Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

41: Dealing with Adversity as a Nonprofit Leader (Michael Ward)SUMMARYIt’s easy to celebrate successes when things are going well for you as a nonprofit leader, but what about when things don’t go so well?  Michael Ward has had some fantastic successes as a fundraiser and nonprofit leader, but what made our conversation so powerful was his willingness to tackle adversity.  His thoughtful and proactive approach to dealing with personal and professional challenges offers great insight for anyone on the Path to nonprofit leadership.  We also discussed his use of emotional intelligence to sharpen his fundraising abilities, as well as his hiring practices to build a strong team.  Of course, we definitely discussed the fascinating lessons learned from the transformational gift of $28 million he engineered for the Wilson College of Textiles!  As always, our guests have great books to recommend, and Michael is no exception here.ABOUT MICHAELMichael Ward is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Textile Foundation at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles, and is a development professional with more than 20 years of experience in higher education advancement. He joined the Foundation in March of 2016 as Director of Development, overseeing all aspects of development to include major/principal gift development, annual giving, alumni engagement, communications and stewardship.  In 2018, he led the cultivation and solicitation strategy resulting in the $28 million-dollar naming gift for the Wilson College of Textiles. His unique approach was profiled in the 2020 book, Start with Heart: The Secret Power of Emotions to Catalyze Fundraising Results for Individuals, Teams, and Organizations. In July 2019, Michael was appointed Executive Director of the North Carolina Textile Foundation. A native of Raleigh, NC and a graduate of Appalachian State University, he began his career in athletics fundraising at Northern Illinois University, then worked for East Carolina University in a variety of development roles as well as Clemson University.  Michael and his wife Alison are the proud parents of Michaela and Watts Ward.    EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESTom Rath’s book StrengthsFinder 2.0Hugh Shelton’s book Without Hesitation Robin DiAngelo’s book White Fragility

40: What Do I Do With My Nonprofit’s Strategic Plan? (Andrew Hollo)SUMMARYGiven the uncertainty nonprofit leaders are facing right now, it’s no wonder many are dismissing long-range strategic plans as practically useless.  However, Andrew Hollo brings a much needed and fresh perspective to this strategic planning dilemma and demonstrates that the work he has done across Australia is very much applicable to nonprofit leaders around the world.  We discuss four existential questions every nonprofit should be asking itself, and three rules they should be following for success.  Much to learn from this episode, as well as a multitude of book recommendations to consider, including Andrew’s fantastic From Impossible to Possible.  ABOUT ANDREWAndrew Hollo is the Founder & CEO of Workwell and one of Australia’s leading experts in realizing the potential of organizations and groups to develop ‘big ideas’ and gain collective results, especially in demanding, complex sectors and where work across organizational and sector boundaries is required. He has high level of skill in getting diverse views to the highest value, and clear conceptual agreement in the shortest possible time. In 20 years, Andrew has led over 500 projects for clients who deliver substantial public value: government and nongovernment, as well as privately held.  He’s worked with numerous public value agencies on the alignment of leaders around clearly articulated strategic vision, roles and objectives — with demonstrable outcomes.  Prior to founding Workwell, he served as a Director for G & H Training, and as a Consultant for Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting).  Andrew received his BA in Psychology from the University of Melbourne.  EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESLink to your free copy of From Impossible to PossibleAndrew’s Workwell website and Resource Page Harvard Business Review David Maister’s The Trusted AdvisorJames Clear’s Atomic HabitsTim Ferriss’ Tools of Titans, Tribe of MentorsYuval Harari’s Sapiens, Homo Deus Shoshana Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

39: Nonprofit Leadership in Healthcare Philanthropy (Adam Cook)SUMMARYWhat’s it like to lead a healthcare foundation in the midst of a pandemic?  How do you stay organized when all of your events are pushed off the calendar and everyone you speak with has a new idea?  Adam Cook has great insight and perspective on these questions and many more in episode #40 of the Path.  He has served multiple health care foundations over the course of his nonprofit career, and we talk about many of the lessons he’s learned during his leadership journey.  Adam explains his “ASK” method of fundraising - which is especially helpful right now - and how he goes about attracting the younger generation onto his boards of directors.  He also has some words of wisdom for those just starting in the nonprofit sector, including the key to finding a mentor who can help serve as your guide.  Finally, Adam has some good books to add to your bookshelf!ABOUT ADAMAs Chief Development Officer at Mercy Health Foundation, Adam oversees all fundraising initiatives for the 16 hospital foundations across the system one of the top five large health systems in the United States. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care, managed and specialty hospitals, 900 physician practices and outpatient facilities and 45,000 co-workers in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.  Prior to his arrival in St. Louis, Adam served in leadership positions at Cardinal Innovations Healthcare in Charlotte, NC, the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation in Wilmington, NC, and the NorthEast Foundation in Concord, NC.  Known for establishing strong cultures of charitable giving across multiple organizations, he has significant experience in non-profit leadership and strategic planning, health and human services, research, and education. Adam is graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), and a frequent public speaker on leadership, communications, and non-profit management. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES• Jerold Panas’ book Asking: A 59 Min Guide• Michael Watkins’ book The First 90 Days 

