The Servant Leader's Playbook
A Guide for Muslims Serving In Islamic Organizations
The course covers 20+ leadership & teamwork skills such as:Â
âď¸â  â Leadership MindsetÂ
âď¸Â â Strategy & PlanningÂ
âď¸Â â Team ManagementÂ
âď¸ â â Communication Structures
âď¸Â â Active ListeningÂ
âď¸Â â Effective Feedback
âď¸ â â Time Management & Balance
Develop yourself & people in your organization!
For group discounts, book a call with us here: calendly.com/zawad/30min
If you are part of a masjid, Islamic school, student organization, relief or civil rights organization, or any other nonprofit setting serving the community, then this course is for you!
The Servant Leader's Playbook is a four module program with bite-size training material, creating an experience unlike any other course geared toward Muslims serving their communities through Islamic Institutions. This course will teach you the fundamental leadership and management knowledge and skills you need to create a meaningful difference for the people you serve!
This is the first online course of its kind to support the training and development of Muslim community leaders. It is designed to help you uncover your untapped potential as a leader and support you in creating a greater impact for the communities you work in.
At Oaktree Institute, we have trained thousands of people across the country for over six years on these topics and proven concepts, supporting the excellence in community work for hundreds of organizations.
We understand that people transform organizations.
They are the force that serves our families, our youth, and our society. They are the ones that create the change our communities wish to see. But too often they are not supported, they are not invested in, and they are not developed to the level that they deserve.
That’s why we created this course!
To be the first of its kind that invests in Muslims serving their communities to be the best leaders our Ummah needs...
“I am part of an Islamic institution, and I want to take our organization’s work to the next level!”
Ihsan or excellence is something we envisioned for all of our organizations. Excellence in how we operate. Excellence in how we serve people. Excellence in the way we work as teams. When we add excellence to our community work, we serve the missions of our organizations better and add joy and fulfillment to the experience of that service.
But as we all know, many of us get stuck in the challenges we constantly face in this line of work. Dealing with people that aren't as driven and motivated to do the work as we are. Lots of arguments and disagreements between people that can not be resolved. No clear strategy or direction to the work. People not showing up to events and programs as we'd hope. We start to feel that our work is ineffective. And then community work starts to negatively effect our personal lives and even our spiritual connection to Allah SWT!
This is not why you dedicate your time and energy to community work! This wasn't the way you imagined you would serve people and serve Allah SWT.
You started this journey because you cared about your local community and the Ummah at large!
You wanted to help people come closer to the deen. You wanted to help people that are in need. You wanted to help people become closer to their families.You wanted to improve the lives of Muslims and all human beings!
“I serve the Muslim community, but I constantly feel stressed and burnt out. How do I turn things around?”
You want to help others and invest in your akhirah. You aspire to leave a legacy of good and convey Islam in the best of fashions. You are truly dedicated to the cause of service! Whether it be creating a welcoming and beneficial space for people in your locality or helping the least fortunate in our society.
Your intention is to work towards positive change and spread good. However, you are constantly facing the same issues that cause you stress and lead to burnout!
“How do I get more people to attend our programs?"
“How do I make the people on my team more dedicated?”
“What goals are we working towards, and how do we measure them?”
“Isn’t my family supposed to be more important than community work? I feel like I need to cut back.”
The 5 Pitfalls of Community Work:
1. You believe you need to be a one-person army.
2. Putting people into positions they can not succeed in
3. Believing experience equals mastery
4. A lack of trust and teamwork within the organization
5. Not consistently learning and developing skills that bring success to nonprofit work
Being stuck in these pitfalls can lead to…
Continuing to fall short in attracting more people to your programs and events. As a result, hundreds (maybe thousands) of people who could use the help of your efforts will not receive it.
Hundreds and thousands of donation dollars can go to waste because the people within the organization didn’t have the right skills and qualifications to manage those resources effectively.
You can lose your most talented and motivated leaders and volunteers. Also, you can also lose out on the opportunity to foster new talent that may be sitting right there within your community!
