My husband and I recently saw one of our favorite bands – the Canadian pop-punk group Marianas Trench – perform live.

Within the first few minutes of the performance, it was clear something was a little off.

Josh Ramsay - the powerful lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter - seemed to be having issues with his microphone. And his voice, while still impressive, wasn’t as strong as usual.

What he did next is an example all leaders can learn from.

Who on your team is struggling right now?

We're nearing the end of Q3, gearing up for the gauntlet of Q4, and I can promise you - someone on your team is underwater.

Unfortunately, even when working for great, empathetic leaders, there are teammates who may never feel comfortable saying they're having a tough time or asking for help.

The Result: your team member is spiraling into burnout, big things are getting missed, quality is dipping, and no one is feeling great about how things are going.

What's the better approach?

When was the last time you really practiced something?

The farther we rise in our careers, the easier it is to avoid trying - and practicing - new things.

We forget all the hours we spent earlier in our career learning what we know now - and the ways our leaders or supervisors created that space for us to learn and get better (i.e., to practice).

Today, we hear advice like "fail fast" or "don't be afraid of failure" - but if you're like most nonprofit execs I know - heck, most humans I know - failure doesn't really feel like an option.

Nonprofit Executives - here's how to make the next 1-3 years easier, more collaborative, and more successful for your organization.

Make sure your organization's budget supports your strategy.

Organizations roll out strategic plans claiming they will guide the organization's growth and impact over the next several years.

But when it comes to day-to-day operations - the work that actually gets done - it's usually the budget, not the strategy, that drives what people work on.

One of the myths of strategy is that it's about pursuing new, more, different, or "better" ideas.

There's this belief that "better" ideas mean we'll attract more funding and be more likely to succeed.

Here's the truth.

Most organizations are FULL of great ideas, but...

→ They struggle with which ones to pursue, or
→ They may not be the right organization to implement them.

Which is why knowing who you are is an essential component of strong strategy.

Burnout is a big topic in our sector these days, but too often it's seen solely as an individual issue instead of a systemic one.

This lens means leaders can spend all their energy addressing burnout symptoms instead of identifying and addressing hidden sources of systemic burnout on their teams.

As a strategy and change management advisor to CEOs and Department Heads at established nonprofits, here's a hidden source of burnout I come across often...

Are you doing innovation wrong?

Leaders who are new to established organizations often turn to innovation as a way to do new things, make bold choices, or bring in new tech.

New can be good. Bold can be inspiring.

But here's something I've learned across 20 years of executive leadership and advising clients in high-change settings…

When we're adopting new innovations, launching new programs, or integrating new technology, there's a lot of additional, unfamiliar work to be done.

Some of that work is momentary - 6 months of implementation for a longer-term gain.

Some of that work will be ongoing, creating new ways of working. It's work that we need to learn well - and eventually do well - for us to realize the promise of that innovation, program, or technology.

If you're managing important changes like these at your organization, here's a question you need to ask (and answer).

Summer is the start of strategic planning season for many nonprofits, but too often, that planning process is anything but strategic.

Here are 5 important things to get right so your next planning process is strategic, effective, and meaningful.

This morning at the beach, my son demonstrated one of the most important actions a leader can take.

I’ve learned in 20+ years of working with and advising nonprofit, corporate, and association executives that this is a rare skill.