38: The Secret Lives of Nonprofit Leaders (Kishshana Palmer)SUMMARYKishshana Palmer is not afraid tell us what we need to hear, even if we’re not sure we’re ready for it!   She’s the kind of truth-teller the sector needs, and our conversation on the Path provided all kinds of valuable insight for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers that can be applied right now.  Kishshana shared a candid view of her journey into nonprofit leadership, and the challenges she’s overcome and the lessons she’s learned that she now shares with the folks she coaches and trains.  Not only is speaking about issues of diversity and inclusion, but she’s doing something about it by founding the Rooted Collaborative for women of color in the fundraising profession.  What are some of the creative initiatives she’s seeing as a result of COVID-19?  How does she help an organization maneuver through a lack of board engagement?  What are the most important questions one should answer before considering the nonprofit profession?  Find out the answers an much more in this episode of the Path.   ABOUT KISHSHANA Kishshana leads Kishshana & Co., and is a national speaker, trainer, and coach with a 17-year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management.  She’s a supernova on any stage thanks to her charismatic and candid delivery. She’s founder of The Rooted Collaborative -- a global online community for Women of Color in Fundraising. She's the author of "Hey, I'm New Here", the host of the podcast A Shot of Vitamin K, an adjunct professor at Baruch College, a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer (CGT) and an AFP Master Trainer.  When an organization wants to grow, find and retain people on their team, and raise money, she is the philanthropic fairy godmother they have on speed dial. Her work isn’t limited to organizations, she also coaches social good professionals. Kishshana is a NYC girl and mother of one wonderful teenage daughter. She describes herself as “the epitome of your classic 90's Queens homegirl and quintessential corner office executive.” EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESBassey Ikpi’s book I’m Telling the Truth But I’m Lying

037: Maintaining Strategic Focus as a Nonprofit Leader (Brian Maness)SUMMARYWhat do you do to stay organized in an ever-changing environment with children and families from across the state depending on you?  Like many nonprofit CEO’s right now, Brian Maness has had to navigate both the personal and professional demands of nonprofit leadership despite an uncertain landscape around him.  Brian is the President & CEO of Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, providing services ranging from adoption and foster care to parent education and teen pregnancy prevention to post adoption support for families.  Brian and I had a great conversation about how he’s applied lessons learned early in his career to shape his current leadership style, and how he’s advanced from an initial marketing role to serve as the CEO for a state-wide organization with over 300 employees.  We also talked about journaling practices, strategic planning, fundraising AND the critical importance of succession planning and the practical implications every nonprofit leader should consider.  As always, our guests have great books to recommend, and Brian is no exception!ABOUT BRIANAs President and CEO of the Children’s Home Society of NC since 2014, Brian is known as a champion for innovation and transformative change on behalf of children and families. He has led the growth and development of CHS from its traditional focus on adoption and foster care to its comprehensive array of child and family support programs today. Following an early career in marketing consulting and project management, Brian joined CHS in 2002 with the desire to improve the lives of vulnerable children. Brian has garnered respect within North Carolina and nationally for his leadership and contributions in organizational strategy, resource development, service innovation, advocacy, and public policy. Brian’s vision for the future is for CHS to continue to be a leader in innovative services that create, support and enhance loving permanent families. Brian, a father of four, brings his personal perspective on the importance of family and believes that nothing can replace the role of a loving supportive family in the life of a child.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThe use of a Bullet JournalChildren’s Home Society of AmericaRyan Holiday's book The Obstacle Is The WayThe Center for Creative LeadershipStephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleGreg McKeown’s book EssentialismJim Collins’s book Good to Great and the Social Sectors

