Leadership

Effective social impact sector leaders—staff and Board—are driven to strengthen their skills and impact on an ongoing basis. Leaders need tools and training to leverage their talents to solve problems, create visions that excite, diversify management, generate inclusive work spaces, and build effective and impactful organizations. M+S consultants provide these tools and trainings to nonprofit executive leaders, Board members and to entire organizations.

Services:

Executive Development

Nonprofit and philanthropic leaders are individuals with a deep self-understanding, a clearly articulated aspiration, and a cogent and effective leadership strategy plan. We help emerging nonprofit and philanthropic leaders answer:

  • What do I want to accomplish as a leader and how do I want to lead?
  • What kind of leadership values do I want to exemplify?
  • What is my leadership growth strategy and plan?
  • What is my personal vision for where I want to be in the near future, including Ideation around opportunities, partnerships, new markets, etc.?

M+S consultants work one-on-one with organizational leaders as well as in “leadership circles” so leaders can build colleague networks and share ideas.

Governance/Board Development

As nonprofit operations grow and change, the role of the Board of Directors needs to evolve along with them. M+S consultants work directly with Boards of Directors to design the appropriate structures, policies and leadership roles to effectively govern based on the organization’s current needs and challenges.

Diversity & Inclusion

M+S consultants work with organizations to embrace and expand their diversity in order to create new ideas, address organizational challenges, identify effective strategies and accelerate social value. We work with and provide tools to organizational leaders to build an inclusive culture, identify and address individual biases, and incorporate multiple lenses and perspectives into both the organization’s internal processes and structures and external mission-driven work.

Succession Planning

Organizations are stronger when they have a deliberate and transparent leadership succession plan. M+S consultants work with organizational leaders and Boards of Directors to develop holistic succession plans for the CEO or Executive Director, senior leadership staff, and Board leadership, that are tied to the organization’s strategy and provide stability and vision. M+S consultants create processes that keep plans current and provide assistance with implementation. The results are a sustainable organizational leadership structure and strategy. 

Read “Developing and Supporting a Leader,” a case study on our Leadership services, focusing on our Executive Development work.
Mary Anderson aided this leader in finding her footing in a new role so she could better push forward her organization’s strategic goals. In developing her personal mission and her own strengths, she was able to better join her professional growth with that of her organization, leading to greater success for both.

Read “Optimizing Senior Team Effectiveness,” a case study on our Leadership services, focusing on assessment of skills and putting those skills into use. Shannon Sullivan helped the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum ensure they were getting the most from their leadership and that the leadership was fulfilled in their work.