Why You SHOULD Take It Personally

All of us who volunteer and/or work for nonprofits know that fulfilling our organization’s mission is never simple. Our lives are all about finding creative solutions to the constant, and sometimes unexpected challenges that arise daily. To succeed in a nonprofit business, a level head and steadfast commitment to the organization’s mission are essential.

Our Learning & Leadership Team’s approach to helping nonprofit leaders be more effective involves objective evaluation and a data-driven path to improvement. We share lots of information about best practices in board governance, strategic planning, resource development and so on. But there’s one critical part of nonprofit management where standards and best practices don’t really matter much: understanding and improving OURSELVES.  

In the end, it’s just us – a bunch of unique individuals with different skills and styles – who are the ones designing programs, asking for money, hosting meetings and serving clients. Of all the things that make up a nonprofit, the people have the greatest influence on how successful our organizations are.

So, what can you do to be your best?Take your leadership development personally.

We love the TTI Success Insights® DISC Assessment (aka the “DISC”) to help ourselves and our fellow mission-driven leaders better understand how we relate and communicate with each other…or perhaps how we don’t, but need to! When you reflect on your DISC assessment, you take part in self-reflection, and hold a mirror up to what drives your leadership.

The DISC is most widely used behavioral assessment tool, and by far the most popular focus of our customized team trainings, and for good reason. The scary-accurate 20+ page report generated by the assessment reveals an individual’s strengths and challenges in communication style and emotional intelligence, outlines the ways a person adapts to their working environment, and offers tips for maximizing effectiveness.

You have your DISC assessment. Now what?

When a whole work team takes the assessment, we can plot each person’s profile on a chart to show and discuss the unique dynamics of that team. It's no secret that people have different ways of communicating, and I'm sure we've all found ourselves in a situation where different communication styles have led to conflict. When teams have a better understanding of how to navigate and leverage their differences in style, teams nearly always find that their work together is more enjoyable and more impactful.

If you want to take things more personally at work to better drive your mission, let us know! We promise to customize our approach to your unique personality and team, giving you the tools you need to be a more effective and fun team. If you’re not sure customized training is what your organization needs now, check out our upcoming team intensive, Conflict Mitigation & Team Dynamics to explore how your team can celebrate your differences and maximize your talents, while staying committed to the work and results your mission requires.