You can lose out on the next generation’s involvement with your organization because they will see all the flaws and work that needs to be done to get things right.
The Good News is... You Don’t Have To Be Defeated by These Challenges.
It's time to...
â Take your service to the community to the next level!
â Create amazing programs & initiatives that benefit hundreds of people.
â Go from a stressed-out volunteer to a lifelong leader for the Ummah
â Learn how to feel fulfilled serving others without sacrificing your family, career, and health!
Now, You’re Probably Wondering…
“How Much Will It Cost Me To Learn The Skills and Knowledge That Will Allow Me To Serve My Community with Excellence?”
Three points we want to tell you before sharing the price
- We are a nonprofit organization ourselves. We exist to serve the cause of developing leaders like yourself. Leaders who serve tirelessly for our community within their organizations. Our focus is on developing people like you make a greater difference within the world. The money that you are paying helps us further this mission of developing leaders!
- This is an investment in yourself. This course teaching how to best serve in Islamic institutions is unique from any other course out there. We know that programs like this don't exist anywhere else and that’s exactly why we made this course. You can make this investment with your own money or you may request your organization to sponsor you.
- We wanted to make this course easily accessible to those who need it. Typically, organizations who work with us pay up to ten times more for training of this caliber. And even that is a discounted rate compared to other organizations that provide similar training for other industries. But because we are a nonprofit and we serve Muslim nonprofits, we offer lower prices.
It’s Time To Learn the Knowledge & Skills That Will Help You Serve Your Community With Excellence! The Ability to…
- â Create outstanding programs and initiatives for your community that will truly make a difference in people’s lives and help get closer to Allah SWT
- â Rally people to be involved and motivated so that you can amplify the benefits of your organization
- â Serve Allah SWT without sacrificing your family, health, and career leaving you fully fulfilled and content with your contributions
- â Pass on the baton to the next generation so that the work will continue even when you’re no longer here! (and have that sadaqah jariya on your scale of good deeds!)
We want to introduce you to our solution...
The Servant Leader’s Playbook
A Guide for Muslims Serving In Islamic Organizations
If you work in a Masjid, Islamic School, Student Organization, Relief or Civil Rights Organization, or any other nonprofit setting serving the community, then this course is for you!
This course will teach you the fundamental leadership and management skills you must have to create a meaningful difference in your community!
On-Demand Pricing
$197Â $147
Why did we make this course?
Because we exist to support the people that serve our community!
Oaktree Institute is a nonprofit that was formed by a group of community workers just like yourself! Our team has served in many different capacities including being board members, directors, volunteers, and donors! We realized the vital need for leadership training within our Muslim community. We know that investing in the movers and shakers to have the proper support and skills, that they can benefit thousands of people!
Since 2013, we have worked with hundreds of Muslim organizations and thousands of leaders across the country, providing workshops and training needed to improve their performance and impact. But we can’t possibly work with every organization out there.
So, for the first time, we are bringing the core concepts of our Community Leadership training online through this comprehensive course!
We created this program to be a beneficial resource for every Masjid, Islamic School, student-led organization, relief or civil rights organization, and any other Islamic institution!
This course was designed to support your aspirations as a leader in…
Creating outstanding programs and initiatives for your community that will truly make a difference in people’s lives and help them get closer to Allah SWT.
Rallying people to be involved and motivated so that the benefits of your organization are amplified!
Serving Allah SWT without sacrificing your family, health, and career, leaving you fully fulfilled and content with your contributions.
Passing the baton to the next generation so that the work will continue even when you’re no longer here! (and have so much Sadaqah Jariya on your scale of good deeds!)
