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Skills and Development
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Why charity sector leaders need more influence

Posted By Clore Social Leadership, 19 August 2016
Updated: 14 October 2020


It is a testing time at the moment for charity leaders in the UK - a ‘perfect storm’ of difficult events are bubbling up around them. With an uncertain political and economic climate, the landscape is changing for charities. There is more public scrutiny than ever, and more people needing their services; all of this adds to the challenge of their roles.

Leaders need to find ways to be able to communicate their message effectively, campaign hard, collaborate with others, inspire teams and win funds. For that, they need to grow their influence. What do I mean by influence? You can find a longer explanation here. Without having enough influence, they can’t have the impact that they want and their cause desperately deserves.

In my work as The Influence Expert, I regularly see both good and bad examples of charity leadership when it comes to influence. Good examples include things like being authentic so that beneficiaries, volunteers and funders really have the chance to know what the people at the top of a charity stand for. Bad examples include things like (to my mind) outdated ideas such as mistaking having a personal brand with ‘bragging’, when really it is simply about being clear about the things you stand for and are known for so that you have a chance to further your cause.

In this speech I gave at an international charity conference, I outline some of the ways that people working for charities can build their influence. As a former charity chief executive, I know that time is precious, but making a start to improve the amount of influence that you have needn’t take long. My LEAPS Model, mentioned in the video, gives 5 broad areas to focus on and improve:

L- Likeability - How do you come across to other people? How do you relate to them and empathize with them?

E- Expertise - What are you good at? What should you specialise in? Do others recognize you as an expert?

A- Authenticity - Do you come across as a genuine person? Do you walk the talk?

P- Personal Brand - Do you have a clearly defined and strong personal brand and do you know how to reinforce it both offline and online? Using online platforms, such as LinkedIn, effectively, is important.

S- Synthesis - Are you bringing all the other elements together and do you have a consistent plan to grow your influence over time?

Growing your influence is a marathon not a sprint. Over time though, it can transform the ability of a leader to make an impact on the cause that their charity is fighting for. Of course growing influence is not just about leaders at the very top: everyone in the organisation should be supported to grow their influence so they can be more effective in their roles and progress in their own professional lives.

Alex Swallow is The Influence Expert, helping you grow your influence to increase your impact. He is also the Founder of Young Charity Trustees and of the interview series, Social Good Six and has a background in the charity sector, including as Chief Executive of the Small Charities Coalition.

Tags:  challenges  change  charitysector  collaboration  culture  influence  skills  team  tips  value 

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Tips for 2017 Fellowship applicants

Posted By Clore Social Leadership, 27 July 2016
Updated: 14 October 2020
With the closing date for applications fast approaching (midday on Monday 5 September 2016), everyone at Clore Social Leadership is hugely excited to receive applications to our 2017 programme. However, we understand that the process can be a little daunting, so in addition to our FAQs and selection criteria, we have devised a few key points to help guide you through it.

1. Have the support of your employer/nominator

The support of your employer during the Fellowship process is paramount. Your employer needs to understand that the programme is not just an investment in your own leadership development, but an investment in the whole social sector.

Your employer will need to understand their own commitment, as well as the benefits that their organisation will gain from your Fellowship. The support of your employer will become a key element of your development as a leader over the 12 months. From providing you space to share your learnings with your organisation to assisting you with progress and impact surveys, we expect them to stay engaged throughout the Fellowship.

We expect your employer to be your nominator; they will normally be either your Chief Executive or your Chair. In exceptional cases it might be a senior leader in the social sector who knows you well. Make sure they are briefed thoroughly before applying.

More detailed information on the commitment and benefits to employers can be found in the Information for Employers section of our Prospectus.

2. Demonstrate how and why the Fellowship is right for you at this particular time

We want to see what your reasons are for applying to the 2017 Fellowship at this particular point in your life. Where are you on your leadership journey, and why would the Fellowship be right for you now? What do you hope the Fellowship help you achieve?

This will show us whether you have the vision and self-awareness, as well as readiness and head-space necessary to make the most of the opportunity that our 12-month programme will provide you with.

3. Clearly illustrate how you will give back to your organisation and the sector

Although we are strong believers that leadership development encompasses your individual journey, we also strongly hold that it is in fact much bigger than that. We see leadership development as an investment in the whole sector, a way of strengthening the social sector for the future. This is why giveback is one of the key aspects of the Fellowship.

We are therefore looking for applicants who have an appetite to bring back what they learn on the Fellowship to their organisations to achieve better outcomes for their beneficiaries and the community.

4. Show us your flaws

When completing application forms it can be easy to fall into the trap of only showing the best parts of yourself. However, we want to see what you can gain from the Fellowship, how it might help you, and whether you have the self-awareness to do it. Various elements of the programme will allow you to gain further insights into where your strengths lie, and what you could work on.

5. Come to a recruitment event

We are running a number of information events this summer to support you and your application. One of the best ways to get your questions answered, and get a feel for what the Fellowship entails in practice, is to come and talk to the Clore Social Leadership team and our Fellows at one of our events. See our Fellowship Events page for more information and registration details.

If you can’t attend any of our events and still have questions, please call us on 020 7812 3770.

Good luck with your applications!

Tags:  application  challenges  change  culture  event  future  journey  skills  team  tips 

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