Cheryl Mason's
Conversation Date: June 11th, 2024 12pm CST
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Authentic Leadership and Strategic Innovation: Insights from Cheryl Mason
Why Authentic Leadership Matters in Nonprofits
Cheryl Mason's Journey
Cheryl Mason’s journey into authentic leadership and strategic innovation is deeply personal and rooted in her life experiences. As an attorney and leader in the federal government, she realized that many leaders fail to see employees as individuals, often treating them merely as parts of a process. This realization drove her to lead differently, emphasizing the importance of relationships and individual impact.
Growing up in southern Ohio, Cheryl faced personal challenges, including losing her father to suicide at a young age and later becoming a military spouse. These experiences taught her the value of support and encouragement from others, shaping her leadership philosophy.
Defining Authentic Leadership
Cheryl defines authentic leadership as “real relationship,” focusing on genuine connections and engagement with people. In the nonprofit sector, this means building trust and demonstrating authenticity to stakeholders and supporters. Authentic leadership involves listening, relating, and connecting with all individuals in your sphere, ensuring that actions and words align to build trust and credibility.
The Role of Technology and Innovation in Nonprofits
Leveraging Technology for Success
Cheryl shares that listening to employees’ ideas about innovation and technology can lead to significant improvements in organizational performance. For example, implementing a colleague’s idea for improving operational flow through technology increased output by 50% in the first year at the Board of Veterans Appeals. This success underscores the importance of being open to new ideas and leveraging technology to drive organizational success.
Overcoming Challenges in Leadership
Cheryl faced numerous challenges in her career, including moving frequently as a military spouse and climbing the career ladder as a woman in the federal government. Despite these obstacles, she persisted by building relationships, staying true to her values, and demonstrating resilience. Cheryl emphasizes the importance of being approachable and willing to listen, as these qualities can lead to transformative changes within an organization.
Balancing Work and Life in Nonprofit Leadership
Importance of Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is crucial for nonprofit leaders, who often face intense demands and pressures. Cheryl advises leaders to be present in both their professional and personal lives, setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. She also highlights the need for leaders to trust their teams and delegate responsibilities, which fosters a supportive and collaborative work environment.
Supporting Organizational Stability
Navigating crises and maintaining stability requires strong leadership and clear communication. Cheryl shares that aligning actions with words and building trust within the team are essential for overcoming challenges. She stresses the importance of having a consistent message and ensuring that all team members are working towards the same goals.
Key Advice for Aspiring Nonprofit Leaders
Know Your Audience and Purpose
Cheryl advises new nonprofit leaders to understand their audience, purpose, and goals. Clearly defining what you want to achieve, why it matters, and how you plan to do it is crucial for carving out a space in the competitive nonprofit sector. Authenticity, passion, and a unique perspective can help leaders make a significant impact.
Embrace Vulnerability and Authenticity
Being authentic and vulnerable allows leaders to connect with others on a deeper level. Cheryl emphasizes that showing your true self and sharing your story can inspire trust and support from stakeholders. Leaders should embrace their unique perspectives and not be afraid to take risks and face challenges head-on.
Conclusion
Authentic leadership and strategic innovation are vital for nonprofit success. Cheryl Mason’s insights highlight the importance of building genuine relationships, leveraging technology, and maintaining a work-life balance. By embracing authenticity and being open to new ideas, nonprofit leaders can drive meaningful change and make a lasting impact.
Cheryl Mason
Author, Founder
Cheryl Mason is a keynote speaker and subject matter expert on relational leadership, emphasizing its positive impact on employees and organizational success. She brings a unique perspective on adversity, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth. Cheryl critiques the negative effects of “phantom” leaders and advocates for genuine, connected leadership.
Rejecting the concept of invisible leadership, Cheryl embraces relational connected leadership, prioritizing the value of people. Her mission is to educate leaders on the power of caring, connecting, and engaging with their teams.
As a best-selling author and TEDx speaker, Cheryl shares insights on overcoming obstacles, finding purpose, and achieving impact. She contributes to online journals and is frequently quoted as an expert.
In her role as Chief Catalyst at Catalyst Leadership Management, Cheryl offers consultancy services to help leaders develop authentic and empathetic leadership skills. Her experience includes being the first woman and military spouse to serve as Chief Executive/Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals at the VA, where she led with empathy, strategy, and vision, achieving record-breaking results.
Cheryl now extends her expertise by serving on nonprofit and corporate boards, continuing to influence and inspire through her people-centric approach.
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Frequently
Asked Questions
Cheryl Mason’s journey into authentic leadership and strategic innovation is deeply personal and rooted in her life experiences. As an attorney and leader in the federal government, she realized that many leaders fail to see employees as individuals, often treating them merely as parts of a process. This realization drove her to lead differently, emphasizing the importance of relationships and individual impact.
Growing up in southern Ohio, Cheryl faced personal challenges, including losing her father to suicide at a young age and later becoming a military spouse. These experiences taught her the value of support and encouragement from others, which greatly influenced her leadership philosophy, focusing on the importance of relationships and individual impact.
Cheryl defines authentic leadership as “real relationship,” which involves genuine connections and engagement with people. In the nonprofit sector, this means building trust and demonstrating authenticity to stakeholders and supporters, ensuring that actions and words align to build trust and credibility.
Cheryl emphasizes that listening to employees’ ideas about innovation and technology can lead to significant improvements in organizational performance. For example, implementing a colleague’s idea for improving operational flow through technology increased output by 50% in the first year at the Board of Veterans Appeals.
Cheryl faced numerous challenges, including moving frequently as a military spouse and climbing the career ladder as a woman in the federal government. She overcame these obstacles by building relationships, staying true to her values, and demonstrating resilience, emphasizing the importance of being approachable and willing to listen.
Work-life balance is crucial for nonprofit leaders due to the intense demands and pressures they face. Cheryl advises leaders to be present in both their professional and personal lives, set boundaries, and prioritize self-care. Trusting teams and delegating responsibilities also fosters a supportive and collaborative work environment.
Cheryl highlights the need for strong leadership and clear communication during crises. Aligning actions with words and building trust within the team are essential for overcoming challenges. Ensuring that all team members are working towards the same goals helps maintain stability.
Cheryl advises new nonprofit leaders to understand their audience, purpose, and goals. Clearly defining what you want to achieve, why it matters, and how you plan to do it is crucial. Authenticity, passion, and a unique perspective can help leaders make a significant impact. She also stresses the importance of embracing vulnerability and authenticity to connect with stakeholders on a deeper level.