Welcome to our latest issue of Leader Points — Centerpoint for Leaders and The Points of Light Foundation's newest e-publication to give you relevant and concise information on leadership and organizational development.

By Sandra Trice Gray

Here are a few of my favorite quotes on leadership; please send me your favorite for sharing (sandra@centerpointforleaders.org):

•  Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. — Peter F. Drucker
•  Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. — George S. Patton
•  Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. — Dwight David Eisenhower (OK, we'll forgive his sexist language.)
•  A leader is a dealer in hope. — Napoleon Bonaparte

by Gregg Thompson

Unfortunately, many [organization leaders] are ill equipped to communicate in a way that truly influences the attitudes and actions of others. These leaders have platform and presentation skills yet they rely upon a business vocabulary that places a large premium on professional sounding words like "deliverables," "ethics," "vision," "commitment," and "accountability." It saddens me to see these otherwise talented leaders flailing around in the shallow end of the vocabulary pool when a deeper dive would tremendously enhance their ability to generate excitement, convey passion, and supply meaning.

Fortunately, some leaders choose to step out of the norm and employ more potent and original terms. For example, during a recent management meeting, one of my clients described the spate of recently-disgraced business executives as "leeches that infest the pond of commerce, sucking on the blood vessels of our futures." It was hard to miss this message. Its distinctiveness spurred greater attention.

I hope the following quartet of ideas will stimulate you to dive deeper:

1. At the conclusion of your next management meeting, ask each other for promises not deliverables. (In our family, promises are important personal commitments not to be taken lightly).
2. Instead of talking about corporate ethics, notice the reaction you get when you use words like deceit and honor.
3. During your next business planning session, talk about the personal courage and sacrifice needed to succeed rather than just vision and commitment.
4. When involved in a teambuilding exercise, replace your usual feedback session with a discussion on forgiveness.

Cited and used with permission from Bluepoint Leadership Development. To read the entire article, you may download the May 3, 2005 in PDF format.

If there is a topic on leadership or organizational development that you would like to share or see us address, please send us an e-mail at info@centerpointforleaders.org.

by Tim Wolfred, Compasspoint Nonprofit Services

This article describes the benefits and basics of using an interim executive director (interim ED) in a leadership transition. Interim ED’s are not simply board members or staff who sit in the executive director seat for a few weeks or months until a new director is found.

Interim ED’s are highly skilled managers who temporarily take the helm of an organization (for 4 to 8 months on average), help board and staff address important systems and capacity issues, and lay the groundwork for the permanent leader’s success.

Cited and used with permission from transitionguides.com. For more information, and to read the entire article, click here.

(an excerpt from Zimmerman Lehman's book, Boards That Love Fundraising: A How-To Guide for Your Board)

You Are Not Inferior

Many board (and staff) members suffer from a terrible inferiority complex. They assume that fundraising is a process of going on bended knee to the donor, asking for the least possible amount of money, and being graced from on high with a contribution.

No! Fundraising means getting in people's faces (politely) to let them know that, if they are not giving to your organization –– and giving a significant amount –– they are missing an important opportunity. You should make every effort to limit use of such words as gift, contribution, and donation and instead think of fundraising as an investment in a successful community enterprise.

Cited and used with permission from Zimmerman-Lehman. To read the entire article, click here.

by Vicki Hess

When I'm doing good deeds, I feel great and so do the people around me. Who wouldn't want to be in an atmosphere where leaders promote random acts of kindness? Go for it — help people blossom at work and you'll blossom yourself. Adding a little "color" through kindness is a great way to improve morale and promote generosity of spirit and actions.

Click below for a download of the pdf with some specific ideas and prior newsletters called The Sixty-Second Spark™ –– tips you can read in 60 seconds!

Cited and used with permission from Catalyst Consulting LLC. To read the entire article, download the PDF entitled Help Your Workplace Blossom with Acts of Kindness.

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