My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would not lead alone.

My leader is called Zorb and he/she involves it's team in all discussions about the direction of the organisation and the delivery of the mission, vision etc.

Zorb is in charge of directing an arts organisation and in lieu of applying for three-year funding and submitting a binding 3 year business plan that the team will have to deliver he/she will:

Have one-to-one meetings with heads of departments to ask:

• What is achievable in terms of delivery?
  
• What areas they would like to develop?
  

Hold team meetings with entire staff team to ask:

• Each department to present three year objectives and ask for feedback/input
  
• Highlight areas of concern from the team

This way the entire workforce will have been part of the three year plan, feel invested and part of the development process therefore more likely to feel engaged with the output in the coming years.

If the funding falls through and the 3 year plan fails to materialise Zorb is not to blame but neither is the team - everybody can look at the wider sector and ask why it wasn't successful.

If the funding comes through and the plan kicks into action there is a feeling that everybody owns it and will work hard to deliver it together.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would enable others.

During meetings Maxine gets the team to rotate who chairs, and who takes minutes. She contributes the least out of the participants, but when she does it is the insightful comment or suggestions that focuses the discussion and drives it towards well chosen and effective action.

In the end she only occupies the post for 4 years, but people notice a difference about the place. Managers listen and entrust their teams with responsibilities, individuals feel more empowered and valued, and within a few years of her her leaving 3 of her original management team now lead another organisation in much the same style she did and one of them has taken her place.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would:

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be willing to support innovation and risk-taking projects alongside the organisations core work which may be of a more 'tried and tested' approach. For example, short-term pilot projects engaging smaller groups of service users would happen regularly. This work would be an experimental space, which would, after staff/service user review, would be integrated into the core work (or not!). It could be funded through smaller short-term grants or, perhaps more fittingly, crowd-funded by the public so that goals could be set which aren't necessarily targeted by grant givers. 

‘My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would … '

Believe in, and fully understand the aims of the organisation. They would enable the staff to meet their potential within their roles, supporting them to make changes and improvements to their work. They would understand the needs of the charity's beneficiaries/clients and that those needs change over time, or that they may stay the same and so help the staff manage the services to suit this. They would be driven by the needs of the beneficiaries but able to balance to requirement of the funders to meet targets. They would be happy to provide opportunities and responsibility to other team members whilst offering support if necessary.

I consider them as a guide, almost herding the best ideas froward from the group of staff. They would need to be strong in sticking to their beliefs of how they feel the organisation should be led so they don't to resort to dictatorial leadership which would often be considered to exhibit strength.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be :-

• A great listener who encourages contributions from staff and volunteers and takes them seriously
• Committed to the objectives of the charity and can express that commitment and those objectives in any scenario - at the elevator test, to the Prime Minister, to a beneficiary etc
• Someone who embraces and celebrates failure and success alike and enables the charity to learn and benefit from both
• An achiever through others - via coaching, support, encouragement
• Realises that trying to do everything oneself is damaging
• Someone who delivers results
• Creates a good example

Examples would be allowing the Senior Management Team to freely express and create and recognise they may make mistakes, putting in place coaching and support [not necessarily expensive], monitoring results against targets.

It would be clear to all who came into contact with the charity that this person epitomises the very being and nature of the charity and is driven by the needs of beneficiaries but yet is not important in themselves because all their peers, senior team embrace the same desire. My leader is not indispensable.

My ideal leader would be collaborative and engaging; working through others transparently and ensuring all - including service users and supporters - were part of the solution.  s/he would be unafraid of change; recognising that this needs to be done 'together' and for a purpose, ie to meet a need. s/he would be able to tell compelling stories; supported by evidence but not hamstrung by waiting for evidence. however this would be tempered by having clear agreed boundaries to prevent vanity projects. A good leader would focus on 'we' rather than 'me' but will be comfortable to own difficult decisions = and even to make mistakes and admit them. S/he recognises that talk is work and building connections is work but supported by outcomes and frameworks. s/he is resilient and level-headed; keen on own development but not chasing the latest fad. s/he understands that a leader's greatest strength are the others.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would empower people to make things happen.

There is almost always a moment  , in the organisation's life-time that it needs change. Most of the time it is the strategic one. if the organisation is well managed , the change is less drastic but what if the organisation has grown too big , has taken on  board perhaps too many projects that are not necessary completely in line with the mission/ vision of the organisation, and he/she needs to take some steps to withdraw from some of them or find different innovative sources of funding beyond the regular project's income source. How would he/she do it?