Here Is What You Will Learn In This Course
You will gain the skills and confidence to:
- â Lead with a servant leadership mindset that reflects Islamic values
- â Develop trust and rapport with others easier
- â Work to be a solid team player and support others
- â Learn the ability to make decisions effectively
- â Create and articulate a strong vision and strategy for your work
- â Leverage the strengths and motivation of team members effectively and keep them engaged
- â Communicate intelligently as a leader to influence and build confidence with others
- â Lead your team effectively and get them to collaborate at a high level
- â Lead yourself and avoid burnout
Module #1: Becoming a Servant Leader of the Community
To create change and impact in your community, you must take initiative. But before you do that, you must learn what it takes to be a leader. Of the many leadership frameworks, servant leadership is most essential to community work and reflects our values as Muslims. Without the correct mindset, you can make decisions that will lead you or your organization astray. You must always think about the wellbeing of the community and do what is right in accordance with our Islamic values. This module will teach you:
- â The Mindsets and Attitudes Needed to be a Great Community Leader
- â Understanding the Factors that Put Leaders in a Position to Fail
- â How to Lead with Islamic Values for Long-Term Success
- â The Day-to-Day Behaviors that Must Exist to Reflect Your Organization's Values
Module #2: Strategic and Organized Teamwork
In our organization work, we have a tendency to be reactive and lack strategy in our decisions. But what if we were more proactive and thoughtful in our approach? What if we carefully evaluated the efforts of others and learned from them? What if we effectively involved others in the process? You will find taking this approach will lead to better goals, higher levels of motivation and fewer challenges in your journey. And you will see actual tangible results and progress towards your goals! In this module, you will learn:
- â The Importance & Benefits of Goal Setting
- â How to Communicate a Vision and Strategy
- â Goal Setting Tools: OKRs, SMART Goals & SWOT Analysis
- â How to Best Structure and Manage Teams
- â StructuringCommunication & Managing Accountability
Module #3: Creating A Thriving Organizational Culture
After you set the foundation by creating effective goals with your team, how do you consistently do good teamwork? Is there collaboration and trust in your team? Is there psychological safety or are people afraid to speak the truth? These questions are vital because the overall performance of your team will determine whether you will reach your desired goals or not. In this module, you will learn:
- â What Creates High Performing Teams & What They Do Differently
- â Being Collaborative and Having A Feedback Culture
- â How to Build Chemistry & Create Psychological
- â Safety Within Your Teams
- â Coaching & Advising Each Other Through Challenges
Module #4: Leading Myself
By now, you will have learned a lot about operating your organization and your team, but as you lead others, you also have to remember to lead yourself! Are you consistently growing as a person? Are you also being successful in looking after your family and your health? If you are not, you will inevitably lead to burnout! In this module, you will learn:
- â How to Lead by ExampleÂ
- â How to Manage Your Time Effectively & Stay BalancedÂ
- â Physical, Emotional, & Spiritual WellnessÂ
- â Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
This course will give you the practical tools to carry out your community work with excellence!
How can I fit this course into my busy schedule?
We know you are busy! But think about this for a second …
How much time do you currently dedicate to community work? We bet it’s a significant amount! You might be a full-time staff member dedicating 30-40+ hours or you might be a volunteer dedicating 5-10+ hours of your time every week. From meetings to planning events to emails, community work requires a lot of time and energy!
Wouldn’t you like to learn the necessary skills to be amazing in your role? Don’t you want to serve your community the best way possible?
For this, you must take out the time to learn these skills!
We broke down each module into 6 to 8 video lessons that are 10 to 20 minutes long. You can go through all of them in one sitting or watch at your own pace using the Kajabi app.
You’re in Great Hands!
The course is taught by one of our Leadership experts, Rami Kawas, who has a tremendous amount of experience serving the Muslim Community for over 15 years!
Instructor for this Course
Rami Kawas started his journey in community work by volunteering for many years in the Youth Center he grew up near, organizing various programs and activities. He also held the position of MSA President while attending school at St. Johns University in NYC.
After graduating from college, he continued to volunteer, leading teams and being a part of boards, while working in the medical field. But Rami would find himself doing “community work” constantly in his free time at work. This led to him changing the course of his career to become a Full-Time Youth Director at the very Youth Center he used to volunteer for when he was young.
