Mission: Impact podcast & blog
Build a better world without becoming a martyr to your nonprofit cause
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![]() In episode 100 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton goes solo to celebrate this special 100th episode. She reflects on the insights and lessons learned from her podcasting journey exploring nonprofit leadership and organizational health. Celebrating a significant milestone, she emphasizes the importance of creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures, addressing toxic organizational behaviors, and reimagining a healthier nonprofit sector. Through her conversations with various guests, she highlights the need for aligning mission and operations, valuing human-centric approaches, and fostering collaborative and supportive environments. The episode concludes with a call to action for nonprofit leaders to prioritize relationships, self-care, and a balanced, sustainable approach to their impactful work. Episode highlights: 10 Lessons from 100 Episodes **[00:01:16]** Reflection on various aspects of nonprofit leadership, from organizational cultures to sector-wide health. Lessons on Organizational Culture **[00:03:32]** Lesson 1: A healthy organizational culture cultivates diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming space by design. **[00:04:28]** Lesson 2: Identifying and moving away from toxic organizational cultures characterized by lack of clarity, microaggressions, internal competition, and unaddressed conflicts. Overwork and Martyrdom in Nonprofits **[00:06:13]** Lesson 3: Addressing overwork, perfectionism, and martyrdom, and understanding their prevalence in the sector. Healthy Nonprofit Organizational Cultures **[00:12:00]** Lesson 4: Characteristics of healthy organizational cultures, including openness to mistakes, effective conflict management, clear roles, and strategic redundancy. Importance of Relationships **[00:16:03]** Lesson 5: Emphasizing the importance of relationships in all aspects of nonprofit work and leadership. Collaborative Support **[00:17:22]** Lesson 6: You Don’t have to go it alone! Encouraging leaders to seek support through coaching, peer groups, and collaborations. Defining Unique Contributions **[00:18:27]** Lesson 7: Finding and claiming a unique niche based on strengths and contributions. Grace and Cultural Humility **[00:21:00]** Lesson 8: Practicing grace, compassion, and cultural humility within organizational contexts. Organizational Alignment **[00:21:22]** Lesson 9: Highlighting the power of alignment in organizational goals, strategies, and values. Embracing Human Imperfection **[00:23:11]** Lesson 10: Emphasizing the importance of being human first in all things and embracing imperfection. Reimaging the nonprofit sector **[00:23:49]** Carol poses important questions about redefining the nonprofit sector, making work sustainable, and promoting play, creativity, and thriving in the workplace. Important Links and Resources:
Laziness does not exist by Dr. Devon Price Start Finishing by Charlie Gilkie Related Episodes: My top 10 lessons from 100 episodes:
![]() In episode 99 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Mary Reeves, PhD discuss:
Episode highlights: Ethical Nonprofit Governance - [00:06:00] The importance of ethical and proper governance in educational organizations. The Concept of Ikigai - [00:07:20] The Japanese principle of Ikigai and its four components: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. Building positive Nonprofit Board and Executive Director Relationships - [00:08:35] The importance of fostering positive relationships between the board and executive directors. Transformational nonprofit board experiences - [00:011:34] The transformational experience board members often undergo. Managing Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Responsibilities - [00:18:26] The inherent conflicts of interest in many association boards and the importance of understanding fiduciary responsibilities. Elevating Nonprofit Board Service - [00:22:20] The high stakes of decision-making in board service and how it can be a transformational experience by rising above personal experiences and biases in board service. Progress over perfection - [00:28:43] Leaders should recognize they cannot do it all and should focus on progress rather than perfection. Guest Bio:
Mary H Reeves, PhD Mary Reeves is the retired executive director of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), the current public member on the Council on Academic Accreditation of ASHA, and a member of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Board of Directors Governance Committee. Her non-profit board experiences span 50 years, both on the board-side in local service organizations and national leadership positions in professional associations in English language and international education, and in staff-side associate and executive director positions. She now focuses on effective transitions, proactive mentoring, and how to maximize contributions of knowledge, experience, and passion while gracefully passing the torch. Mary holds a PhD in higher education policy studies with a primary focus in international education and a secondary focus in organizational behavior. Important Links and Resources: Leadership without Easy answers by Ronald Heifetz BoardSource Related Episodes: Episode 15: The Nonprofit Executive director – Board chair leadership Episode 42: Building shared governance Episode 55: Helping nonprofit boards move toward greater equity Episode 61: Impactful nonprofit boards Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview ![]() In episode 97 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton, Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn discuss
Episode highlights: [00:08:25] Shift from Moral to Business Imperative The shift of climate change from a moral to a business imperative, driven by observable impacts like extreme weather events causing significant property and economic losses. [00:10:15] Association's Role at COP27 The proactive participation of associations like the American Psychological Association and the American Institute of Architects in COP27, bringing attention to industry-specific impacts of climate change. [00:13:17] Climate Impact on Association Operations The direct impacts of climate change on associations, such as disruptions from extreme weather events and the carbon footprint of large gatherings like annual meetings. [00:28:23] Strategic Adaptations for Climate Resilience The need for associations to develop resilience by adopting proactive strategies like no single point of failure in operations, reflecting a shift towards decentralized and adaptable operational models. Guest Bios:
