Janice Simsohn Shaw

5 Ways Relationships Matter: Tips From Foundation Executive Directors

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 1 Comment

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

For a number of years, it has been our privilege to offer programming and resources geared to the unique needs of foundation executive directors.

Most come to this work from outside philanthropy, through a mix of skill and serendipity, and work up, down, and across their organizations, often as sole-staffers or in very small offices. Managing everything from the mundane to the sublime, they truly live up to the moniker we’ve given them: Master Jugglers.

Last week, we brought together three foundation EDs for a well-attended conference call on ways to find, hire, and support those who serve in this role. The three EDs span geographic areas, ages, and paths to philanthropy, and together we discussed lessons learned, board–ED dynamics, juggling and prioritizing, and much more.

One subject emerged repeatedly: the role of strong relationships.

Here’s what we heard about how relationships play into the professional success and personal well-being of foundation EDs.

Continue reading →

Strengthen Your People Powers

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 3 Comments

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

Philanthropy, from the Greek word for “to love humanity,” is inherently a human enterprise.

In this business of helping to solve complicated social problems, we’re bound by the opportunities and challenges of working with other people to do so. It can be emotional work, and it’s work that involves very diverse people who span different generations, politics, cultures, genders, educational and professional backgrounds, and the list goes on.

Whether you’re managing asset growth, tackling generational succession, refining your mission, or simply doing the work at hand to serve your philanthropic goals, being attentive to the human elements can strengthen your philanthropy and make it more pleasurable.

At Exponent Philanthropy, we look at a number of skills and approaches that can help you develop the “people powers” necessary to work sensitively and effectively with those around you. Some call these topics soft skills, but we think that name downplays their importance in guiding your philanthropy through moments of change as well as its status quo. We call them effectiveness skills instead, and explore topics such as:

Continue reading →

10 Tips to Boost Your Facilitation Skills

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 1 Comment

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

Simply put, skillful facilitation can make your meetings more efficient, engaging, and enjoyable for all involved. Luckily, good facilitators are made, not born.

Let’s consider a meeting to be any time two or more people come together to share information, brainstorm ideas, or make a decision. As funders, you may participate in board meetings and site visits, committee meetings and funder collaboratives, grantee convenings and focus groups, staff meetings, and more.

At Exponent Philanthropy’s recent National Conference, GrantCraft’s Jen Bokoff and I offered the following facilitation tips during a lively, interactive session.

Plan, plan, plan. Most facilitation success simply comes down to good planning. If we truly take time to plan well, from considering logistics to crafting smart agendas to prepping participants in advance, we’ve won half the battle. A good rule of thumb is to commit twice as much time to planning the meeting than the meeting actually takes. Download the complimentary Meeting Facilitation Design Worksheet for help to prepare for an upcoming meeting.

Engage the right stakeholders. As you think about what you want to accomplish at a meeting, consider who needs to be at the table—and who does not. If you find that parts of your meeting require a larger or smaller group, don’t hesitate to plan accordingly.

Have a strong agenda. A thoughtful agenda is the road map for a successful meeting. Start by identifying your goals. What do you want to accomplish? Then, design your activities and discussions to serve those goals. Be realistic about what can be accomplished in the time available and prioritize those topics that will benefit most from group discussion. Agendas are not, however, set in stone. Deviating from an agenda can sometimes be the most sound course of action.

Be clear about the meeting type. Meetings take all shapes and sizes: informational meetings, brainstorming meetings, input-gathering meetings, decision-making meetings, multiday retreats, and more. As you plan—and communicate with your stakeholders—be clear about what type of meeting you are facilitating.

Continue reading →

The Makings of Phenomenal Foundation Executive Directors

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 1 Comment

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

Master Juggler Executive Institute

Foundation executive directors juggles many roles: strategic grantmaker, convener, collaborator, board wrangler, media spokesperson, technical assistance provider, mediator, and the list goes on and on.

With great thanks to the members of our inaugural Master Juggler Executive Institute for their insights, we present seven characteristics of phenomenal foundation executive directors. They’re a tall order indeed and part of a continual learning journey for even the best executives.

Masterful Communicators

“I’m learning that part of being an effective communicator is to deliver authentic messages that often are positioned squarely between the professional and the personal. It can be risky, but it’s also potentially powerful.”

Effective foundation executive directors are clear and confident communicators. They precisely and thoughtfully express ideas; frankly voice their opinions; communicate the why, the purpose, and the vision; and motivate others with their words. They also are skilled listeners and questioners, asking probing questions and guiding conversations to help others articulate their goals and move toward solutions. Exceptional executive directors also are adept at being quiet, at knowing when not to speak.

Great People-People

“Both introverts and extroverts can flourish in this capacity by focusing on and staying true to their relationship-building style.”

Phenomenal foundation executive directors have strong people skills and emotional intelligence. With a deep understanding of the humanness of this work, they are able to bring out the best in others. They are skilled at relationship-building and comfortable engaging with others.

Continue reading →

The Power of Community to Develop Young Leaders

/ Exponent Philanthropy / Leave a comment

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

Last month, we kicked off the 2014 Next Gen Fellows Program, our second installment of a 6-month program to bring together young trustees and staff for learning, connecting, and mentoring. Just like our cohort of 2013 Next Gen Fellows, they are as diverse as any group in their passions, politics, priorities, and concerns. Yet when they come together, something magical happens. Their confidence rockets, and their collective energy, commitment to good work, and potential for difference-making follow suit.

