By Leslie Sholl Jaffe, independent consultant 

For many years, Exponent Philanthropy has offered programming and resources geared to the unique needs of foundation executive directors. This spring, it will be my privilege to again serve as co-faculty for Exponent Philanthropy’s 2017 Master Juggler Executive Institute, a unique 6-month peer learning opportunity for those in the most senior staff role at their foundations. Learn more about the Master Juggler Executive Institute >>

Leadership development is key to creating long-term sustainable systems within our organizations, and executive directors are at the heart of these systems.

Having spent the first 15 years of my career in the for-profit world working in large corporations, I was witness to the tremendous investment made by organizations in their most valuable assets: their people, who received training and development relevant to their leadership positions.

Nonprofit leaders and foundation executive directors are no less talented than their counterparts in the for-profit world, and the demands placed on them are no less than the demands placed on other chief executives. The greatest differential is the amount of investment made in their ongoing leadership development.

Exponent Philanthropy’s Master Juggler Executive Institute is one opportunity for foundations to invest in their top leaders. Says one past participant’s board president, “The impact the Master Juggler Executive Institute has had on our executive director is a delight to observe. Her self-confidence, willingness to take risks, skill in selling her ideas, and being more strategic in assuring the foundation has lasting impact have all appreciably grown as a result of the program.”

For any leader, joining a cohort of their peers can be a risky proposition. I was incredibly impressed by past Master Jugglers, all excellent leaders who came in ready, rising to the occasion of being visible and vulnerable learners, whether well-seasoned professionals or newer executives. I am often struck by how many leaders feel isolated and alone and then have an ‘aha’ experience when they find that they are not alone. This was no different for foundation executives in the Master Juggler program.

“Being part of smaller organizations, it sometimes feels like we are working in a vacuum,” wrote Johanna Anderson and colleagues, all past Master Juggler participants. “Even though board members are available and ready to discuss issues at a 50,000-foot level, they are not in the ‘trenches’ and really do rely on us to lead our respective foundations.”

As we prepare for our time with a new cohort of Master Jugglers, I look forward to carrying on the successful traditions of the past as well as updating and upgrading our approach based on the feedback from past participants.

We hope you will join us.

Apply by February 13 to be part of the 2017 Master Juggler Executive Institute >>

Leslie Sholl Jaffe of Leslie Sholl Jaffe Consulting has over 29 years’ experience as a consultant across a broad spectrum of businesses and nonprofit organizations, creating environments that enable people to transform their lives and achieve results. Her expertise is in leadership development, curriculum design and facilitation, effective communication, meeting facilitation, and coaching for personal and professional development.