Nonprofit leaders often find themselves in a state of overwhelm. Below are five key questions to help you begin to find focus and clarity among competing priorities:
- How clear am I about what success looks like for me in the next year?
- Does the organization have (or is in the process of creating) a strategic plan and do I understand how my role directly contributes to the objectives within it?
- Do I have clarity about how my progress towards specific goals and objectives will be measured during my next performance evaluation?
- How clear is my team about what success looks like for them in the next year?
- Does my team have clarity about how their progress towards specific goals and objectives will be measured during their next performance evaluation?
- Have I asked my team what they need to be successful and what barriers might be getting in the way so I can help remove them?
- What feedback mechanisms have I created for my team (board or staff) to evaluate progress towards our organization’s goals?
- How do we keep our highest priority goals at the forefront of our work?
- How do we track and report progress?
- How do we celebrate wins individually or as a group?
- What external needs (time, skills, resources) will help us to achieve our goals?
- What internal needs (mindset, motivation, incentive) will help us to achieve our goals?
- What is our willingness to say no to things that do not directly contribute to our goals?
- What filters have we developed for decision making?
- In what ways have I planned my time to direct attention towards what matters most?
- Do I have incremental action plans for my goals? (Quarterly, Monthly, or Weekly)
- What is the most important thing I can do today?