outdated.

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TEN WAYS TO LEVERAGE EVERY GENERATION

1. Acknowledge each generation’s value.

2. Recruit & retain emerging leaders into leadership roles.

3. Encourage work/life balance – be flexible.

4. Invest in diverse strategy development process.

5. Revise performance recognition systems.

6. Encourage peer coaching.

7. Invest in professional development.

8. Prepare to share leadership/succession planning.

9. Be flexible & innovative.

10. Engage in multi-generational dialogue.

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RESOURCES

Publications

• Working Across Generations

• Good in Theory, Problems in Practice

• Ready to Lead?

• Stepping Up or Stepping Out

• Daring to Lead

• Next Generation and Governance

• Passing the Torch

• Liquid Leadership

Organizations

• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN)

• Building Movement Project

• Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP)

• 21/64

• CompassPoint

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THANK YOU!

Emily Davis, MNM

EDA Consulting LLC

(720) 515-0581

[email protected]

www.edaconsulting.org

www.edaconsulting.org/blogs

www.Facebook.com/edanpoconsulting

Twitter: @edaconsulting

EDA Consulting LLC 2012 326/13/12

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