Shelly Alcorn Shelly is a Principal in Michelle Alcorn and Associates and specializes in non-profit trade associations and professional societies. Shelly stands at the intersection of technology, the education-to-employment system, and the association of the future. She conducts strategic, leadership and staff retreats, and speaks on critical issues faced by the association community and society including existential risks such as the rise of artificial intelligence and the coming impacts of climate change. Elizabeth Weaver Engel Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE, is Chief Strategist at Spark Consulting. For more than 25 years, Elizabeth has helped associations grow in membership, marketing, communications, public presence, and especially revenue, which is what Spark is all about. She speaks and writes frequently on a variety of topics in association management. When she's not helping associations grow, Elizabeth loves to dance, listen to live music, cook, and garden. Important Links and Resources: Download the whitepaper at: http://ac3coalition.com Join the Association Climate Action Coalition community at: https://ac3.breezio.com Not too Late: Changing the Climate Story from despair to Possibility, editor - Rebecca Solnit Crystal City example: https://ggwash.org/view/91781/take-note-downtowns-crystal-city-suffered-its-office-apocalypse-and-came-out-better Related Episodes: Episode 6: Uncertainty and Emergence Episode 78: Renegotiating our relationship with work Episode 87: Reimaging the workplace for remote/hybrid Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview ![]() In episode 96 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Dr Victoria Boyd discuss
07:34 - Common Misconceptions about Starting Nonprofits what to focus on instead 16:22- The Logic Model as the heart beat of the organization 25:29- **Defining your Unique Value Proposition 27:39 Building shared leadership intentionally Guest Bio:
Dr. Victoria Boyd Author, Trainer, Consultant, and founder of The Philantrepreneur Foundation. Host of the Nonprofit Corner Podcast. Important Links and Resources: The Philantrepreneur Foundation - https://drvictoriaboyd.com/foundation/ Nonprofit Corner Podcast: https://nonprofitcorner.org/home Related Episodes: Episode 17: Program Evaluation with Wendy Wolfe Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview ![]() In episode 94 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Rebecca Epstein discuss the article that Rebecca wrote with Mistinguette Smith published in the Nonprofit Quarterly in 2023. Paving a Better Way: What’s Driving Progressive Organizations Apart and How to Win by Coming Together. The conversation between Rebecca and Carol covers the intricacies and challenges of leadership and organizational dynamics within the nonprofit sector, particularly in the context of social justice work. Their discussion touches upon generational conflicts, power dynamics, organizational clarity, and strategies for effective leadership, especially in the recent crises we have all experienced over the past several years. Episode highlights: Generational and Cultural Dynamics in Nonprofits [00:08:30] The recent increased conflict within organizations between leaders and staff, often on generational and racial lines. How these conflicts are similar and different to those of the past. Addressing Internal Conflicts and Building Resilience [00:15:30] Conflicts within organizations, such as public call outs and accusations of racism as well as the push for structural changes. Organizational Clarity and Strategy - [00:20:30] The importance of organizational clarity regarding power and decision-making, and how it should reflect an organization's values and strategies. The Challenge of Aligning Strategy and Leadership - [00:25:30] The challenges organizations face in aligning their leadership style with their identity and mission as well as aligning expectations across segments of staff. Addressing Trauma in Nonprofits - [00:35:30] Understanding and addressing trauma embedded in social justice work – the trauma that stems from the issue the organization is addressing, intergenerational trauma, personal and interpersonal trauma. How might trauma at all these levels be addressed responsibly? Current Trends and Challenges The dialogue offers nonprofit leaders a range of insights and considerations for fostering healthy, effective, and resilient organizations that can navigate the complexities of social change work. Guest Bio:
Becca Epstein is a coach and consultant to social justice organizations and their leaders with over 20 years of experience in community organizing, organizational development, and nonprofit leadership. Becca is a co-founder of The Management Center, a former Vice President at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and a convener of the “Paving a Better Way” working group. Her practice focuses on leaders, organizations, and movements confronting strategic challenges, seeking transformation, and advancing equity and justice. Becca holds an MPA in Nonprofit Management and Public Policy from NYU, a BA in Anthropology from Amherst College, and is a Certified Professional Coach. Important Links and Resources: Paving a Better Way: What’s Driving Progressive Organizations Apart and How to Win by Coming Together by Rebecca Epstein and Mistinguette Smith Building Resilient Organizations: Toward Joy and Durable Power in a Time of Crisis by Maurice Mitchell Learning From an Intergenerational Blowup Over Social Justice by Steve Kaagan & John Hagan Rebecca Epstein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-epstein-797aa75/ https://www.beccaepsteincoaching.com/ Internal Family Systems - No Bad Parts: https://bookshop.org/p/books/no-bad-parts-healing-trauma-and-restoring-wholeness-with-the-internal-family-systems-model-richard-schwartz/16396062?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_mvBhDwARIsAA-Q0Q7ZNqD5nvZg5Rc0AW1G0doLAO72cWnAFeCHvmKdI5QkEjpu1QDdtWIaAtc-EALw_wcB Polarities - Polarity Partnerships: https://www.polaritypartnerships.com/ Related Episodes: These articles were also discussed on: Episode 75: Co-creation with Carol Hamilton and Danielle Marshall Nature of the employee-employer relationship/what is work: Episode 78: Renegotiating our relationship with work with Carol Hamilton Episode 85: Building equitable compensation frameworks with Mala Nagarajan "Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview. |
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Grace Social Sector Consulting, LLC, owns the copyright in and to all content in, including transcripts and audio of the Mission: Impact podcast and all content on this website, with all rights reserved, including right of publicity.
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