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Dear Friend,Welcome to the first issue of La Piana Associates’ quarterly newsletter, The Learning Link. At La Piana Associates, we place high value on learning—our own and the sector’s—and on sharing what we learn with others. Our objective in creating The Learning Link is to share with you things we’ve learned in our capacity-building work with nonprofits.
This issue focuses on the use of learning communities as a model for leadership development, and highlights our work in designing and implementing learning communities. You can read here what we’ve learned from our work with the PONO Leadership Institute, a program sponsored by the Hawai’i Community Foundation and the Case Foundation. PONO stands for “Promoting Outstanding Nonprofit Organizations.” “Pono” is a Hawaiian word that means “righteous.” It’s used to describe a situation when everything is as it should be. The first PONO program started in 2003; the third class of a dozen executive directors will graduate in June 2006. For those wanting a quick scan, we provide a brief summary at the beginning of the article. If you want to go deeper, click on the link after the summary to view the full article. There’s also a link to our website for a more in-depth article, written by Liza Culick, Senior Manager, on the theory behind learning communities. See the sidebar for a link to this article. We want to learn from you. So, if you have comments or thoughts about the newsletter that you’d like to share with us, please send them to our editor, Michaela Hayes, at hayes@lapiana.org. Yours in learning, P.S. We are sending this first issue of our newsletter to you because you either signed up for it on our website, were on our Strategic Solutions Initiative newsletter mailing list, or are in our contact database and receive other mailings from us. If you do not want to receive further issues of this newsletter, please send an email to publications@lapiana.org with the word “Unsubscribe” in the subject line. Also, please feel free to forward this newsletter to a friend. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to this newsletter, they can go to our website to sign-up.The Learning Community Model for Leadership Development“Being an executive director is a uniquely lonely position,” Ruth Bolan—currently executive director of Pacific Islanders in Communications, located on the island of Oahu—said in explaining why she applied to the PONO Leadership Institute. PONO offered Ruth an opportunity to meet with other ED’s, to share experiences—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and to learn from and with her peers in a trusting environment. At the time, Ruth was a relative newcomer to the nonprofit sector, having spent much of her career in business. When asked what value she received from PONO, Ruth emphatically stated: “Most significantly, it shaped my commitment to the nonprofit sector—now, I know I will never leave it.” With the current focus in the sector on developing, recruiting, and retaining strong leaders, the learning community model holds great potential for effective leadership development. In this article, we give a brief overview of the main components of the PONO program. An article discussing the theory behind learning communities—written by Liza Culick, Senior Manager, who leads our practice in this area—is found on our website. Summary of Key LearningsIntended outcomes
Actual outcomes
Basic components of leadership development programs
Success factors of the PONO learning community model for leadership development
What are the intended outcomes?When the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF) created the PONO Leadership Institute (PONO) it sought to build the leadership capacity of nonprofit EDs in order to produce more effective nonprofits that would ultimately have greater positive impact on the communities they serve. HCF contracted with La Piana Associates to develop the structure and curriculum for the learning community, as well as to lead it. Liza Culick, Senior Manager, was instrumental in the design and implementation of PONO, and of La Piana Associates’ leadership development and learning community practice. What outcomes have been achieved?A formal external evaluation found the program to be highly successful in achieving its primary goal of creating a network of empowered, self-aware, and reflective leaders. Stating that it is too soon to measure long-term outcomes, the evaluators noted: “It appears that the program will be successful in achieving its other goals of increasing the capacity of participants’ organizations and increasing the impact of nonprofit organizations in their communities.” What are the basic components of leadership development programs?There are a number of leadership development program models available throughout the country. Below we review some common features, and then present those that we have found to be the most important components. ComponentsIn successful learning programs three elements are always present:
CurriculumIn most programs, the curriculum is designed to help leaders build the skills and competencies that are necessary to be strong nonprofit leaders. This includes the ability to develop and lead their board and staff, and the ability to manage their organizations—strategically, programmatically, and operationally—especially during periods of change. Peer networkingThere is usually an emphasis on peer networking. This is accomplished with varying degrees of success, depending in part on the frequency of meetings, and whether these are in-person, or by phone, email, or other electronic means. At their best, the networks that participants develop with other leaders help reduce the sense of isolation commonly experienced by EDs, and provide them access to a depth of knowledge and experience, and a sounding board to discuss the challenges they face. In PONO, the networks have been long-lasting. Ruth’s class, the first round of PONO participants, graduated in the early summer of 2003. “We still email each other when we have questions or need help dealing with issues. Just knowing that this support is there when I need it is very reassuring.” What factors contribute to the success of learning communities in leadership development?Frequent, in-person meetingsPONO includes regular in-person meetings over a course of ten months, and seeks to create an atmosphere where participants trust and respect each other, and see themselves and each other not only as fellow learners, but also teachers. Creating a safe environment for deeper self-awarenessA related aspect of PONO’s success is the self-awareness that participants gain through sharing experiences and reflecting on their leadership skills and style. This self-awareness comes through feedback from peers, as well as ongoing self-reflection that is built into every session and is encouraged between sessions through activities such as journaling. The ClinicSupporting these outcomes is the clinic that is held at the beginning of each PONO session. One or two EDs present a challenge that they are currently facing. The group is then asked for suggestions on how to address the challenge. This gives participants a chance to share their experiences and knowledge, and to also reflect on how they might handle the situation. “As a nonprofit ED, you always have