First, my ideal leader: Cosma would gather motivated people that share similar values and would actively involve them into the process of change. Cosma cannot do it alone. Cosma needs to empower the team to make things change, otherwise the drive of a change would never be too strong to make it happen in reality. Cosma  would involve the team in the decision-making, as it they would take ownership of those decisions , which might put the organisation into hard times. Cosma is there only to stimulate the change but the change has to happen with a drive from  all of the team members. In this way it is easier in the future to bear the difficulties within the team and they can face them together and can share their doubts, possible frustrations or disappointments. Further, after having made some changes in the strategy of the organisation,and put a carefully discussed and agreed plan,  there is a next step to look for opportunities and find new initiatives that would  generate income but will be in line with the mission. In order to do it, the team needs relevant tools. It is very normal the not all of the members have the same knowledge , experience etc. My leader would find ways to build know-how and share knowledge by mentoring, peer to peer learning, exchanges etc.. After the change happens and the organisation is back on track, there is a regular assessment in place that checks all the initiatives against the  mission and goals of the organisation. My ideal leader would empower people, so that Cosma can count on them anytime and take best out of their capabilities. 

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would.....

be a great motivator and a good listener. Able to drive the organisation forwards but ensure that they always involve staff in the process. To successfully involve others the leader needs to not be an overly dominant personality or have the self awareness to ensure that their personality doesn't get in the way of productive dialogue with staff.   

The leader should be able to drive the charity in the background so as to not overpower the message of the organisation and should ensure they find staff/volunteers who are also able to inspire donors and individuals to get involved with the charity. This ensures that the charity isn't reliant solely on the leader and can function and grow without needing them to be around all the time. This will also help to bring diversity to the charity.

The leader needs to be trustworthy and inspire confidence and also be accountable for their actions. I think this helps make for a healthy leadership.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would engage, empower and energise its employees. 

Ronald Drumpf would create ways to constructively engage with his people and for each employee to feel valued. 

He wouldn't have favourites and he wouldn't take any steps to further his own needs/aspirations - all employee decisions should purely be on basis on merit.

He would encourage new and conflicting ideas, and acknowledge and praise employees who bring new ideas to the table. 

He would invest in developing the employees to make a sound capable team of people who are empowered to take decisions in line with the vision of the company. 

He would seek to invest in innovation and taking the company forward, bringing fresh, more effective ways of doing things. 

He would collaborate to take decisions, let employees feel responsible for the decisions. 

Hi, I think my ldeal leader would be called Socrates. Socrates would ask everyone lots of questions and make them think about their assumptions.However Socarates would really need a team of people around him/her who were prepared to engage with his/her annoying questions in the midst of trying to keep an organisation with a mission and goals afloat! 

Socrates might ask staff about whether their project actually makes clients more dependent, or whether the outcomes would have happened anyway, or whether the project is genuinely open to everyone in the target group; she will ask funders what they really mean by 'independence' and 'dignity'; he will ask clients if they'd prefer to have information about private providers or a [possibly more expensive] service from the charity; if they'd prefer to have support with social activities or an advocate for their housing issues. She will ask managers what are the obstacles for them to effectively manage their project(s), and what they need to overcome those obstacles, and he will enquire about the merits of spending more or saving more to overcome said obstacles, bending the rules or sticking to the high road of probity, close monitoring or greater discretion etc. Socrates will make everyone think 'What am I here for?', not just 'How do I get through this problem?'  

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would listen. They would encourage criticism of current methods as well as new proposals, from all levels. For example including staff in meetings where priorities are set and letting staff see draft proposals to give them a chance to add their opinions or inform the leader of potential contacts / experience they have that could make the project even more successful.

They would vary their communication depending on what they were trying to convey and who they were talking to. For example emails to staff would be informative and to the point whilst emails to clients would reflect the relationship the company has with them. 

They would reward hard work rather than 'big' outcomes. In order to do this they would need to ask managers about the members of staff they managed. For example some people who go above and beyond in their job role are actually covering for other staff vacancies. This means they struggle to keep up and don't produce bigger outcomes but they are working hard and that should be rewarded. 

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be balanced. I think balance is an often overlooked quality in a leader, where we stress individual traits and qualities as necessary, and then use those traits/qualities to justify problems after the event (as demonstrated in the Kids Company examples).

Having said that, I would look for the following qualities in some degree:

Ethical

This would be the most important trait I would look for as a prerequisite in leaders in the voluntary sector. It would manifest itself throughout different elements of the role. For example, there would be full, open and honest disclosure in all different types of reporting. This might mean admitting where projects have failed to any funders, but displaying learning and growth from those short-comings. Employees and volunteers would be treated fairly and not exploited in any way

Charismatic

The ability to speak/present clearly and convincingly, using persuasion and allowing passion for the mission to come across. This is tempered by self-awareness (in order to achieve balance) so that no signs of narcissism or it's related problems are allowed to surface. Examples of this charisma could involve an impassioned speech delivered to a potential funder or a pep-talk delivered to colleagues that gives them a sense of get-up-and-go and makes them believe that challenges can be met and overcome.

