Research and Leadership Briefs

The March Research brief highlights field trends in practices related to Stakeholder Input in Organizational Governance from the responses of 820 professionals in disability organizations nationwide on the Organizational Priorities and Practices Inventory (OPPI). The findings underscore the pivotal role of stakeholder input in shaping organizational practices and ensuring alignment with evidence-based approaches and disability rights. Find out the about practices trends related to Stakeholder Input in the March Research Brief!

At our Leadership Institute training we help organizations work toward providing progressive, evidence-based services and supports for people with disabilities. This brief illustrates commonalities about how leaders define “progressive” in word cloud and also shares how progressive Leadership Institute graduates think their organizations are. Read about what progressive means to leaders in the field in this February 2024 Research Brief — How Progressive are Service Providers?

Whether our organizations are fully virtual, hybrid, or back to the office full time, we all have to interact with our colleagues and organizational stakeholders via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Webex or another virtual platform. And even though we’ve tried so hard to encourage meaningful virtual connection, online meetings make informal or spontaneous check ins and reading body language or emotional reactions more challenging. Even though we don’t want to, it’s likely that, at least occasionally, we need to give tough or corrective feedback in online meetings. Read about strategies for giving effective feedback in this January 2024 Leadership Brief – Giving Tough Feedback Virtually

Organizations providing services for people with disabilities play a transformative role in enhancing the quality of life for their stakeholders. Central to their success are leaders who act as catalysts, driving organizational well-being through the implementation of effective practices. This research brief presents data from 820 respondents from disabilities organizations across the United States on the Leadership Strength and Development practices from the Organizational Priorities and Practices Inventory (OPPI). The brief presents data on seven key elements of leadership: Ethical Leadership, Compelling Leadership, Leadership Development, Internal Leadership Succession, Team Leadership, and Resourceful Leadership. Previous research has highlighted the importance and impact of these elements in organizational performance. Read the trends we have found on the January Research Brief!

Feedback can be an impactful catalyst for growth and development and can even build trust in relationships and teams. It is a critical component of creating a growth and learning culture in teams and organizations. Despite the benefits, feedback is often relegated to yearly performance reviews and, with this structure, offers very little opportunity for actual growth. Leaders can change this by looking for frequent opportunities and situations to give feedback. Read about strategies for giving effective feedback in this December 2023 Leadership Brief – Feedback: A Powerful Tool for Growth.

What Do We Know About Organizational Practices in the Disabilities Field? This month we provide insights into this query. We use data from the Organizational Priorities and Practices Inventory (OPPI) a comprehensive tool designed by the National Leadership Consortium to measure the alignment of organizational priorities and performance with evidence-informed practices. It integrates principles such as person- directed services, self-determination, participatory management, diversity, equity and inclusion, organizational governance, and effective and transparent leadership with daily workplace practices. We have collected responses from more than 800 professionals in the field with different roles and organizations in the disabilities system. Check out the trends we have found in the November Research Brief!

Giving meaningful thanks, not just this time of year but throughout the year, is good for you. It improves wellbeing, reduces stress, builds resilience, and can make you more patient. Gratitude has also been shown to help increase organizational and individual performance. As we look to 2024, here are some ways you can promote gratitude in your teams and organization throughout the year. Read about strategies for cultivating year-round gratitude in your teams and organizations in this November 2023 Leadership Brief – Gratitude: Giving Thanks Now and Throughout the Year.

A lifelong learning mindset is a key to success for leaders in our field. Focusing on constant growth allows us to become better, more agile, flexible leaders. Becoming a lifelong learner requires a shift in mindset and practices; and in a day when our time and resources are very precious and very limited, it’s important to be intentional in how we invest in our growth. Read about strategies for practicing and prioritizing lifelong learning in this October 2023 Leadership Brief: Become a Lifelong Learner.

We periodically collect data from professionals who have attended our Leadership Institutes to gauge the impact of the training on their professional, organizational, and service advancements. The majority of respondents to our 2023 annual survey reported that the Leadership Institute did indeed contribute to the changes they have made professionally, across their organizations, and for the people with disabilities they support. Read more about it in the September 2023 Research Brief: Leadership Institute Contributes to Significant Change.

The National Leadership Consortium facilitates trainings to help emerging and existing leaders advance their knowledge and practices and encourage professional development and innovation in their roles throughout their careers. But, how much opportunity for growth do leaders feel they have in their roles? Find out in this month’s Research Brief!