to have your ‘game face’ on. The clinic made everyone feel involved and built trust in our group. It allowed us to put down our guard and share at a deep level.” Since different people present their challenges at each session, everyone develops both a healthy respect for their peers’ difficulties, and a great deal of skill in thinking through and helping to address a myriad of problems similar to, but also distinct from, the ones they may be facing. Capacity-building grantAll PONO participants are eligible for a capacity-building grant. They must submit a brief proposal in order to receive the funds. As Ruth explained, the process of developing the proposal was a learning experience in itself. “Almost all of us did not get the grant the first time we applied! As a group, that was really shocking. We helped each other re-apply, and this served to develop a sense of camaraderie in the group. Together, we gained a much deeper understanding of capacity-building and an appreciation for its value to our organizations.” Approach to teaching and learningOne of the most, if not the most, important ingredients in PONO is the leadership and teaching style of the consultant/ trainer who facilitates and leads the meetings, and a design that embraces effective adult learning models. Key attributes of the consultant /trainer are an understanding that the trainer is an active participant in the learning, and that participants themselves are both learner and teacher. This creates a sense of mutual trust and respect, and supports participants in developing relationships that last. Tony Krieg, executive director of a large long term care program on the island of Maui, Hale Makua, stated that one of the best aspects of PONO was the “safe, trusting atmosphere among peers that was created. This really supported me in not only expressing my issues, but provided an environment that allowed me to learn from the faculty and my peers about strategies to cope with the issues I faced.” In their design, PONO sessions draw on structure and processes that have proven to be most supportive for adult learners. These include an emphasis on discussion, and a structure that employs a variety of processes—individual work, as well as small and large group interaction—and that addresses different learning styles and preferences—such as, visual, kinesthetic, verbal, and tactile. Even during the large group sessions—when the trainer delivers the didactic portion of the curriculum—the group sits together in a “learning circle” along with the trainer, rather than in a traditional classroom set-up. ReunionIn early January 2006, we hosted a reunion of the first two classes of PONO graduates, and included the third class of participants who will graduate this coming June. The event was well-attended (more than 90% of graduates attended), and not only were relationships still strong within the classes, these extended across classes. As Tony Krieg told us: “We bonded with the other classes. Just knowing that another ED has been through PONO gives me a feeling of trust and connection. We share a similar experience, similar values, and a similar vocabulary. “ (See our website for photos of the reunion.) SummaryWhile the long-term outcomes of the learning community approach to leadership development are still being evaluated, this approach clearly holds great potential for developing strong, committed nonprofit leaders, who apply their skills to build stronger organizations, capable of greater positive impact on their communities. La Piana Associates has designed and implemented several learning communities focused on leadership development on behalf of foundations seeking to support their grantees. In addition to the PONO program sponsored by the Hawai’i Community Foundation, these include a program sponsored by the Skoll Foundation and one funded by the James Irvine Foundation. For more information, please contact Liza Culick, Senior Manager, at culick@lapiana.org. A background paper is available on our website.La Piana Associates, Inc. is a management consulting firm focused on helping nonprofit organizations and philanthropic foundations effectively address the strategic issues they face. We are dedicated to improving the capacity of the nonprofit sector, and specifically to helping nonprofits become stronger, more effective, and sustainable for the long-term. Please feel free to forward this email to friends and colleagues. If you do not want to receive future issues of this newsletter, please send an email to publications@lapiana.org with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line. | ||||||||||
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| Know someone who would like to sign-up for this newsletter? Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who may be interested in it. If you know someone who would like to sign-up, tell them to visit our website. It’s easy to sign-up. New! David La Piana’s blog! Want to learn more about learning communities for leadership development? View more photos of the PONO Leadership Institute Reunion Recent and Upcoming Speaking Engagements by La Piana Associates’ team members David La Piana, President (lapiana@lapiana.org): David will conduct a workshop and give a keynote on Strategies for Surviving, Thriving, Collaborating, and Competing at Nonprofit Day in Pueblo, Colorado in early March. David will also lead a workshop with Stephanie McAuliffe of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation at the Council on Foundations conference in May. The topic will be the firm’s Strategy Formation initiative. Click here for more information on the Strategy Formation initiative. Liza Culick, Senior Manager (culick@lapiana.org): Liza will lead a session on the Due Diligence Tool at the upcoming Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) conference in March. View and download the Due Diligence Tool (in pdf format). Jo DeBolt, Senior Associate (debolt@lapiana.org): Jo is teaching a course on Interagency Collaboration as part of the Master of Science in Community Leadership program at the School of Leadership and Professional Advancement at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. In mid-February, Jo will be speaking to The Group—an organization of corporate funders located in Richmond, Virginia—about strategic restructuring in the nonprofit sector. Bill Coy, Senior Associate (coy@lapiana.org): In late February, Bill will facilitate a session at the Grantmakers in Health Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. This will include an overview of Real Collaboration, a series of facilitated presentations by grantmakers from across the country who have been involved in collaborations, and a summary of lessons learned. Bill will lead a session on Conflict Resolution in the Workplace: Effective Negotiation Tactics at the Northern California Human Resources Association’s mid-March meeting. In mid-June, Bill will be at the Hartford Community Foundation in Connecticut to conduct a training for consultants on the consultants’ role in facilitating partnerships and collaborations. Bill will discuss how nonprofits can effectively pursue administrative consolidation and alliances. Visit our "Recent and Upcoming Presentations" section on our website for more information. Recent publications and articles |
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