Welcome back to the fourth in the series of blogs on Nonprofit Leadership namely Vision, Constituencies, Individuals and Implementation. Today the focus is on Individuals.

Perhaps in no other industry is the power of one so self evident. Every movement, crusade, event and innovation in our sector has been begun with an individual. From the curing of polio to the moonshot for cancer, to the invention of walkathons, endurance events, red nose days and ice bucket challenges. All started by someone with an idea who had the ability to work with and through a nonprofit for the greater good. No patents have been given. No one has become a billionaire. Yet so many nonprofits and in fact all of society has benefited so well.

Individuals are everywhere in our sector. They come as staff, volunteers and in constituencies. Their ideas range from the conventional to the unconventional. They come with ego and agenda and often passionately compete, collude and collide. It is the role of the leader to establish an atmosphere that allows the very best of individuals and their ideas to rise to the fore in benefit of the mission and vision of the organization. Not an easy task!

Creating such an atmosphere starts with staff. Key leaders in key positions who understand as individuals it is not about them. It is about the mission and it is about the volunteers. It is about attracting those with leverage–leverage to raise dollars, leverage to advocate for mission, leverage to deliver programs.   Recruiting strong, selfless staff that get and put volunteers first is imperative.

It is then about attracting volunteers. Volunteers with an interest (for whatever reason) and ultimately a passion for your cause. Volunteers who are smarter, wiser, and stronger than you are. The trick is not to be afraid to embrace someone who can figure out how to do this better than you can.

Next it is about setting guidelines. Guidelines that point toward a vision and a purpose but leave room for interpretation, innovation, creativity, collaboration and ownership. Guidelines that are flexible enough to allow for individuals to bring their own unique ideas and skill sets to fill in the details. We need a new event…we want to raise money through social media…we want to cure cancer.

As a nonprofit leader the ability to see a direction, recruit individuals, and then let go takes strength. It takes restraint. It takes trust. It takes leadership.

Next up in the series, Implementation. See you next month.

More on Mark Roithmayr

Mark currently serves as Chief Relationship Officer for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In his role, he provides strategic direction and overall leadership running the Field including the management and fiscal performance of the 56 Chapters as well as the development of key volunteer relationships on behalf of the society locally, regionally and nationally. Prior to the current position, served as Chief Development officer overseeing the Society’s donor development activities including major gifts, foundation giving, planned giving, corporate giving and outright/restricted gifts. Oversee all donor development activities at the national and chapter levels for LLS–the $300 million leader in blood cancer research.

Before LLS, Mark worked as first full time President of Autism Speaks–the largest autism science and advocacy organization in the world today. Merged three organizations into AS in 20 months. Raised over $60 million annually. Invested over $170 million into autism research. Passed national and state bills increasing funds for autism science while reducing out of pocket expenses for families. Helped make “autism” a household word through award winning Ad Council Campaign and the United Nation’s declaration of World Autism Awareness in perpetuity on April 2nd.

Prior to AS, Mark worked 20 years at the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation in a series of progressive jobs. Turned around ailing flagship chapter doubling revenue. Oversaw all national fundraising leading the Foundation to record years in it’s signature March for Babies event. Earlier in career served as the Foundation’s head of communications. Prior to March of Dimes worked as Director of Public Relations at the New York Lung Association.