Creating Robust Sr. Leadership Teams

More about Special Guest, Ellie Hollander

President and CEO of Meals on Wheels of America

It’s about setting a vision, exciting people to want to join with you on the journey, and knocking down obstacles that get in the way. It’s about showing humility, vulnerability and authenticity; not taking yourself too seriously; being accessible, open, honest and inclusive. Leadership is an evolution and can happen at any level in an organization. It’s something that is earned, not bestowed.

More about Karen’s Nonprofit CEO Conversations

Karen hosts intimate, 50-minute, pro-bono Zoom conversations exclusively for CEOs and executive directors about best nonprofit practices.

These rare interactive opportunities gather nonprofit leaders from across the country to explore high-level nonprofit leadership opportunities.

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Conversation participants are hand-selected to provide a mix of nonprofit missions and geographic settings.

What CEOs are saying about Karen’s Nonprofit CEO Conversations

Karen’s CEO Conversations are a great place to have candid, useful conversations with other nonprofit CEOs.
Mona Duffus
CEO
Dawning Family Services

Great call today – very helpful. I picked up lots of very helpful information, so THANK YOU!!!
Diane Nahabedian
Executive Director
Monkey Helpers

Every one of the conversations has been fantastic. I have applied something from each one for my work.
Erica (Mossholder) Klauber
Executive Director
Children’s Craniofacial Association

It doesn’t have to be lonely at the top.

Transcript of Creating Robust Nonprofit Senior Leadership Teams: Karen’s Conversation Video Clip

Karen Eber Davis:

Are you curious about what Karen’s Conversations are really like? Here’s a sneak peek from a conversation we held talking about creating robust senior leadership teams. Our guest is Ellie Hollander, who is talking about the most important thing in creating a robust team.

Ellie Hollander:

The most important thing in your organization is to cascade your organizational strategy, your metrics which is your dashboard, all the way down to the individual level because you want to create what’s called a line of sight so that no matter where somebody is in the organization, they understand how what they do is contributing to the organization’s success.

And make sure that you never forget to give credit where credit’s due. A lot of times, you know you’ll see something, you’ll say, “wow.” And I do this all the time. I’ll send a note. I’ll say congratulations. This is an amazing research project, or you know, amazing graphic or whatever. But then, I’ll say, “Who else supported you in making that happen? And then, I will then send a note to those folks as well so that everybody knows that.

Sometimes you know we always go to the same people, because they deliver. They’re visible, but there are always people behind the scenes that are making that person successful, including me, so I have to be sure when I’m talking to the board I’m doing my annual performance review, I say, “Look, I couldn’t do any of this without my staff supporting me and so that’s the philosophy that I have.

Karen Eber Davis:

That’s a lot. That’s terrific, too. I love the idea of “line of sight.” I’m thinking about driving down the interstate, and you’re a staff member, and there’s the sign that says, “This is your exit, you know, or the mile marker. How many more miles is it to Pittsburgh or wherever you’re going. So, it’s giving people that ability to see where they are and why they’re on this road and how far they’ve come and where they’re going.

Opening Video by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/video/man-looking-out-the-glass-window-7263300/