Mission: Impact podcast & blog
Build a better world without becoming a martyr to your nonprofit cause
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 In this reflective episode of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton curates and shares a collection of "permission slips" for nonprofit leaders. These invitations, offered by previous guests, encourage leaders to:
[00:02:15] - Carol discusses the importance of self-awareness as foundational to leadership. Tools like personality assessments and reflective practices can help leaders recognize their triggers and manage them effectively. [00:02:56] - Michael Randel emphasizes the shift from technical to people skills in leadership roles, highlighting the importance of understanding oneself and others to expand influence. Humility and Growth [00:04:04] - Stephen Graves shares the value of humility and the willingness to learn, grow, and acknowledge what one doesn’t know. [00:05:21] - Tip Fallon encourages leaders to embrace and validate all their emotions, recognizing the full scope of their humanity in leadership. Creating Collaborative Cultures [00:05:44] - Kim Romain advocates for visionary leadership that prioritizes creating space for collective problem-solving rather than needing all the answers. [00:07:15] - Asila Calhoun encourages leaders to invest in their growth through coaching or training, emphasizing that self-development leads to better leadership. Boundaries in Mentorship [00:08:07] - Mary Reeves reminds leaders to set boundaries in their mentoring efforts, focusing on those who are receptive while recognizing they cannot support everyone. Decision-Making Framework: The 10-10-10 Rule [00:10:18] - Julia Patrick introduces the "10-10-10 Rule," a framework for evaluating decisions based on their impact in 10 weeks, 10 months, and 10 years. This approach helps leaders prioritize strategically and minimize unnecessary stress. Collective Stewardship and Shared Responsibility [00:12:50] - Jeff De Cagna redefines stewardship as a shared responsibility across organizations, emphasizing vulnerability, agency, and collaborative wayfinding. Leaders are encouraged to embrace imperfection and trust their teams. Closing Reflections for 2025 [00:17:00] - Carol closes with key takeaways for nonprofit leaders to take intentional steps toward impactful leadership in the new year.
Important Links and Resources:
Leadership assessments Myers-Briggs: https://www.mbtionline.com/en-US/ StrengthsFinder: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx 360 Assessments: Center for Creative Leadership: https://shop.ccl.org/usa/assessments/360-assessments The Leadership Challenge 360 (Based on Leadership Challenge book by James Kouzes and Barry Posner): https://www.leadershipchallenge.com/solutions/lpi360.aspx Related Episodes: Episode 101 Episode 102 Episode 103 Episode 106 Episode 107 Episode 111 Episode 112  In episode 112 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton shares several guests perspectives on the question: “what permission slip they would give to nonprofit leaders or what they would invite them to consider, to avoid being a martyr to the cause and as they work towards cultivating a healthier organizational culture.” Together they:
Episode highlights: [00:02:00] Be Thyself Rebecca Epstein emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and alignment in leadership, urging leaders to understand their motivations, values, and triggers. She highlights the value of knowing when an organization no longer aligns with one’s growth. [00:04:00] Acknowledge Humanity Emily Taylor discusses the need for leaders to see themselves and their teams as humans with limitations. Recognizing when it’s time to let go or step back can lead to healthier organizational dynamics. [00:06:00] Permission to Be Wrong George Weiner offers a powerful reminder that leaders don't have to have all the answers. Admitting uncertainty creates space for collective problem-solving and growth. [00:07:00] Take a Personal Retreat Patton McDowell advocates for intentional personal retreats as a tool for reflection, strategic thinking, and rejuvenation. These retreats help leaders maintain perspective and prevent burnout. [00:09:00] Build Other Leaders Dr. Victoria Boyd champions intentional leadership by empowering and equipping team members to take on leadership roles, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility. [00:11:00] Focus Your Efforts Pooya Pourak highlights the importance of narrowing focus to make meaningful, localized impact while being mindful of collective efforts in addressing systemic issues. [00:13:00] Envision Abundance Elizabeth Engel and Shelley Alcorn, inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s reflections, challenge leaders to imagine a future of abundance rather than scarcity, addressing systemic challenges like climate change through hope and collaboration. [00:15:00] Closing Reflection Carol encourages leaders to plan their 2025 personal retreats, reflect on their alignment with current roles, and prioritize building and developing their teams. She concludes with gratitude for the audience's engagement and commitment to impactful work. Important Links and Resources:
Not Too Late – Rebecca Solnit Related Episodes: Episode 91: AI and Nonprofits with George Weiner Episode 92: Three stages of nonprofit leadership with Patton McDowell Episode 93: Nonprofit fundraising transparency with Pooya Pourak Episode 94: Navigating power and conflict within nonprofits with Rebecca Epstein Episode 95: Building shared nonprofit leadership with Emily Taylor Episode 96: Nonprofit start up misconceptions with Dr. Victoria Boyd Episode 97: The business imperative of facing climate change for associations with Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn  In episode 111 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Asila Calhoun explore:
Episode Highlights: [00:06:15] Common Challenges of New Leaders
Guest Bio:
