At a recent dinner I hosted for a group of beyond profit chief executives, the topic of the senior leadership teams was discussed and particularly how important it is for a chief executive and an organisation’s success that it attracts good people. This is of course even more important in a sector that builds and invests in society’s human capital.
This will not be new to anyone. My colleagues and I spend most of our working time finding excellent people for various leadership roles, and we see over and over again that the quality of people can determine an organisation’s success, or lack thereof. This is as important for board roles as for the executive team and other functional areas.
There is no ‘I’ in team. It takes a special kind of leader to be humble enough to let others shine and not be threatened by having brilliant people around them. Below are a few areas that I believe are particularly important to consider when building and developing high achieving leadership teams.
Be Mission and Impact Focussed
For beyond profit organisations being mission focussed is key to attracting the very best talent. Skilled and ambitious people have choices about where they work. If you are exploring talent from the commercial sector there is an average ‘salary sacrifice’ of 25% for those moving in to this sector, people will need to be as passionate about cause as you are to choose to work for you and the organisation. It is also important to keep in mind that there are usually many charities focussing on a particular cause – make sure yours stand out because of the quality of its work and impact achieved.
Be Ambitious
Set your sites on the best – and do everything you can to hire them. I recently worked with a focussed and ambitious new Chief Executive recruiting a Director of Fundraising. She knew exactly what kind of person she wanted, was clear on what they could offer in return, but also prepared to be flexible to achieve her goal. It worked, and we were able to appoint one of the best in the sector to the role, and the appointment has the potential of being a game changer for this charity’s fundraising trajectory.
Be Clear on Role and Responsibilities
It is critical that each role is clearly defined with associated responsibilities, and importantly, desired outcomes. What does success look like? How does each of the roles on the leadership team interconnect? Does different roles require different innate abilities and preferred working styles as well as specific, functional experience? It’s also worth thinking about how the wider culture of the organisation will impact on different functional requirements. For example, if your organisation depends mainly on statutory contracts for funding, the requirement in a Fundraising or Income Director will be different than if it is solely voluntary based income
Be a Team Builder
Following on from the point above, it is important to get to know the people around the table. What do they bring over and beyond, professional strengths, ambitions, and to bring everyone together as a Team that takes corporate responsibility for decisions and outcomes. People shouldn’t come to meetings representing their business areas; they need to see each issue from the entire organisations perspective, breaking down siloes and other barriers to achieve success for all.
Be Diverse
The importance of diversity in every form is becoming increasingly more apparent. Diversity drives performance, creativity and innovation. It is not about ticking boxes and looking good when applying for grants or contracts. We often see organisations where there is a diverse pool of talent at entry to mid management level, but the more senior the role the less diversity. This is a leadership issue more than a HR one, and the impetus is on an organisation’s board and executive to affect change to achieve true diversity at every level.
Be a Leader and a Thinker
High achievers want to work for great leaders. They will want to learn from you, and they will want to work for someone who is recognised as a leading expert in their field. Speak up for your cause, attend events and raise your own profile. It is also important to build the brand of your organisation. Celebrate and share success and impact. If you support your leaders in seeking new opportunities elsewhere when they are ready to leave, they will become your ambassadors in the marketplace when they find a new role.
Be Generous with Feedback, Celebrate Success
Following on from the point above, it is important to provide structured and generous feedback on performance and approach. This is a great way to learn, and in my own experience is invaluable to progress. Feedback should always be constructive if it is about improving, and it is just as important to acknowledge success. Give praise, share with others when someone is doing well. Feeling valued makes a great difference to how committed someone is and their willingness to go the extra mile.
To make great hires and retain them is not easy, but it is worth the extra effort. It will make your organisation and you more successful and ensure increased impact in your area of work, which in return should make it more attractive to funders, enabling increased ambition when you hire again.
