Workplace mentoring & coaching

I've been privileged to be a part of a leadership circle these past 15 years with a few other nonprofit executive directors. It has been a tremendous experience meet every other month over breakfast, and share ideas and concerns with others in similar situations.

While academic learning is valuable, the support of peers can be invaluable. Having developed a strong trusting relationship we're able to share from our hearts both achievements and challenges. With an increasingly challenging economic environment it has been comforting to talk with others who are also in the trenches, passionate about their nonprofit missions.

Our Leadership Circle was developed by Carter McNamara, while working for the Management Assistance Project for Nonprofits. An article was published in today's Star Tribune that highlights Carter's business, Authentic Leadership, which now also works in the corporate world, including clients like Microsoft.

In addition to the development of leadership circles, Carter has also provided an outstanding resource to nonprofits with the posting of a free nonprofit management library on the Internet, http://managementhelp.org/

Thanks to Carter and my nonprofit collegues who have provided invaluable support to me in my leadership with Kinship. We're never too old to benefit from mentoring!