Asila Calhoun, owner of Calhoun Coaching & Consulting, is a certified coach whose leadership and executive coaching practice focuses on partnering with new leaders through executives from a variety of professional backgrounds who are ready for change. Asila facilitates this change during one-on-one and group coaching sessions with her clients and through her consulting services of delivering leadership training, team facilitation, and diversity, equity and inclusion consulting, training and coaching. Asila has clients from several industries, including biotechnology/clinical research, healthcare, property management, and law, as well as leaders of non-profit organizations and business owners. Asila earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UC Berkeley. She is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC), and a Certified Inclusion Coach (CIC). Asila is also a certified meditation teacher. Important Links and Resources: https://linktr.ee/calhouncoaching Calhoun Coaching & Consulting Monthly Newsletter YouTube Related Episodes: Episode 51: Coaching visionary nonprofit leaders Episode 92: Three stages of nonprofit leadership Episode 103: Equitable nonprofit leadership Episode 107: Nonprofit leadership teams that work Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview.  In episode 110 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton discusses who should be involved in a nonprofit strategic planning process. She: Explores How a more inclusive approach that leverages diverse perspectives from both internal and external stakeholders Challenges the traditional top-down approach, Describes the role of each group of stakeholders in the process Episode highlights: Inclusive Strategic Planning [00:00:00] Carol begins by addressing a frequent question: Who should be involved in nonprofit strategic planning? She introduces the podcast's inclusive approach, encouraging organizations to assess their current position, envision a positive future, and identify steps to reach their goals collaboratively. Challenges with Traditional Strategic Planning Models [00:02:06] Carol critiques the traditional, top-down approach to strategic planning borrowed from the for-profit sector. She explains why this model is less effective in nonprofits, where ownership is collective and all voices matter. Defining Inclusive Strategic Planning [00:02:29] Carol explains her vision of inclusive strategic planning, which encompasses concentric circles of stakeholders. This approach brings in perspectives from staff, board members, beneficiaries, community members, partners, funders, and others. Benefits of Inclusivity in Strategic Planning [00:03:02] She outlines the benefits of an inclusive approach, such as stronger buy-in and access to a wider range of perspectives. Carol addresses leaders' concerns about managing multiple voices and emphasizes that inclusivity does not mean involving everyone at every stage. Key Stakeholder Groups in Strategic Planning [00:04:00] Carol discusses the roles of various stakeholders: the strategic planning task force, executive director, leadership team, board, staff, volunteers, and external voices such as donors, funders, partners, policymakers, and community representatives. Role of the Strategic Planning Task Force [00:04:58] The task force’s purpose is clarified as stewarding the planning process rather than making content decisions, a distinction that helps manage expectations and anxiety about influence. Engaging Internal Stakeholders [00:07:00] Carol stresses the importance of involving internal stakeholders, including staff from all levels, to gain insights into the operational realities of the organization. She shares various methods for gathering their input, such as interviews, focus groups, and surveys. External Stakeholders: Partners, Funders, and Experts [00:11:02] Carol describes the value of including external voices, including funders, partners, government leaders, and futurists, in the data-gathering phase. These stakeholders can offer insights into trends and broader environmental factors. Role of the Strategic Planning Consultant [00:11:41] She explains the role of consultants, like herself, in facilitating the process and providing an outside perspective, helping organizations to synthesize diverse insights into actionable themes. Synthesizing Insights into a Coherent Plan [00:13:06] After gathering data, Carol discusses the synthesis stage, where themes and commonalities are identified. This process benefits from an external facilitator manage this big project. Conducting Constructive Planning Sessions [00:13:43] Carol emphasizes the importance of involving a cross-section of staff and board members in planning sessions to make meaning from the data. She details facilitation techniques that encourage openness and productive discussions. Balancing Vision and Decision-Making [00:14:49] Carol explains how to prioritize initiatives based on factors such as mission alignment, community impact, and resource availability, using methods that make the planning process focused and achievable. Why Inclusive Nonprofit Strategic Planning works better [00:17:20] Carol wraps up by reiterating the importance of inclusivity in strategic planning. By embracing diverse voices, nonprofits can create a shared vision that is truly reflective of the community and fosters a stronger, more effective organization. Related Episodes:
Episode 29: Online strategic planning Episode 60: Why bother doing strategic planning? Episode 70: Values based strategic planning Episode 84: Identifying skills your team needs to bring your strategic plan to life Episode 90: Five steps to successful nonprofit strategic planning Episode 109: Beyond the retreat: Comprehensive Nonprofit Strategic planning |
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Grace Social Sector Consulting, LLC, owns the copyright in and to all content in and transcripts of the Mission: Impact podcast, as well as the Mission: Impact blog with all rights reserved, including right of publicity.
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