Why is community so powerful in developing young leaders?

Philanthropy can be a lonely business. Whether you’re the only staff member in your 20s, or a sole next gen trustee or executive director, finding collaborators and honest feedback can be difficult. As one past Fellow shared, “Community has been an important professional development marker, given that I work at home by myself. Am I listening well enough? Being respectful of different opinions? Basically, playing nice with others? I haven’t been at this long enough that I have many professional relationships, so those that I do have are meaningful.”

Continue reading →

How Your Generation Influences Your Giving

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 3 Comments

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

The manager, a Baby Boomer, wants to schedule a meeting where she can sit across the table from her employees and discuss the latest project. Her longtime staff member from the World War II generation is ready to go, looking to share stories about what used to work well for the company. Her Millennial employees, meanwhile, have been bombarding her with e-mails sent while they are out picking up their dry cleaning and running home to feed their dog. They have questions about the project and want instant feedback on the work they’ve done so far….And that’s without adding in the Generation Xers who would rather nix the meeting entirely so they can actually work on their piece of the project. —Jennifer Gish/Women@Work, Times Union, August 27, 2012

Sound familiar? Today’s philanthropic sphere isn’t so different—up to four generations aiming to work together, with the potential for success as well as frustration. Add family to the mix, and the stakes are even higher.

Much has been written about how to engage the next generation in giving, but less has been written about how to engage across generations—about how multiple generations, young and old, can better understand one another, communicate, learn, and explore giving together.

Considering generational personalities is one way to improve our understanding of one another. As Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman write in When Generations Collide, “The events and conditions each of us experience during our formative years determine who we are and how we see the world.”

At Exponent Philanthropy, we’ve had powerful conversations with those engaged in family philanthropy. At conferences, when grouped by generation, participants often realize that, regardless of political, socioeconomic, or religious background, there is deep commonality among those who simply grew up at the same time. Participants also come to realize that some characteristics they see in their  family members aren’t unique traits but a product of their generations.

Peruse the chart below. See yourself reflected in your generation? What about others involved in your giving? How might understanding your generational experiences inform how you give—and work—together?

Continue reading →

Build a Pipeline of Philanthropic Talent

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 1 Comment

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

What keeps our members up at night? Succession, or the crucial task of passing the leadership baton.

Building a pipeline of philanthropic talent to assume key leadership roles—on the board, on staff, or otherwise—is one great way to prepare for succession. Through our Next Gen Fellows Program, a 6-month training intensive for philanthropy’s future leaders, we’ve been lucky enough to have a window onto what readies the next generation for great work in the field. Apply for the 2015 Next Gen Fellows Program beginning in May

Here are a few recommendations.

Find a Community of Peers

Philanthropy can be a lonely enterprise, and particularly so for young people. Luckily, there are great ways to connect locally and nationally with young people involved in giving.

Continue reading →

5 Facilitation Tips for Foundation Leaders

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 2 Comments

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

Last week I wrote about why strong facilitation skills are important in philanthropy. Here are 5 facilitation tips I shared at a recent program with Delaware Valley Grantmakers.

1. TIME – Build in plenty of planning time for facilitating. One handy rule of thumb: for a really productive meeting, spend twice as much time on planning as you would for the meeting itself. Do everyone a favor and spend the time to craft a realistic agenda. More times than not, we know what we can accomplish realistically in a given amount of time. Consider what’s most valuable to do when people are together in person (or by phone) and focus your energies there. An overstuffed agenda leaves everyone feeling frustrated. A manageable one leaves everyone feeling accomplished and proud. Which do you prefer? Continue reading →

Facilitation for Foundation Leaders

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 2 Comments

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, Exponent Philanthropy

I’ll admit it, I’m a facilitation geek. I love facilitating. I love learning about facilitating (as I have been lucky enough to do in multiple trainings with the Interaction Institute for Social Change). I love observing other facilitators and learning from their multitude of styles and approaches. And I love helping others gain and refine facilitation skills, as I have been fortunate to do at various Exponent Philanthropy programs.

What, you may be asking, does facilitation have to do with philanthropy? Well, giving thoughtfully and strategically involves engaging with others around decision making, complex power dynamics, and social change, right? The stakes are often high, and skilled facilitation can help ease the way to more efficient and satisfying board meetings, more open and efficient collaborations and grantee convenings, better focus groups, and more successful community meetings. Continue reading →

Investing in Nonprofit Leaders, Revisited

/ Exponent Philanthropy / 2 Comments

By Janice Simsohn Shaw, ASF

A couple years back, I had the fun task (really, it was fascinating!) of writing for ASF on Investing in Nonprofit Leaders. Then I led a session at ASF’s 2010 National Conference on the same topic. The subject of leadership development is an important one for grantmakers, as they rely on grantees to help achieve their missions, and those grantee organizations need strong leaders to achieve theirs.

At the time, the research on nonprofit leadership was a bit depressing, to tell you the truth. A number of studies had indicated that nonprofit staffers were underpaid and overstressed, that baby boomers would be retiring in droves, and there was a lack of young talent posed to take the reins.

But the times, well, they are a-changing.

Continue reading →