Since then, he has served in leadership positions in various local and national organizations. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director & a Trainer for Oaktree Institute. He also serves on the board of the Muslim American Society, one of the largest Muslim organizations in the country. In his role at Oaktree, he has trained hundreds of board members, executives, managers, staff and volunteers of many Masjids, youth teams, MSAs, and national organizations like CAIR, Islamic Relief, ICNA Relief and more! He also regularly delivers workshops and speeches at many national conventions.
This is what we mean when we say you’re in good hands! There are many leadership trainers out there, but it’s hard to find one with the experience of Rami Kawas.
He knows your community-based organization inside and out because he has been through it himself! In addition to his experience in the community, Rami has significant qualifications as a leadership and management expert.
Leadership Expert
Rami has been studying the topic of leadership and management for more than a decade. While serving in his many roles, he studied the works of leadership experts extensively. He took his study further by obtaining his Masters's Degree in Psychology concentrated on Human Development and Organizational Psychology. Outside of his role in serving the Muslim community, he worked as a learning and development expert and consultant for organizations across various industries.
We have a proven track record over the past ten years working with hundreds of Muslim nonprofit organizations across the US.
What our clients have to say:
“Oaktree Institute is one of the few organizations that focuses on professional development of Muslim nonprofits. As a Masjid leader, we worry about relevant trainings that can bring value to our space. OTI was flexible and professional when curating a package for us and were a pleasure to work with…”
Danyal Khan, CEO
Islamic Association of Raleigh
"The Nonprofit Leadership training conducted by Br. Rami Kawas was one of first ever I have attended outside of corporate world and will definitely say it is one of the best I have ever seen. Overall, very happy and this training will help our community to unite and work as one team"
Akil Mansuri, Board Member
Masjid Al-Wali
“Brother Rami was incredibly thoughtful and thought-provoking during his leadership training at the Mecca Center. It was well done and the mastery over the subject that he has is inspiring. I have received nothing but positive feedback from the youth volunteers that took part in the training! I strongly urge any Muslim organization to reach out to them for trainings and workshops.”
Nader Hamdan, Youth Programs Manager
The MECCA Center
"The training overall was good. I found learning about ability/motivation particularly impactful as it provides a visual aide for self and team member evaluation. I would recommend the course because there is a science behind team management and to be effective one needs to learn the skills."
Shari, Donor Relations Manager
CAIR Florida
Okay, I am in. Remind me of the details.
The Servant Leaderâs Playbook is a 4Â module online course that will teach you the leadership and management skills you need to serve your community with Ihsan!
- â 4 modules with bite-sized video lessons Â
- â Over 20 essential leadership topics covered including:Â
- Leadership Mindset
- Strategy & Planning
- Team Management
- Communication Structures
- Active Listening
- Effective Feedback
- Time Management & Balance
- And so much more! Â
- â   Resources And Toolkits To Help You Implement And Take Actio
Create a transformation for yourself and your community work today!
Consider this, a doctor goes through 8 to 11 years of education and training before they are able to practice medicine. The same is true if youâre an engineer, lawyer, scholar, or any other profession. In order to perform well in your field, you must go through rigorous education and training.
And the same is true for community work.Â
If you serve the Muslim community in any capacity, especially if youâre in a position of leadership, what trainings have you had? How much have you invested in your ability to serve others? Your organization? The mission of the work? It is your personal responsibility to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills you need to serve your community with ihsan!
On the day of Judgment, Allah SWT will ask us what we did to serve this deen. We have a responsibility to take on the mantle of leadership!Â
Itâs time to start equipping ourselves with the abilities needed to serve your community with excellence!
Join The Servant Leader's Playbook
Questions? Let us Help!
How does this course work?
Is this program right for me?
I am already super busy! How much time do I need to commit to this course?
Can I ask specific questions to instructor?
What are the toolkits? And do I have to use them?
How long do I have access to this course?
Do you offer refunds?
I donât volunteer or serve within any Muslim organization, will this course still benefit me?
Can I have multiple people from my organization take this course?
The Servant Leader's Playbook
A Guide for Muslims Serving In Islamic Organizations
AÂ four module on-demand course that will teach you the leadership and management skills you need to serve your community with Ihsan!
