13 Next-Level Questions for Civil Society Leaders to Ponder

Invited to speak before a group of highly experienced colleagues recently, I found myself both respectful of their achievements and wondering what to offer that might challenge both them and me to do better.  The following 13 questions resulted.  They seem relevant as much to budding social entrepreneurs as they do to seasoned professionals. 

How refreshing it can be – and often valuable, even astonishing – to tune into the thoughts and ideas of others before acting.

One art of leading well comes down to picking staff, managers, volunteer leaders and advisors who help maximize your strengths and flank your inevitable weaknesses.

The deeper in the organization difficulties begin getting resolved, the greater the chance that suitable solutions will rise to the top.

Recognition given sincerely nurtures people; shared recognition spurs authentic success.

Players beyond your immediate circle, across all of the civic spheres – social, commercial, government, media – have vital influence, ideas, power and position you must harness to fulfill your mission.

Drawing others to your cause means first inspiring them to care and then convincing them about what needs doing.

Everyone important to what you do – from board members, volunteers and staff to clients, funders and friends – must see and embrace their role in an unfolding story, of which you are the principal author, about struggle, change and triumph leading to ultimate civic good.

Much of society today works on the “links and nodes” principles of the internet, and it’s the adept boundary-crossers who thrive in a diffuse, diverse and dispersed nonprofit sector.

Your ability to make tough calls matters, but anticipating and planning way upstream for what’s likely to come your way matters more.

The best-run organization in the world makes little difference if, in the final analysis, its leaders fail to see themselves as actors, activists and catalysts for change in the larger civic arena.

If the flame that lights your passion and intelligence still burns bright, great; if it’s gone out, then get out – or at least get going on a plan for finding out and replacing what’s gone missing.

Try to remember that jarring moment of clear sight when the sheer sweep of a gigantic public problem took your breath away.  Recall a moment when you became plagued by a sense of injustice, or when your trust turned to anguish at the sure knowledge of official bullying, corporate greed, or deliberate governmental abuse.  Perhaps you swore then not just to stand up in defiance, but to commit yourself to a fine and righteous cause and forever after acted with measure and with meaning.  Think about when you humbled yourself before the advancing tide of social, economic and political forces and plunged anyway into the common enterprise.  That’s civic humility.  Having experienced it, you might have found yourself no longer thinking solely in terms of “I,” but in a new and healthy alliance with an often-restive “we.”  You might have found yourself in thrall to an infinite sense of obligation to humanity that has only grown stronger with exercise.  In the throes of civic humility, you serve without subservience.  And you do good better than you could ever do alone.

Paul Vandeventer, President & CEO, Community Partners

April 2008