30: Nonprofit Leadership in Uncertain Times (Angela Woods)

030: Nonprofit Leadership in Uncertain Times (Angela Woods)

SUMMARY

As the COVID-19 situation descended on her organization with stunning speed, Angela Woods knew she would have to make critical strategic decisions without the luxury of time to thoroughly evaluate options or wait for additional data.  Like so many nonprofit leaders right now, she had to rely on her instincts and experience to best “triage” an evolving situation.  How she’s managed these circumstances so far is a great study in leadership in action and offers practical ideas and advice for nonprofit leaders at all levels facing similar uncertainty.  Angela and I discuss how she rallied her staff, how she adjusted the mechanics of her board, how she adapted her short-term programming, and how she now views her strategic plan going forward.  Typical of a good leader, she’s found ways to utilize the current challenges as a means to explore new opportunities for her organization and the girls it serves.

ABOUT ANGELA

Angela Woods brings over 20 years of combined for-profit and not for profit leadership experience to the Crossnore School and Children's Home as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this, she served the Girl Scouts movement and as the CEO of the Hornets' Nest Council in Charlotte, NC.  Leveraging her experience as a strategist, she has increased the Council's market visibility, increasing corporate support and individual giving and led the technology platform redesign. Prior to leading the Hornets’ Nest Council, Angela served as the Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts Heart of the South in Memphis, TN.  Before this appointment, she served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer and COO of the United Way of the National Capital Area (UWNCA) in Washington, D.C. and she also worked for United Way of Central Carolinas where she served as the Senior Vice President of Community Building & Administration.  Preceding that, she worked at Bank of America in the areas of institutional trusts, retirement planning and investments, and global finance recruiting. Angela serves on the Board of Directors for two nonprofit organizations: Charlotte Merchants Foundation and Apparo, and in 2015, the Mecklenburg Times named her as one of 50 Most Influential Women in Charlotte. 

EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES

Sherrell Dorsey’s newsletter ThePLUG

Malcom Gladwell’s book Blink

Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism