I was reading an article from the Harvard Business Review the other day, and could not help but make a connection between the way highly successful for-profit corporations and highly successful nonprofit organizations deal with change. Successful organizations usually embrace change. Less successful for-profits and nonprofits tend to fear change. They rarely - if ever - ask themselves,“Why are we doing it this way?” After all, if folks question the status quo, there just might be, oh no...change! If we want our nonprofits to grow and thrive, leadership must be transformational. This is scary on many levels! First of all, just who should be part of this “leadership?” Secondly, will these transformational leaders actually step up and take action? Lastly, and perhaps most terrifying of all, how will this change be paid for? We all know vision and transformation are costly. Let’s look at our three fears:

1. Who is your leadership? The answer goes further than your executive director/CEO and the chair of the board of directors. Leadership is different in every organization. The only definite thing is if there is to be transformational change, it should not be implemented by only one or two people. Each nonprofit must decide who comprises the leadership team. This gets very complicated, as nonprofit boards are primarily responsible for governance and support. Professional (and paid) staff are responsible for implementing day-to-day operations. Everyone on your team has a part in ensuring that your strategic goals and priorities are met, bringing you closer to achieving your mission.So, just who should be on your change-oriented leadership team? Only you and your team can decide. Having this conversation is imperative for having any hope of moving toward transformational leadership.
2. Now that you have identified your transformative leaders, will they step up to the plate and do what needs to be done in day-to-day operations, in strategic thinking, and in raising funds for success?
3. No money, no mission. Leadership - both board members and professional staff - understand there must be a cohesive, comprehensive, all-encompassing plan to raise funds to pay for a transformation. Additionally, there must be a complete commitment by every member of the board of directors to raise that money. And I mean every member.

Once the three fears are conquered, your organization is ready to begin an examination of why you are doing things in certain ways. These conversations must have a few rules:

• The most successful businesses and entrepreneurs question all of their existing strategies. Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable to ask questions and stays curious.
• Embrace the concept of leadership being more than one or two people. Many situations will arise when teams would lead to better thinking. Adjust these teams for different situations.
• Think about the benefits of collaboration. There at least 10 nonprofit organizations in Hampton Roads, VA working on the similar community goals: eliminating discrepancies in education, eliminating food insecurity, finding safe and secure housing for everyone, and ensuring the wellbeing of our veterans. I could go on, but you get the idea: we have many well-intentioned folks caring for those who need the most care. Transformational leadership requires looking at doing things a different way. That could very well mean collaboration with similar organizations. Sometimes one plus one really does equal so much more than two!
• Always challenge the status quo, and do so in a positive manner. Again, the goal is not to just get the job done, but to have greater impact.
• Make a habit of putting ideas into bigger contexts. Look at the way you have done things historically and at the result of those actions. Look at your strategic imperatives, and note whether your previous efforts created positive outcomes and a better way to reach and exceed future goals.

That is what we all want: the very best way to reach and exceed our goals! This article was originally published by Inside Business Hampton Roads on 8/17/16.