In nearly every nonprofit boardroom or coaching conversation, financial constraint is the first—and often only—frame for decision-making. “Can we afford it?” becomes shorthand for “Should we do it?” Whether it’s adding a staff position, launching a new initiative, or investing in technology, the conversation tightens around dollars and decimals. It’s understandable. Money feels measurable. It […]

Life is not quiet where I live. Between roadwork, utility crews, and the occasional roofing project nearby, there’s often a steady hum of noise in the background of my home office. Some days it’s manageable. Other days, I can feel the interruptions fracturing my focus before I even sit down to work. The same thing […]

Just hours before the federal government shut down, I was facilitating a strategic planning retreat with a client board. The shutdown was on people’s minds, but what struck me was the perspective in the room: the political landscape will always be shifting. For this group, they framed their responsibility as: moving forward by leaning into […]

When we think about intellectual capital in nonprofits, it can be tempting to assign it to the realm of the rational: systems, knowledge, expertise, processes. Yet if we stop there, we miss the vital current that makes intellectual capital come alive. Intellectual capital is neither sterile nor static. It is embodied in people, relationships, and […]

When you think about sustainability, you probably think about money: how to raise more of it, diversify where it comes from, and make it last. But your organization’s sustainability also depends on something less visible and just as powerful: your ability to build agency inside your team. That agency grows out of intellectual capital—the collective […]

In nonprofit leadership, the demands are constant: delivering on today’s programs, building toward tomorrow’s vision, and sustaining the organization through shifting external conditions. Finding the right fuel for yourself—and for your team—is a tough balancing act. Every leader carries a spark that burns brightest. For some, it’s deep subject-matter expertise and confidence in getting things […]

Nonprofit leadership is a role of constant decision-making. Decision fatigue is real. The fear of making a bad decision is real. And the overwhelm of being expected to know what to do—and how to do it—day after day is draining. Even when we show up with energy, joy, and hopefulness, decisions can wear us down. […]

I came to work this morning with the word hope on my mind. Talk about an intangible! Let’s play with the word and how it has meaning for leaders—not only as a personal disposition but also as an asset that can be developed and shared across a team. I’ve taken emotional intelligence tests before, though […]

Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash When I sat down to write this morning, the word that came to mind was: centering. Immediately, I was anything but centered. My mind split in two directions—do I write about centering from the emotional intelligence perspective, or about centering the intangible assets of an organization? Maybe that confusion […]

Trust is showing up all around my work in a very active and acknowledged way. People want and need trust. People build relationships. So, if your organization wants to be in partnership, collaboration, networks, or collective impact work with other organizations you’re going to have to work on your ability to trust others, to earn trust, and to foster trust.