Fostering%20Non-Traditional%20Leadership

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Fostering Non-Traditional Leadership in a
Tradition Based Organization Dawn Lindblom
Executive Director, Inland Northwest
Chapter
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The American Red Cross, a humanitarian
organization led by volunteers, provides relief
to victims of disasters and helps people prevent,
prepare for and respond to emergencies.
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Inland Northwest Chapter
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Inland Northwest Chapter

• 9 Employees
• 367 Volunteers
• 121 CPR/First Aid Courses
• 786 Military Emergency Services
• 493 Disaster Clients Assisted
• 7 International Tracing Services
• 11,979 Volunteer Hours
• 17,969 Disaster Preparedness Participants
• 12,683 Health and Safety Course Participants

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Community Presence Initiative

• Reduce bureaucracy by placing more power in the
  communities rather than the organization
• Improve communication
• Improve accountability
• Improve preparedness for national or
  international disaster
• Improve collaboration between chapters within
  geographical areas
• Lower administration and overhead costs as a
  percentage of revenue
• OVERALL BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AT FULFILLING THE
  RED CROSS MISSION

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Eastern Washington Red Cross

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Eastern Washington Overview

• Inland Northwest Chapter Regional Chapter
• 6 community chapters
• 36 employees
• 3,517 volunteers
• 392 disaster responses
• 452 families financially assisted
• 1,563 Military emergency services
• 52 International tracing
• 25,993 disaster preparedness participants

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Leadership Challenge

• Personal
• New to Red Cross/ New to Washington state/ New as
  Executive Director
• Chapters had all been peers before
• INW Board skeptical of ability to handle Regional
  responsibilities
• Organizational
• Chapter structure very lean and fragile
• Personnel wearing several hats (multi-task)
• INWs resources barely cover immediate 7-county
  area
• Vast geography

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Model the Way

• Serving on DAT team
• The Road Show
• Defining who is staff
• Tackling a deficit mindset the glass is
  definitely half full!

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Inspire a Shared Vision

• Serve as a National Model
• Eastern Washington
• Create Regional Advisory Council
• Host Regional Retreat
• Develop Strategic Plan
• Inland Northwest Chapter
• Create new Tribal Relations Initiative
• Expand Military Outreach Services
• Obtain Homeland Security Grant

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Developing leadership capacity is not about
stuffing in a whole bunch of new information or
trying out the latest technique. Its about
leading out of what is already in your soul.
Its about liberating the leader within you.
Its about setting yourself free. Its about
putting your ear to your heart and just
listening.
A Leaders Legacy, pg. 98
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Challenge the Process

• National Leadership Transition
• Gail McGovern, President/ CEO June, 2008
• New Organizational Priorities August 2008
• Organizational Environment
• One year of CPI implementation
• National Disaster Crisis Floods, Wildfire,
  Hurricanes
• Financial Crisis

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Challenge the Process
Meeting Gail in Seattle November, 2008
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Leading is not about what we gain from others,
but about what others gain from us.
A Leaders Legacy, pg. 98
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Challenge the Process

• One Red Cross Goals San Jose meeting,
  February, 2008

• Operating Efficiencies
• Back office operations
• Marketing messages
• Revenue Maximization
• Coordinated fundraising
• World class products/ services
• Financial Controls

• Mission
• Preparedness
• Disaster Response
• Employee and Volunteer Satisfaction
• Clear Accountabilities
• Sharing best practices

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Challenge the Process
Old Operating Model
Chapter
Chapter
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Challenge the Process
New Operating Model
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Enable Others to Act

• Organizational
• Chapter By-Laws
• Chapter Board participation
• COEs
• New State Disaster Consortium
• Regional
• Yakima/ Kittitas Chapter Collaboration
• Wal-Mart Grant
• March Red Cross promotional month
• Leadership Retreats

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Encourage the Heart

• Recognition
• National Leadership, Peers, Board Members, Media
• Encouraging words
• Emails, note cards, phone calls
• Food, Food, Food!
• Starbucks, BBQs,

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Encourage the Heart
I have an almost complete disregard of precedent,
and a faith in the possibility of something
better. It irritates me to be told how things
have always been done. I defy the tyranny of
precedent. I go for anything new that might
improve the past.
-Clara Barton, Founder, American Red Cross
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What is Non-Traditional Leadership?

• A belief that leadership can be learned
• A belief that everyone is a leader
• A belief that it takes many, not one or a
  select few
• A belief that authenticity is the most important
  aspect to leadership
• A belief that there is no one, right way to
  lead

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Fostering Non-Traditional Leadership

• Any questions?
• THANK YOU!