Consistency

By behaving in a stable and consistent manner, it allows all stakeholders to know what to expect from a leader and picture them as reliable and trustworthy. Examples can include treating two employees or volunteers in the same way, regardless of stature or importance of that employee to the organisation. Often people working lower down the organisational chain can find this sort of leadership empowering and are more motivated as a result

Week 3 – Activity 6

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would acknowledge the contributions that my colleagues and I make towards the people we serve. This leader would openly share their own contributions towards the cause. They would welcome discourse, scrutiny and praise in a reciprocal way.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would actively encourage the stimulation of new ideas and new collaborations. But be gracious when ideas just aren’t pragmatic. And equally encouraging and grateful in these moments, as well as when other ideas run their course –win, lose, or draw.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would support the greater inclusion of the people we serve in our meetings. Which would create direct representation and first hand experiential accountability of what matters to them.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be willing to create competition through a head-to-head approach to certain tasks. The leader would project manage one team and the opportunity for someone else, on a rotational basis, would project manage a second team. The idea being for both teams to tackle both the immediate needs and the systemic problems of the people they serve i.e. funding, education, opportunities etc. Both teams would reconvene to present their ideas. An anonymous vote by all involved would then determine the winning team’s idea to be trialled.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be approachable. They would have regular team meetings and be freely available to email or contact by phone.

They would listen and consider all options. They would inspire and sell the purpose of the service to everyone.

They would stay up to date with technology and changes in societies thinking. They also would be able to delegate fairly - with no obvious favourites and be able to encourage the staff to develop and train to the best of their abilities and gifting's.

The third week of this module has brought home the need to be aware of one's leadership preferences and more importantly how to react if and when one find him/herself in a situation where a colleague or boss exhibits narcissistic behaviour.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would:

- Reward work and innovation rather than loyalty

- Encourage collaborative approach within the organisation and within the sector

- Promote a culture underpinned by transparency, openness, accountability, and other values aimed at putting the service users first

- Puts policies and procedures in place to deal with complaints and whistleblowing

- Encourages separation of public and private lives of the people s/he manages

- Sets up service user panels to ensure that the organisations remains grounded

- Supports and ensures that the trustees dispenses of their responsibilities

- Organises open internal meetings and provides opportunities for constructive criticisms

- Gives opportunities to colleagues to shine by giving credit where it is due

- Publishes annual reports and audited accounts on time

Hoping to read soon, comments from those participating in the local learning club (Milton Keynes) especially Ian, Petal, Clare, Jason, the 2 Paul(s), Julie, Robbie, Marian, Helen, Rosemary, Monique, Belinda, Mascara, Ayer, Fatmah, among others. This question will be the ice breaker for the forthcoming learning club.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would earn their position as a leader through inspiring the trust of the people who work for them, showing that they have the organisations and its staff's best interests at heart as much as that of its beneficiaries. It is never their own personal interests that come first.

They will support their people to do their jobs and yet they will take ultimate responsibility when things go wrong for the organisation. Good HR policies will be in place to deal with internal problems but ultimately, the good leader does not pass the buck and accepts their role in it as much as that of their teams.

Internally within the organisation they are highly visible, approachable and part of the team, however they do not seek to be a public -facing figurehead. There are others who can fulfil this role in third sector such as a champion, ambassador or president not involved in running the organisation. Public facing figureheads in third sector are there to raise the profile of the charity and encourage donations - they might even be a celebrity - this doesn't need to be the head of staff or board.

They would support other leaders at all levels of the organisation to lead their teams, articulating the vision and reinforcing the mission and values of the organisation but enabling leadership to happen on a smaller scale within the separate team specialisms of the organisation. The ideal leader is not threatened by upcoming leadership talent but actively encourages it.

They would act in ways that are transparent. For example, they would have a strong rationale for their decisions yet be prepared to be challenged on those and engage in dialogue with their people. They will accept that they may not always be right.

My ideal leader in the voluntary sector would be passionate about what they and their organisation do, and be fully committed to the organisations mission and purpose. They would be inspiring and engaging, proactive in their leadership and be trusting. They would rise by lifting others and working collaboratively - being visible around the organisation and approachable, having good listening skills and the ability to turn thoughts into actions, being supportive to others and gratefully encouraging them to drive the organisation forwards, appropriately delegating work without keeping everything to themselves. They would not seek to be the one and only face of the organisation. They would have a great ability to engage with others, be that staff, volunteers, trustees and supporters, and bring a great energy to the organisation. Most importantly, they would be human - admit when they are wrong, put faith in others, have a sense of humour and a level of self awareness that drives them to develop themselves to continually be a better leader than they were yesterday.