Genius Bar panelists Bob Dorshimer of Mile High Council/Comitis Crisis Center, Chris Wanifuchi of Asian Pacific Development Center and Eric Kornacki of Revision International offer advice to prospective, new and learning executive directors at our spring 2013 EDA.
Genius Bar panelists Bob Dorshimer of Mile High Council/Comitis Crisis Center, Chris Wanifuchi of Asian Pacific Development Center and Eric Kornacki of Revision International offer advice to prospective, new and learning executive directors at our spring 2013 EDA.

On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, during the twelfth Executive Director Academy, three knowledgeable local executive directors came in to serve as the geniuses for our “Genius Bar,” a guest panel of wisdom. Bob Dorshimer of Mile High Council/Comitis Crisis Center, Chris Wanifuchi of Asian Pacific Development Center and Eric Kornacki of Revision International offered up their lessons learned in discussion with our Academy members.

Board Relationships

Practicing shared leadership can be challenging, but the biggest key to success, echoed by all of our geniuses, was that of establishing clear roles and boundaries. Defining these boundaries and the roles of each position allows for greater focus and enables you to be a more effective leader, Dorshimer said.

Being an executive director is all about relationships, Wanifuchi offered. In order to build trust with your board, you must first build relationships with one another and really come to know each other. In knowing one another as individuals, you will learn the different perspectives and visions at play and will be able to work to individual strengths. Dorshimer also suggested that setting term limits and creating succession plans keeps the perspective fresh and moving forward, which in turn fosters growth.

Caring for Yourself

All three of our geniuses, as well as past panelists, agree that caring for yourself is a top priority as an executive director. In order for your organization to be successful and continually move forward, you must bring your best to the table. Giving up some of your responsibilities can be challenging, but empowering others to take leadership is healthy for the organization, and the benefits will be immeasurable, Kornacki advised. Wanifuchi stated that redistributing some of your work to other staff or outside organizations will alleviate stress and allow you to refocus.

Even after giving up some of your responsibilities, being at the helm of an organization still requires assistance. Dorshimer recommends hiring an executive coach or joining a professional network to offer you outside perspective. All three of our geniuses have a group of people to bounce their opinions off of, to offer them outside opinions and to guide them, without disclosing information about their organization. Having this sounding board is a key to success that will create a recognizable difference in the way you run your organization, Kornacki stated.

Fundraising

Fundraising is vital to success in the nonprofit world, but getting your board to fundraise can be an obstacle. Dorshimer suggests focusing on this from the very beginning with the recruitment process. Make sure your board members are committed to your organization and not just looking for a resume builder. It is also important to establish from the beginning the expectations when it comes to fundraising. Wanifuchi advises that you cannot expect everyone to contribute in the same way; you must learn to accept what each individual can offer—while some might be more comfortable filling a table at an event, others might be more comfortable providing key introductions to potential funders.

While not all board members will be strong fundraisers, Kornacki reminds executive directors to play to each board member’s connections. If the board member can set up meetings, you can step in and make the ask. Identifying the passion and interests of donors can be your way in. Wanifuchi suggests listening to the questions they are asking to find out how you can connect them to specific aspects of your organization that may align better with their passion.

In closing, all of our geniuses recommend that you continue to learn and develop yourself as a leader. Ongoing training and education will keep you sharp and move your organization forward.

If you’re interested in our next Executive Director Academy, September 30-October 4, click here.