Giving Compass' Take:

• The Bridgespan Group compiles a list of questions for organization leaders to ask when it comes to strategizing and taking the next step in impact philanthropy.

• How focused is your own self-assessment? One key element here is to make sure that you are bringing in enough different voices in order to create a vibrant, equitable culture.

• Here are six more easy ways to grow as a nonprofit leader.

Organizations of all sizes acknowledge the importance of setting strategic priorities to focus their time, energy, money, and human capital, and to establish goals and metrics that help measure success in meeting those priorities. You should follow suit.

Create a list of potential priorities by answering the following questions:

  • Your organizational priorities and goals: What does your organization need to achieve this year? What might your role be in realizing them? Your role in realizing them will likely be reflected in your personal priorities.
  • Your unique value-add: What can you do that no one else can do? For a CEO or founder, this can mean meeting with key stakeholders or building an external presence.
  • Your current team capacity and engagement: Are there gaps you need to account for? How healthy is your organizational culture and staff engagement?
  • Your most recent performance review: What have others identified as areas for growth for you as a leader? How will you actively address these moving forward?

Determine metrics. Once you have determined your priorities, it's time to define the metrics that will measure your effectiveness. What are the results you want, and how will you reach them? How can you break down each priority into smaller steps and what is your timeline for each? How often will you review these metrics? Are there applications or other tools that can help keep you on track?

The metrics should be as specific as possible. For example, for a nonprofit executive director struggling with staff engagement and retention, one could set metrics in both outputs (actions) and outcomes (results).

Following this process will allow you to focus your work where you can have the most impact for your organization. Like any other planning process, however, its effectiveness is reliant upon strong implementation. If you regularly revisit your priorities and ensure your time is aligned with them, you'll feel more on top of your tasks and increase your effectiveness as a leader.

Read the full article about setting priorities as an organization's leader by Madeleine Niebauer at The Bridgespan Group.