036: Fortune 500 to Nonprofit Founder & CEO (Tina Admans)SUMMARYIt’s quite possible that you (or someone you know) have contemplated leaving the for-profit world to pursue an opportunity in the nonprofit sector.  That’s exactly what Tina Admans did after moving to Los Angeles over a decade ago. She could very well have stayed on a successful corporate track that included senior positions at Panavision, GE and NBC Universal, but she knew something was missing and nonprofit leadership was calling her.  In this episode of the Path,  Tina shares her thoughtful process to understand and explore nonprofit opportunities, and the fascinating circumstance that led her to start - and ultimately lead - Minds Matter Los Angeles.  She shares with great candor the strengths she felt translated very effectively into the nonprofit world, but also the challenges of developing a board of directors, delegating to volunteers, and becoming a confident fundraiser.  What are the 3 W’s of board recruitment? How can nonprofits better explore partnerships with like-minded organizations? Great insight for any current or aspiring nonprofit leader!ABOUT TINATina Admans co-founded the Los Angeles chapter of Minds Matter in 2010 and has served as President and Chair since. Prior to becoming President of MMLA full time in March 2018, Tina was Director of Business Operations at American Public Media’s radio program Marketplace. Previously, Tina was owner and principal consultant at Pindari Associates, a business transformation consulting company. Prior to Pindari Associates, she was CIO and SVP Financial Shared Services with Panavision, the market leader and Academy Award winning provider of camera and lighting services for the film and television industry. Prior to Panavision, Tina was VP Six Sigma Quality and Digitization at NBC Universal based in Burbank, California as well as a variety of Finance positions including VP of Finance/IT and Sales Traffic at NBC Europe in London, UK. Tina is a graduate of GE’s Financial Management Program as well as a former Corporate Auditor with GE’s elite internal management training program. She holds a BS degree in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThe national organization of Minds MatterBrene’ Brown’s book Daring GreatlyJames Kouzes and Barry Posner's book The Leadership Challenge

035: Vital Resources from BoardSource (Jim Taylor)SUMMARYHow can a nonprofit leader take advantage of the resources BoardSource has to offer, especially in a time of uncertainty and strategic challenge?  The answers come from Jim Taylor, who not only highlights the tools available from BoardSource for nonprofit leaders everywhere, but also leans on his personal and professional experience to add even greater value for listeners of this episode of the Path.  A pandemic certainly highlights vulnerabilities within the nonprofit sector, and Jim thoughtfully discusses existing issues for nonprofit boards as they consider their commitment to equity.  We also discussed the dueling challenges facing many nonprofit CEO’s, who struggle with either a dis-engaged board OR one that is micromanaging them. What can staff leaders do to help board members better engage? What can board members do to be more effective?  How does BoardSource help both sides?  We tackle these questions and much more.ABOUT JIMAs Vice President of Leadership Initiatives, Jim focuses on leading BoardSource’s efforts to position nonprofit boards for stronger leadership on diversity, inclusion, and equity. This includes leading the organization’s work to spark and support understanding, action, and change at the board level on these issues; serving as an external representative, speaker, and writer; developing new resources and programming; and partnering with peer organizations around the country. Prior to joining BoardSource, Jim served as the Vice President of Multicultural Leadership at AARP, the Director of Community Relations and Director of Community Development at Capital One, Director of Product Innovation at Fannie Mae, and Corporate Relations Program Officer at the Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships.  Jim has served on boards of directors and advisory boards of multiple nonprofits, including Carpenter’s Shelter, the Latino Economic Development Center, the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers, the Affordable Housing Conference of Montgomery County, Shelter House, and LearnServe International. Jim is from Long Island, New York and earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a BA from the University of Virginia.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESJim’s article What Board Commitment to Equity Looks Like in This MomentBoardSource’s special Resource Guide on COVID-19Michael Watkins’ book The First 90 Days

034:  The War for Fundraising Talent (Jason Lewis)SUMMARYFundraising is on every nonprofit leader’s mind right now, and perhaps there is no one better to talk about that topic than Jason Lewis, who literally wrote a book about the topic, The War for Fundraising Talent.  As Jason and I discuss, many of the topics he raised in the book are even more relevant right now.   Why do so many organizations rely on “arms-length” fundraising tactics, and what can they do about it now?  Why are more executive directors declining to accept “overwhelming” job descriptions?  What can board members and executive directors do in an uncertain planning environment?   What can we expect from the next generation of nonprofit leaders?  We tackle these questions and much more in this episode! ABOUT JASONJason is the Founder of Responsive Fundraising, and questions many of our sector’s deeply engrained beliefs and assumptions of how fundraising really works. Whether writing, speaking or training, Jason challenges the prevailing wisdom about fundraising practices, hiring decisions, and donor behavior. Jason earned his M.S. in Nonprofit Management at Eastern University in 2010 and in 2014 graduated from the College of Executive Coaching. In addition to consulting, Jason teaches nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship at York College of Pennsylvania. Jason's first book, The War for Fundraising Talent, was an honest yet hopeful critique of professional fundraising, intended especially for small shops that find it difficult to consistently achieve their fundraising goals. Jason's forthcoming book, Fundraising in an Unpredictable World, will be available this summer.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESJason’s book The War for Fundraising TalentAlvin Roth’s book Who Gets What - and WhyJeremy Heimans & Henry Timms' book New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World

