“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
—Peter Drucker
Executives of all stripes aspire to be the kind of leaders that Drucker so often described.
How any of us get there brings up some key questions:
Is great leadership born of natural ability, acquired in business school, or honed through years of experience?
Or are all three required—and then some?
Multibillion-dollar industries promise the perfect recipe for leadership success through self-help books, workshops, training programs and more. But the most important ingredients are often ignored, perhaps because they seem counterintuitive in an era of ever-increasing speed and complexity.
These essential ingredients of effective leadership include perspective, clarity and self-understanding.
Their cultivation requires a discipline of time and contemplation which, although revered in many cultures, is largely dismissed in our own. The idea of extended periods for rest and reflection in an environment where we practically—and sometimes actually—check emails in our sleep, not to mention on weekends and vacations, is a foreign language. And thus the concept of a temporary respite to gain fresh perspective—known as a sabbatical—has rarely seen the light of day outside the realm of higher education.
Measured Effects
I am happy to report a shifting trend within the field of philanthropy. A growing number of foundations and nonprofit organizations are experimenting with sabbaticals which allow the chief executive to leave his or her organization for up to three months—or more in some cases—to restore, replenish and refresh themselves professionally and personally. The effect of these sabbaticals on the leaders and the organizations they serve is beginning to be measured, and the early results are as relevant and instructive for business as they are for the nonprofit sector.
A study of more than 100 nonprofit organizations whose leaders had taken sabbaticals—conducted by Third Sector and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, and titled “Creative Disruption”—showed that 87% of leaders returned with increased confidence in their ability to do their jobs, which elevated the level of their work, their capacity to raise funds, and their ability to think freely and creatively on the job. And the enhanced capabilities of staff members who learned new skills and took on added responsibilities in the chief executive’s absence resulted in better delegation of both duties and decision making upon the chief executive’s return. This tops off the data: 75% of the leaders reported that the insights they gained on sabbatical either helped them crystallize an existing vision for their organization or frame a new one.
Into Africa
These intended benefits were the impetus for a sabbatical that the board of the Orange County Community Foundation and I agreed would occur upon my 15th anniversary as the organization’s president. I reached that milestone in May 2015, and in June I stepped out of my daily responsibilities for a period of 10 weeks that included volunteer service in Africa with my 12-year-old son, guided reflection with valued mentors, and the space and time to refresh and recharge myself for the work I love.
Take-Aways
The benefit of this “creative disruption” was invaluable for me and OCCF. The complete roster of results is lengthy and growing, but three take-aways top my list:
• I am a calmer, clearer and more focused leader.
The time to unplug, gather new insights and re-evaluate my priorities—both professionally and personally—resulted in a more effective leader returning to OCCF. I am making better decisions and facing the toughest ones with increased resolve and determination. I am sweating the small stuff less and focusing my energy where it’s needed most.
• Our executive team upped their game and stayed there.
It’s wonderful to be a leader with a consuming passion for your work and a drive to pursue your organization’s mission with boundless zeal. Except perhaps for the people who have to work with you and for you. Sometimes there’s just not enough sunlight for the rest of the garden. Those of us who are whirling dervishes of energy and ideas and forward motion can be motivating to our teams, but we can also be overwhelming and clueless about the impact of our approach on those with different styles.
The opportunity for my brilliant and capable team to both step up in their own areas of expertise and to provide collective leadership to the organization was empowering and enlivening to them as individuals and as a group. One result is that we’ve changed almost everything about how we work together now that I’m back, maintaining what was working best while I was away and including me in the mix only where I truly add value. This shift has not only continued to empower my team, but has freed me up to focus on strategic priorities and the critical work of building a path for our future.
• What I learned in Africa was a lot.
My son and I spent nearly a month in South Africa and Kenya volunteering, learning and immersing ourselves in new cultures. The lessons I brought back transformed my perspective on my life and the work of the Orange County Community Foundation. More on that in a future column.
Meanwhile, consider that it is common to hear that “nonprofits should operate more like businesses.”
Consider also that the lessons can go both ways.
And the nonprofit sector might be opening a new frontier in leadership through its embrace of the often-overlooked concept of sabbaticals, a move that holds the potential to lift all of our organizations to new heights.
Something to think about, if you can find the time.
