EP 65: Building a Healthy, Human-Centered Culture in Nonprofits with Ian Adair

Nonprofit leadership is meaningful work, but it can also feel exhausting. Between fundraising pressure, staff turnover, and board expectations, many leaders quietly run on empty long before they ever consider stepping away.

 

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Virtuous co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with CEO of the Seattle Police Foundation, Ian Adair, to talk about what it really takes to stay healthy in leadership and build organizations where people want to stay.

 

You’ll hear Ian, Carly, and Scott dig into:

- How to recognize when you or your team are approaching burnout, and what to do next

- Why self care is “not selfish” and why nonprofit leaders struggle to prioritize it

- What healthy vulnerability looks like in leadership without oversharing or overburdening staff

- Practical ways to build loyalty, belonging, and professional growth into your culture

- How to coach and engage your board so they contribute in the right lanes

- Key steps for turning around struggling organizations and leading through transition

- Why “adaptive resilience” is a core leadership practice in today’s nonprofit landscape

 

Connect with Ian on social media:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianadair2010/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianmadair/ 
• X: https://x.com/IanMAdair

 

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist