Newsletter &
Blog

Weekly inspiration for building your nonprofit leadership skills.

Organizational Culture

Nonprofit leadership must establish robust organizational cultures aligned with institutional purpose and values.

When things aren’t going well there is a tendency for staff to personalize their anxiety and frustration and create “villains” and “victims.” This illustration shows the difference between an organiza

Good News, Bad News — and Decentralized Decision-Making

We had a saying at Applied Materials that became well-known both inside and outside the company. Good news is no news.No news is bad news.And bad news is good news—if you do something about it. Of cou

First Assistant

It’s useful to think of yourself as “first assistant to” your direct reports. You want people at every level to understand the organization’s goals and objectives and make decisions that align with th

You are Never too Young to Lead

I’ve often noted that one of the most valuable experiences a young, ambitious person can have is to work for excellent managers. And the reverse can be equally true: one of the most valuable experienc

Problem-Solving and the “Let’s Do” Attitude

The ongoing dysfunction in Washington in both the House and the Senate highlights the importance of effective problem-solving. Nonprofits are constantly faced with making difficult decisions toward so

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