Over the last several years I’ve had the privilege of traveling with and/or spending more than just a few minutes with a number of CEOs of leading nonprofits and foundations (along with a few from for-profit corps as well; Mike Gianoni of Blackbaud, D.G. Elmore of Elmore Companies, and Steve Green of Hobby Lobby come immediately to mind). I’ve seen these guys up close and had lots of great conversation and questions answered. It’s been a VERY interesting study in leadership. Here’s what I’ve seen that is consistent among a group of five for whom I hold a great deal of respect (Doug Nuenke of the Navigators, Jimmy Mellon of Compassion, Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission, Doug Coe of the International Foundation and Jeff Pinneo of Medical Teams International (he’s recently retired from MTI).
- They are WILLING. What I mean by this is that these guys (and I am by no means limiting any of these three traits to men; I’ve just not been around a great deal of women who hold the position of president or CEO, which for crying out loud is pretty rediculous) are willing to step up and lead, to put legs to the vision and step into the unknown. In the nonprofit world, especially, being willing to “go” oftentimes means taking some shots and giving up things like better paychecks and stock options in order to effect change for good around the world. These leaders get this in spades. They know that if they stay on mission and get people behind them, change will be their legacy, not a fat bank account. And I think I know what all of us, given this choice, would choose if we could do it all over again or if we were on our deathbeds.
- They make hard DECISIONS. Speaking of taking some shots, making decisions pretty much assumes you’re going to take some heat. There is a reason they say that it’s lonely at the top and that you can’t please everyone: It’s true. I’ve seen some of these guys struggling with hard decisions and the aftermath of having made them. They feel stress. After all, they are human. But they keep the vision of where they are going before them; without it, the wheels would come off. Vision in decision making keeps these guys sane, and it keeps an organization moving forward, together. The best leaders can do this very well.
- They value LOVE. Of the three, this is the most important thing that I have consistently seen in these leaders. They just care. Period. I could tell stories about how this is true but I won’t bore you with the details (sorry). Just know that when a leader talks about what they do best and why they do it, which involves a very pure love, tears are the proof that it is real. And I have seen each of these men get emotional. Each one of them. Most employees or the public don’t get to see that, but trust me, it’s real, and while that side of love doesn’t always need to be public, these guys have it. It shows in how they treat people. And that is a good thing.
Oh, one last thing: I’m willing to bet these guys range from one end to the other on the political spectrum. It doesn’t matter the politic–what matters is people. They get that, and so do the people that follow them. Even the photographer, who happens to be me.
