Lessons Nonprofits Can Learn from Donald Trump

Love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him! Donald Trump has been in the headlines since the day he announced that he will run for the Republican nomination to be the President of the United States. Fast forward to February 2017, a month after his inaugural ceremony, Trump is anything but old news. In fact, news about him is selling like hot cakes. I wouldn’t be surprised if news outlets see record numbers simply because they cover him, regardless of whether the coverage is in positive or even extremely negative light. The point is, one could say that Trump came, he saw, and he conquered in the true sense of the statement. Putting his success in business aside, let’s go over some lessons non-profit leaders could learn from Donald Trump.

1. Ignore the naysayers.
If you can see potential in yourself and your non-profit organization, no matter others say, don’t back down! Trump was told not to pursue a political career by many pundits. He was told he wouldn’t win. He was told he shouldn’t bother trying because it’s not going to go anywhere. Take the feedback that comes your way with a grain of salt. Perhaps the journey towards starting your organization is meant to teach you about the strength of will and the power of optimism.

2. Make people feel special.
One of Donald Trump’s most famous statements is, “I love the poorly educated.” With this statement of his, Trump won the hearts of millions of Americans who didn’t have the opportunity or the financial means to attain higher education. Trump expressed his dedication to Americans of all stripes despite their socio-economic status. As a non-profit leader, you must never undermine anyone you meet in your path thinking they won’t be of any help to you. If your organization accepts donations, never think any amount to be too small. The second lesson to learn is to embrace others as they are instead of trying to change them to suit your liking. This could apply to your employees or those you deal with on a day-to-day basis.

3. Say it like it is.
Now let’s be honest, Donald Trump has said many politically incorrect statements. In some instances, he has come across to some as plain sexist and extremely racist. But the lesson I want you to focus on is transparency. Donald Trump don’t hide behind sound bytes. He is straight up about his beliefs and position on every issue. If you can be transparent as a leader in a non-profit organization, that’s a quality that your team would inherit from you. Transparency breeds excellence because you won’t be making excuses for your shortcomings. If you can be transparent about your weaknesses, your team will be less hesitant to bring up their shortcomings with you. Such an environment allows for growth and development and who doesn’t benefit from that!

4. Become a social media guru.
Whether you’re the one managing your non-profit organization’s social media pages or have a team dedicated to run it, make communicating on the wide world web a priority. Donald Trump understood the power of social media and used it to his advantage to the point that he doesn’t need news outlet to push his ideas for him. His Twitter does that and does it well! Spending your organization’s resources on social media is not a cost, it’s an investment which you will certainly reap.