Photo: iStock
This past May, I was fortunate enough to be sitting at The Covenant Foundation Project Director’s Meeting as I have for the past 7 years in my role as the Pomegranate Prize Liaison. The conference started with the facilitator welcoming us all and sharing a bit about our 3 days together. After her introduction, she asked the Executive Director of the Covenant Foundation, Joni Blinderman, to speak. As Joni stood at the podium, she looked at her notes, and said out loud, “You know, I wrote a whole speech, but I am feeling that it’s not exactly right for the moment, so I’m going to speak to you off script.”
With excitement and passion, she then shared her goals and her vision for our time together. Her presence never wavered, her passion was strong and powerful, and everyone in the room could tell that she was speaking from the heart. She had prepared comments and thoughts with that moment in mind but was able to quickly change and respond to the actual moment with different words and yet, the same goal. She said out loud to the entire community that she was going to throw out her prepared speech to react to the moment at hand.
She spoke with such humility and vulnerability.
Later that afternoon, it was 80 degrees and the sun was shining down on my face, I thought this is perfect—learning from phenomenal Jewish educators in the field and sitting in the sun. At the same time, I thought to myself that I didn’t bring sunscreen, and maybe I should move so I don’t get burned. At that exact moment, Joni Blinderman said into the microphone, “Oh, and by the way, sunscreen is on its way!” Within 10 minutes, multiple bottles of sunscreen appeared in the back of the room. WOW.
She saw a need and filled it, quickly.
This is leadership.
Over the past 20 years, I have worked in nonprofits and in the last seven years, partnered with nonprofits, and I have seen many kinds of leaders. For me, Joni Blinderman is one of the greats. She balances confidence and assertiveness with curiosity. She understands change is imperative for growth and challenging her team to do and think about things differently is the only way to become stronger.
In that moment, last May, these two core leadership qualities stood out:
Humility and Vulnerability.
Vulnerability can show up in leadership in a variety of ways, and it must be authentic to work. Vulnerability can be present in communication strategies, fundraising events, or supervision and team building. Here, vulnerability is the choice or courage to adapt understanding that while changing plans there can and will be grey areas. How can you be vulnerable the next time you are in front of your staff? How can you change the way you show up with your Board of Directors? What are the ways you can communicate in a vulnerable way to show the true leader you are or the leader you want to be? What is one step you can take to show your own leadership vulnerability?
Want to read more about vulnerability and leadership? Check out this article that says it all!
Seeing the Need and Responding
To be a strong leader, you must think ahead in everything you do. But, in the DRG world, talent is the most important space to think ahead of needs. How can we think 2-3 steps ahead of our direct reports, individually or as a team, so that we can envision what is happening down the road and know how to support our team? How can we keep up with the day-to-day operations and finance and fundraising, and also find the time to envision and take care of the most important part of our organization: our people?
Two ideas for you:
- Put yourself in their position: think back to when you were in the role or place they are in right now. Think about what could have been helpful for you and how you can institute that support for your team.
- Ask them what they might need depending on the time of year. For instance, I recently spoke with an Executive Director who told me a story of when she asked her staff what they needed from her during their craziest time of the year. They told her, and she did it.
It is now September, and I am still thinking about Joni and her phenomenal leadership, specifically, her vulnerability and responsiveness to needs. As a professional who lives in the nonprofit world and sees many kinds of leaders, watching Joni exhibit these two traits so flawlessly was powerful and palpable.
For you, it might not be these two traits, so find the two to three strengths (ones that you have always had or worked hard to incorporate into your leadership style) that make you an outstanding leader, and hone in those skills. Make them your own and keep striving to strengthen them so you can be the leader you want to be!
