According to John Maxwell, author of over 70 leadership books, everything rises and falls on leadership. As the leader of your nonprofit, your leadership abilities are crucial for the welfare of your staff, volunteers, and the community you serve.  It is imperative that you continue to invest in developing yourself. One sure sign of a good leader is the ability to prioritize your own growth.

Servant Leadership

The Key

Servant leadership is the key to leadership success in your nonprofit, but there are so many other critical points of leadership that you need to master. This article is not intended to cover the topic of leadership in its entirety, but the following are just a few key insights for you as you move forward in this endeavor.

We Rise by Lifting Others

• You must learn to be a master communicator and connector.
• You cannot be a lone ranger leader. By definition, you are not a leader if you are alone! If you think you are a leader, but no one is following you, you are just taking a walk.
• You must become adept at addressing current issues with your organization while also seeing into the future, being a visionary, and charting your course.
• You must be intentional about attracting the right people for your team and you must build a strong inner circle.
• Your ability to empower others to lead will make or break your nonprofit.
• As a true leader, you must be passionate about leaving a legacy of leadership.
• You must be a master manager of your time and set correct and effective priorities.
• Know that as you grow in your responsibilities, you will diminish in your rights – the true mark of a servant leader.

Charisma, passion, and/or intelligence will only get you so far as the leader of your organization. Leadership is a skill and art you must work on purposefully to develop. There are many options to help you through this development process including outstanding books, tapes, workshops, and coaching from certified coaches. The success of your nonprofit will rise and fall on your leadership abilities.

A Great Place to Start or Continue Your Leadership Journey

John Maxwell’s books on leadership are truly the standard for leaders. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership , Developing the Leader Within You , The 360 Degree Leader,  Leader Shift , and many others are filled with strong leadership wisdom and practical advice. John also has certified coaches, speakers, and trainers across the country who lead small mastermind groups and workshops. They also offer personal leadership coaching skills. In addition, you can complete an automated Leadership Assessment online to see where you need to improve your leadership. Your returns on this investment of time and money will be far above what you can imagine.