YOU HAVE THE TALENT, GRIT, AND HEART TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT...

…BUT THERE IS ONE CHALLENGE THAT MAKES NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP UNIQUELY HARD.

It’s right there in the label, “nonprofit.” It’s a reminder that says, “You are in this for the cause, not for personal gain.”

That ethos lies at the heart of the very best parts of nonprofit culture — the commitment to service, the practice of centering the needs of those you serve, and the will to get out of the way so others can be lifted up.

But when out of balance, this culture of service is also where things go wrong. Like foundations that only fund “program,” but not overhead or salaries. Like organizations that are overcommitted and staff that are overextended. Like leaders who give until they have nothing left.

So if you are like a lot of nonprofit leaders, your default is to give ground, and sometimes you give too much. Unchecked, that can lead you to experience a loss of control that will eventually make the job impossible.

Maybe without even realizing it.

3 SIGNS I’M TALKING ABOUT YOU (AND YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE)

1. You don’t feel in control of your time.

Maybe you are busy putting out fires, or filling gaps, or you’re procrastinating. But your priorities are no longer reflected in your day to day reality.

2. You avoid rocking the boat.

Things are stressful enough, and the last thing you want to do is add to the disruption. You sometimes feel your job is to make sure everyone — from staff to board to partners to funders — is happy, so they don’t bail or turn on you.

3. You are burning out.

Stress can be healthy — it can lead to growth and fuel motivation. But this ain’t that. You are weary — in your body, heart, head, and/or soul. Nothing refills your tank, and you run on willpower alone.

Get wise(r) about power

YOUR EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL IMPACT WORK WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE WHEN YOU LEARN TO SKILLFULLY, STRATEGICALLY, AND ETHICALLY OWN YOUR POWER

For many of us, talking about power or taking control is taboo. But many nonprofit executives feel a lack of control — sometimes to the degree that they feel powerless — over their time, integrity, and well being. It’s what can happen when you give too much ground. The good news: change your relationship to power, and you change so much more.

1. Take control over how you manage your time.

You feel ownership over what makes the cut. You know when to be flexible and compromise, and when to draw your line in the sand. And you get more of the important stuff done.

2. Start most days energized, clear, and confident.

There’s always the next curveball, but you operate from a baseline that is centered, steady and ready for what comes.

3. Build working relationships you actually enjoy.

We’re talking mutually beneficial connections that leave everyone energized and engaged, rather than drained and disconnected.

4. Skillfully assert your creativity, vision, and your authentic self.

You make a bigger impact because you don’t shrink from leaving a more visible and identifiable footprint. And you free up energy you used to spend keeping up a front, or “faking it until you make it.”

5. Get the best out of your team, as they get your best out of you.

Practice collaborative leadership skills, as you build and share power with those around you, so you can go further together.

6. Build a high-impact career that fits you like a glove.

Social change work can feel like an uphill battle, and too often we bring the fight inside our organizations, homes, and bodies. When you feel at home in your body and your career, you fight better and stronger when it really matters.

What it’s like to work with me

COACHING IS A WAY TO SHOW UP FOR YOURSELF, SO YOU CAN SHOW UP — EFFECTIVELY AND SUSTAINABLY — FOR THE CAUSES YOU CARE ABOUT.

I offer focused, personalized help so you can find YOUR way of being more assertive, impactful, and confident in service of what matters to you. For many service-oriented leaders who are used to making space for others, it can be a game changer. For you and your team.

MY WORK SPRINGS FROM THESE PRINCIPLES:

1. The way you show up for yourself impacts how you show up for others and your mission

2. As a leader, you have outsized influence over the culture and practices of your team

3. The wellbeing of your organization is deeply tied to the wellbeing of the humans who do the work

A TYPICAL EXECUTIVE COACHING ENGAGEMENT:

1. My style

I am warm, and I will meet you where you are, working with you to identify your “stretch zone.” That’s when you are outside your comfort zone, but you haven’t entered your danger zone either. I am flexible, and will work with you to create the kind of environment that will work best for you. I value your feedback, so I can adjust my approach in realtime. Many of my clients (but not all) find it helps to laugh and not take ourselves too seriously, even as we do serious work.

2. From the start, you set the agenda

What’s on your mind? What’s keeping you up at night? What are you hoping to reach for? And often, it’s fairly immediate: what’s driving you crazy this week?

3. Exploring what’s bugging you and calling you

As we explore the issue, I ask questions that help you discover what you don’t yet know you know, and open up new avenues for taking action. I may invite you to unpack an emotion or gut feeling, or to practice a new way of relating to yourself.

4. Identifying your learning path

Over the course of our first few sessions, we will develop some working theories about where your most impactful opportunities are for change. We do that by asking, what patterns are we noticing about how you show up to challenges? How are you being called to stretch, and how might we support you in building a new muscle, or in letting something old go?

5. Putting your learning to work

I may offer you an assignment, or something to practice outside of our sessions. And we’d work together to make sure it’s a clear, achievable, and doable reach towards what you want.

6. Learning how you learn best, so you keep growing, beyond our coaching engagement

All along the way, as I work to support you, you are learning more about yourself, about how to coach yourself through moments of challenge, and about the kinds of support that work best for you.

THE DETAILS:

• A typical engagement lasts for 6 months

• I meet my clients by Zoom

• With most clients, we start out meeting weekly to build momentum, then shift to every other week.

• I will send you resources, things to practice, and journalling questions by email, as needed.

• You send me an email between our sessions anytime you need additional support.

• Optional 360 Feedback Report: Some folks benefit from asking peers for feedback in a structured and comprehensive way. If you want to learn more, let me know when you contact me. 

WANT TO SEE IF WE MIGHT BE A FIT? GREAT!

Send me an email using the form below, and we'll set up a free consult. It's a no pressure way for us to get to know each other and see if we'd be a good fit to work together. People often walk out of these sessions with new clarity to inform their next steps.