In her role on the board of the Hispanic Services Council, Luz Randolph is responsible for fundraising to support diversity initiatives. Always driven to enhance her value to the board, she wanted to expand her knowledge and challenge her thinking by attending the Governing for Nonprofit Excellence (GNE) program at Harvard Business School Executive Education. In this interview, she reflects on her time in the program and what she took away from her experience on campus.
I chose the program because I wanted to connect with like-minded individuals and find out about their particular organizations and experiences. I believed that learning from their experiences would help me become a better professional, and in particular a better board member. I was committed to learning as much as possible and bringing ideas back to my organization.
The faculty were amazing because of their knowledge and teaching style. Each session was engaging, educational, and empowering. Overall, the experience was impactful and so much fun!
Yes, there were many. One that provided great insight was Professor Dutch Leonard's statement that leadership is about innovation, and innovation is about learning. Before attending GNE, I viewed leadership as an action. But the program's new perspective transformed the way I think about leadership–from an action to an experience that's continuous and also changes in each environment.
Our biggest challenge is our lack of focus on the bigger picture. Currently, we have no true strategic plan, succession plan, or strategy to identify our donors and supporters. What I learned in this program confirmed that we need to sharpen our focus, and it provided ways to tackle each challenge while continuing to serve our community.
Quite frankly, it's invaluable, impactful, and reaffirming. The information and experience you will gain transcends the classroom. It will truly stay with you, and it will change the way you think–for the better!