When I first became an ED, I was in way over my head. I had a fair amount of experience, but stepping into a Director role is like nothing else. When before I had held leadership roles of managing people and programs, I was now thrust into a role where I needed to understand accounting and finance, HR laws and lobbying guidelines. I didn’t want to let the Board and my new staff know just how overwhelmed I was, and so I went online to see if I could find some sound advice for this new role.
To be completely honest, I actually think I did a search for something like “nonprofit leadership for dummies,” but couldn’t bring myself to realistically walk into my new fancy job with my yellow dummies book. What I found, though, was a guide that got me through not just my first year but my entire tenure as an Executive Director. The Nonprofit Management 101 book is a collaboration between dozens of nonprofit professionals, and its chapters cover everything from working with your Board, nonprofit law and finance and IT needs for NGOs. I still keep this book front and center on my desk, and have recommended it to any friend or client who also needs that some critical advice on juggling the role.
The book is simple, and to become an expert you’ll need much deeper levels of skills and support in each area. But when Executive Directors (especially of small nonprofits) are expected to know a little bit of everything, this book will help you on your way to becoming a jack or jill of all trades (and eventually, master of at least some).
