The Nonprofit Roundtable believes that leading an individual nonprofit organization is not enough – tomorrow’s leaders must exercise vision and skills not only to lead their organizations, but to be a force beyond the walls of their organization, a strong voice for their causes, their communities, and for the sector.  Roundtable Fellows have the potential to impact the Greater Washington nonprofit community, working to leverage the sector’s expertise and acting to influence important issues affecting our region.  Collaborating with others in and out of the nonprofit sector, the Fellows will be strong leaders and agents of change.

The Roundtable’s Beyond-the-Walls Fellowship was established in 2007.  It is a nine-month program, involving four two-day group seminars, six private executive coaching sessions, four private mentoring sessions and four “just lunch” sessions.  As part of the program, Fellows  develop a personal goal related to their maturation and role as an external leader.  

The following program components were designed specifically for the Roundtable Fellows in consultation with the University of Maryland’s Academy of Leadership, Georgetown University’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership and The Aspen Institute’s Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program.  

Workshops
Fellows participate in advanced skill building workshops designed to develop and strengthen the higher order skills associated with success in leading “beyond the walls.”  Workshop topics include models of leadership and change, power analysis mapping, coalition building and partnership development, negotiating and managing conflict, policy advocacy and government relations, and community mobilization in the digital era. Additionally, Fellows receive intensive strategic communications, storytelling, and message training.

In 2007-2008, some of the workshop leaders were Gary Bass of OMB Watch and Georgetown University’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership, Andy Goodman of a goodman – good ideas for good causes, Kristen Grimm and Danielle Lewis of Spitfire Strategies, Jan Houbolt of The LEADERship, and Nicco Mele of EchoDitto.

Coaching  
Fellows receive executive coaching from an experienced professional coach who is familiar with the Fellowship curriculum, objectives and faculty.   The coaching is intended to help access untapped or underutilized potential in ways that are especially impactful and sustainable.  Each Fellow works with a coach to define goals, identify competencies that need to be strengthened or expanded to improve his/her capacity to achieve those goals, and develop individualized approaches for strengthening or expanding these competencies.  The process is a structured and results-driven partnership.  

Mentoring
Fellows receive mentoring from a senior nonprofit leader who has substantially more experience in the same or a similar field.  The role of the mentors is to encourage, advise, demonstrate, explain, model, support and help make connections based on their personal work and life experiences.  Fellows have the opportunity to observe, question, explore and test plans and ideas.  

Trailblazer Meals
Fellows have several opportunities to dialogue as a group with highly successful leaders from the nonprofit, business and public sectors who are recognized as trailblazers. 

For example, in 2007-2008, the Fellows met with Leslie Crutchfield, co-author of Forces for Good; Seth Goldman, founder and CEO of Honest Tea; Jim Kessler, Vice President of Third Way; BB Otero, founder and Executive Director of CentroNia; Walter Smith, Executive Director of DC Appleseed; and Susan Gross, founder of the Management Assistance Group.

Peer Learning
Guided and facilitated by the Aspen Institute, feedback from the Fellows directly informs the agenda for the final two-day seminar.  Together, we design workshops that address issues that are both extremely current and that no participant could address alone.   The discussions delve deeply into the details, provide opportunities for collaborative solutions and offer time and support for Fellows to share their own stories, concerns and approaches.  In the process, Fellows refine their ability to articulate challenges, provide candid advice, defend positions, and demonstrate accountability. 

Commencement and Follow-up
Towards the end of the program year, the group plans a reflection and commemoration of the Fellowship and explores ways in which the work and relationships might continue.