033: Adapting to Short-Term Challenges with Long-Term Benefits (Carrie Bhada)SUMMARYCarrie Bhada’s journey in nonprofit leadership has led her to outstanding higher education and healthcare institutions, but it has also given her the experience of dealing with internal and external challenges. While nothing compares to the unique complexities of the COVID-19 situation, she has utilized previous experiences to adapt and lead her team at North Carolina State University as they navigate this uncharted territory.  Carrie provided great insight into change management strategies all nonprofit leaders can employ as they shape their fundraising, event management and board relations strategies right now. What are the lessons nonprofit leaders should be learning, and how can they best manage their teams, their boards and their donors?  Could the forced changes in how we do staff and board meetings lead to positive structural changes going forward?  Could some of the events that are getting cancelled now be retired permanently??? These are just a few of the topics we discussed, and Carrie offers an optimistic and practical approach that is well worth a listen.ABOUT CARRIECarrie has spent more than 20 years working to advance the goals of national non-profits, healthcare organizations and institutes of higher education. She serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor of University Development at NC State University and collaborates with other senior university advancement leaders on the management of the University’s Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign and leadership of the central development team along with several other school and unit-based teams. Prior to this, she served as the Chief Development Officer for the Wilson College of Textiles and Executive Director of the North Carolina Textile Foundation. Before joining NC State University, Carrie served as vice president for Institutional Advancement at St. Joseph’s College (NY), as well as the vice president of development at Huntington Hospital and as the senior director of development at Stony Brook Medicine. She holds a master of healthcare administration from Hofstra University and a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESJim Collins’ books Good to Great and Built to LastSheryl Sandberg’s book Lean InMalcom Gladwell’s book David & Goliath

032: Community Leadership in the Philanthropic Sector (Michael Marsicano)SUMMARYMichael Marsicano leads one of the largest community foundations in the United States. He is passionate about bringing communities together to maximize philanthropy and improve all aspects of society.  Like nonprofit leaders around the world, he was faced with an unprecedented challenge – and opportunity – with the arrival of COVID-19.  What did he do?  He mobilized his team and collaborative partners throughout the region to quickly establish the COVID-19 Response Fund, one of the largest efforts anywhere in the country.  While the fund itself is a fascinating study in community partnerships and the power of philanthropy, Michael and I discussed much more. What are the lessons nonprofit leaders should be learning right now, and how can they best leverage their teams, their boards and their donors?  What does this mean for the nonprofit sector after we get through the initial relief efforts?  What does this mean for arts & culture organizations that are not on the front line of relief efforts but are hurting, nonetheless?  These are just a few of the topics we discussed, and Michael offered words of wisdom and actionable takeaways in every case.ABOUT MICHAELMichael Marsicano, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Foundation For The Carolinas, the community foundation serving Charlotte and the surrounding 13-county region. The Foundation leads a variety of civic leadership initiatives in areas such as affordable housing, economic opportunity, public school reform, the arts and the environment.  Since Dr. Marsicano joined the Foundation in 1999 its assets have grown from $245 million to now more than $2.6 billion. During that time, FFTC rose from the 35th largest community foundation in the U.S. to currently the 6th largest, and now manages nearly 3,000 charitable funds. During his tenure, contributions to FFTC-held funds have exceeded $4 billion and grant awards to nonprofits total more than $2.8 billion. Dr. Marsicano joined FFTC after serving as President and CEO of the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte for 10 years. During his tenure, the United Arts Fund moved to the nation’s highest in per capita in annual giving and became one of the largest endowed arts councils in the U.S.  A native of New York, Dr. Marsicano received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy from Duke University. He is married to the Rev. Leslie Montfort Marsicano, also a graduate of Duke University and the Duke Divinity School. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESAnthony Doerr’s book All the Light We Cannot SeeYuval Noah Harari’s book SapiensChan Kim and Renee Mauborgne’s book Blue Ocean Strategy