An Executive in Any Sector

I have spent nearly 30 years as a nonprofit executive, trainer and consultant. Throughout my career I have fought for recognition of the strengths and talent it takes for one to be a successful nonprofit executive.

I even fell prey to the inferiority complex, i.e., that voice in the back of your head that tells you that you are not as good as those executives in the private sector. Then there is that look that you get from your counterparts in the private sector. Their eyes kind of glaze over when they find out that you’re a nonprofit executive director. Perhaps it’s not intentional, but I’ve been unable to shake the feeling that they think less of me professionally because I’m in the third sector.

So, once and for all I am making my case because--just because you’re a nonprofit doesn’t mean you’re not in business.

In the course of my career, I have honed my leadership, collaboration, coaching, training, speaking and accountability management skills in tough urban and political environments and highly challenged organizations। I have extensive experience in assessing organizational and community culture and performance issues as well as creating technical and performance-driven solutions that facilitate individual and team success. I have proven ability to formulate and implement strategies that result in effective organizational and human development and to harmoniously work with diverse groups of people whether it is in a community, corporation or nonprofit organization.


Although I have spent much of my career as an executive in not-for-profit organizations, it does not mean that I do not understand business. After all, not-for-profit organizations are businesses that happen not to distribute their excess revenues to stockholders. In fact, not-for-profit organizations are arguably the most difficult businesses to run successfully. Why is that so?

• There is no single bottom line. The mission, not money, is the motive;
• Nonprofit executives must answer to more than one “boss:” their board of directors (generally none of whom are in the same business as the nonprofit); their mission—the purpose of the organization; their constituents or clients; their funders; their regulators; the government, and; the public
• It requires an extraordinary level of leadership skill, creativity, vision, entrepreneurial spirit and innovation to operate a business in which working capital seldom exists and the potential employee pool is limited and often in need of extensive development.
• Nonprofit executives must exhibit an extraordinary commitment to ethical behavior and
integrity—perhaps no more than a for profit business—but with far fewer resources to recover from a lapse in either. This is imperative when building organizational and employee trust.
• Executives in nonprofit organizations often do not control their own destiny. Funding loss, external politics, and the elimination of programs often make for a career comprised of a series of positions in the nonprofit arena. The common themes of my career are leadership, analysis and planning, organizational capacity building, community and employee development. I have experienced my entire career in situations and organizations that were completely new and innovative, emerging or highly challenging.
• Perhaps most challenging is the fact that, for the most part, nonprofit executives must often raise the money to pay their own salaries. There is unrelenting pressure to operate with professionalism, grace, competence and dogged commitment to mission if you are to be successful in this endeavor. Successfully building employee and organizational capacity in the private sector requires the same characteristics and skills.

My personal mission is “to live my life authentically, with the material, intellectual and spiritual freedom to use my presence to change lives through the expression of my passion and talents exercised with integrity and personal discipline.” Experience has taught me that I best express this mission through using my considerable abilities for situational analysis, visionary, big-picture thinking, and organizational and human development. The best executives must have vision, acute insight and a passion for developing people. I do.

Experience has taught me that people’s personal lives affect their performance at work. Business, be it for-profit or not-for-profit is not solely about the numbers. It is about people and how they relate, perform and succeed as individuals. It is here that my strengths are best utilized—supporting people and organizations, by using my analytical skills to maximize results and build personal and organizational capacity and success through coaching, training, speaking, teaching and writing. All of these are skills honed in the toughest of socio-political circumstances and challenged communities. These are the skills of an executive. Period.

Peace,

Yvonne

My Middle Name is "Hussein," Too!

There is a growing movement on Facebook and other social networking sites in honor of Barack Obama's upcoming birthday on August 4th. It is anticipated that 10,000 people or more will "change" their middle name to "Hussein" at १२:०० a.m. on that day. I am an enthusiastic and committed Obama supporter but I have concerns about this particular event.

This is a fabulous effort. However, we must be aware of the potential for backlash. Because Barak has been so circumspect in his relationship building with the Muslin community and because he has declared his unconditional support for the state of Israel (in what I believe to be necessary political expediency), there is a real and growing movement afoot in the Muslim community to sit out the election and in some quarters, actively campaign against Barak. Hundreds of thousands of votes are at stake. We know that in the U.S. elections have been won, lost or stolen by far fewer votes than that.

I believe that Barak is genuine. I know it is an extremely difficult situation however, he must find a way to embrace us all. That's what he stands for. He's already renounced his pastor. Is he now going to ignore the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in America? My middle name is "Hussein" but we must call on Barak to embrace those whose real middle name is Hussein as well lest we find ourselves and him the victim of unintended consequences.

Are you listening David Plouffe?

Here are the event details:
Event: My Middle Name is "Hussein" Too
"Celebrating Barack Obama's Birthday (August 4, 1961)"
What: Rally
Host: Mark Elrod
When: Monday, August 4 at 12:00am
Where: Coast to Coast

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=52566360200

Click on the link below to see an insightful observation by Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts on this subject.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-pitts_0702edi.ART.State.Edition1.4d975a4.html