Lens on Leadership

Two-minute tips for leaders on how to create the types of vision, plan, and culture that will move the needle for your mission.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Measure What Really Matters

Are you communicating how your activities contribute to your impact? In the social sector, the most valuable thing we can measure is our mission outcomes.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Keep Up the Fight Without Burning Out

The journey ahead is long and arduous. When we allow ourselves to feel personally responsible for shortening the path, we do our mission a disservice and risk becoming another casualty of the trek.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Leading Through Uncertainty

As leaders, we are more likely to encounter uncertainty than others. And we must take on the additional burden of creating certainty for our teams.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Increase Accountability

Accountability fails when responsibilities are ambiguous or people don't follow through. Follow these practices to increase clarity and commitment.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Don’t Dilute Your Impact

It can be tempting to define our mission as a broad "umbrella" encompassing many needs (and funding sources). But unless we focus on specific lanes, we risk diluting our impact.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Teach an Old Team New Tricks

Change is often desirable. Even necessary. Here are three keys to persuading a team to upend long-standing ways of doing things and embrace new goals or methods.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Help Out AND Maintain Boundaries

Faced with a request, we might think our only options are to say "yes" or "no." But there are many ways to respect the request - and requestor - without overcommitting ourselves.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Drive Growth with Strategy

Organizational growth does not have to mean doing "more" of something. In fact, growth comes from knowing what to do more of, what to do less of, and what to continue doing well.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Got a Complaint? Put the Relationship First.

We often make others feel blamed by how we raise our complaints with them. Reframing the problem in a neutral way is the first step toward constructive resolution that preserves our relationship.

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David Wagner David Wagner

People-Centric Leadership

Our fixation on the mission can obscure our view of what the people around us need. Through curiosity, inclusivity, and acknowledgement, we can restore our focus on people.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Amplify Impact with Alignment

Even slight inconsistencies in stakeholders' understandings can undercut an organization's goals. Create alignment to amplify your mission impact.

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David Wagner David Wagner

Leadership Beyond the Org Chart

By focusing on influence rather than direction, offering inspiration, and empowering peers to succeed, we can lead from any position.

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