Who’s Best for Your Organization: Superhero or Leader?

You don’t need to turn on Saturday cartoons to find a superhero. Today’s nonprofit organizations are filled with them.  Women and men who, time and time again, accomplish what the rest of us think isn’t possible with the resources at hand.

Webster’s describes a “superhero” as having “extraordinary or superhuman powers.” Nonprofit organizations everywhere are led by extraordinary women and men who work long hours and make great sacrifices for their organizations, staff members, and constituents. Their passion is amazing, their commitment to their causes is without end, and their results are truly superhuman.

But here are some questions I raise for our collective consideration: Is the existing model–one that encourages executive directors (and other staff members) to work at superhuman levels day in and day out–one that is in the best interests of any organization? Can this model be sustained for as long as the organization needs to exist in order to achieve its mission? Are we experiencing a greater number of executive transitions as a result of our use of this model? If so, at what cost?

I’m here to suggest we encourage and support today’s executive directors in cutting back on the “superhuman” part. Human, not superhuman, must be the standard that we as boards of directors and as a society accept–and appreciate–from our executive directors and the nonprofits they lead. This is especially true in times where resources are more scarce. Today, executive directors are commonly asked to do more–not less–on less. Say what? Isn’t this the very definition of superhuman?

In order to achieve the organizational change I suggest, the executive director needs the help of the board of directors. If an organization’s key priorities are to be changed–which priorities ultimately drive the allocation of resources, including staff time–the board must make this happen.  When the board of directors takes a proactive step towards realistically adjusting the organization’s priorities, it will move towards a healthier and more sustainable operating model with a leader, not a superhero, at the helm.

-July 18, 2009