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Nonprofit leaders are tired of defending their work against wild myths and public perception. Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of our social progression. It's time to tell the truth about the impact of nonprofits. The post Three Dangerous Myths About NonprofitsAnd the Truth Behind Them appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
In a season when nonprofits are under pressure from all sides, your gala speech is more than just a formalityits a moment of leadership. Use your voice to educate, inspire, and call your audience to action when your organization needs it most. The post How to Give a Great Gala Speech During Very Dark Times appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
For years, I was firmly anti-SWAGconvinced donor dollars should never fund mugs, totes, or tchotchkes. But then a surprise gift arrived: a simple pair of socks from an animal welfare org I love. That small gesture completely changed my perspective on what great SWAG can do. Here is why. The post How a Pair of Socks Changed My Mind About SWAG appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
In the image above, I’m 39 years old. The photo was taken just before my first day at GLAAD where I accepted a position as the Executive Director. I might look calm and confident, but that expression was a decoy. I was riddled on the inside with imposter syndrome. WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME? Dorothy and. Read more The post I Was 39, Leading GLAAD.
The world feels heavy right now, and shutting down is temptingbut its not the answer. Glennda Testone shares what she recently discovered as the antidote to fuel ourselves and our leadership: community. The post A Dolly Parton Party Reminded Me Why Community Matters appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Im guessing that many of you feel like your pants are on fire. The path ahead is uncertain, and for some organizations, the future is quite scary. Maybe you are heavily reliant on government funding. Maybe the population you serve isand has every right to beterrified. Oh, and the board is on this scary roller. Read more The post Navigating Uncertainty with Bold, Strategic Vision appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Navigating a leadership transition can be challenging, but with the right mindset and strategies, it can also be an opportunity for growth. This post explores three key ingredients for a successful transition. Whether you're leading a new organization or adapting to significant change, these insights will help you thrive. The post Managing Change Like A Leader appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Discover key strategies and resources for nonprofit leaders to navigate the uncertainty of 2025. From embracing tough conversations to staying informed and strengthening leadership, I offer actionable tips to help you thrive in turbulent times. The post Steering Through the Storm: Youre Not Alone appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Ive spent over a decade nurturing a meaningful friendship with Beth Kanter, entirely through electronic communication, proving that authentic connections can thrive in the digital world. In this piece, I share strategies for building and sustaining impactful relationships electronically, with humor, intention, and a touch of creativity. The post How To Build Authentic Relationships Electronically appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Ive learned that the key to a meaningful year ahead is focus. Focus on what truly mattersyour health, your family, your mission. Here are 10 recommendations for navigating the year ahead with clarity and purpose. The post EYES WIDE OPEN: A LOOK AHEAD TO 2025 appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Nonprofit Leadership Lab CEO, Glennda Testone, reflects on how she found unexpected inspiration and deepened her leadership skills by participating in an annual 275-mile AIDS bike ride. She highlights the power of community, personal connection, and staying grounded in her "why” as key elements of refueling her leadership. The post The Road to Refueling My Leadership Every 275 Miles appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
I’m so passionate about nonprofit leadership—because it's grounded in values. I believe that staying true to one’s core values is what makes a leader truly great. Here is how and why the time is now for every nonprofit leader to take a stand… The post What Drives How You Lead? appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
In this piece, I reflect on the 2024 election and the overwhelming sense of imbalance it triggered for me, personally and as a nonprofit leader. Through time spent with my family, my nonprofit community, and the right book, I rediscovered the importance of balance—not just in my life but as a crucial component for healing the polarization in our world, inspiring nonprofit leaders to bring balance and hope to our communities.
In this blog post, I share personal stories of being on the receiving end of donation requests and the valuable lessons they’ve taught me. From asking for the right amount to understanding the donor’s personal experiences, I offer cautionary tales highlighting common fundraising mistakes and how to avoid them. The post Why I Donated a Portion Of My Salary.
Fundraising is both an art and a science, where preparation and authenticity play key roles. These are my real-life failures in fundraising and the lessons that you can learn from them. The post I Asked For $10,000. He Donated $25,000. appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Effective leadership is not just about delivering the right information; it's about how you communicate it. In my experience leading nonprofit leaders, it is the "soft skills” that create a lasting impact that goes beyond words and actions, ensuring your message resonates deeply with your audience. The post The 3 Secrets to Effective Presentations appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Through planning and communication, any nonprofit leader can ensure that staff members feel included and valued during board meetings. In this blog post, I offer strategies to avoid creating conditions where staff members are unintentionally marginalized so nonprofit leaders can foster stronger partnerships and a sense of belonging within the organization.
Here are 4 website improvements that, combined with a smart digital marketing plan, almost guarantee you an increase in online donations. The post Increase Online Donations In Four Steps appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Reflecting on my unexpected journey into the nonprofit sector, I've learned that this path demands a unique set of attributes and profound commitment. Today, I offer insights and a 'fit sniff test' to help you evaluate your readiness for a nonprofit career. The post Is Nonprofit Work Right For You? appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Essential advice for aspiring nonprofit founders, including key questions to ask before filing for 501(c)(3) status, how to avoid common pitfalls, and create a strong, impactful beginning. The post Should I Start a Nonprofit? appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Come join our LIVE workshop "How to Identify, Recruit, and Convince the Right People to Join Your Board". Begins June 10th! The post The 3 Deadly Sins Of Dysfunctional Boards appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
What is the well-kept secret of a high-functioning board? Joan shares the hidden ingredient and why every board needs it. The post The Hidden Ingredient of a High-Functioning Board appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Executive directors complain that they do not receive a formal annual performance review. Here are 10 potential opportunities for achieving a stellar performance review! The post Crush Your Annual Review: 10 Steps For Executive Directors appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Dream candidates could be right in front of you and you could completely overlook them if your recruitment process upholds the status quo. Indeed, using the same standard recruiting criteria as everyone else could be an invisible blocker to attracting and hiring your dream team. These two strategies are how you can reinvent your recruiting process with smashing success.
These are the 5 biggest lessons I had to learn when I first became a nonprofit executive director. And understanding how to implement them changed everything. The post The 5 Biggest Lessons of Successful Nonprofit Leadership appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Back-to-back meetings are a drain. Yet, meeting overload is a common source of stress for nonprofit leaders. I call for a rethink on your meeting schedule. Here is one tool that can powerfully change your calendar and create meaningful space for you to reclaim power to refuel your mojo. The post Fire Your Meetings, Refuel Your Leadership appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
From humble beginnings to the helm of leading change, these 12 nonprofit leaders are bringing equity, inclusion, and justice to the world. The post 12 Nonprofit Leaders Who Are Changing The World appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
The Nonprofit Leadership Lab welcomes Glennda Testone as the new CEO in February 2024! In this article, she explains how she knew that it was time to move forward and offers advice to leaders considering fresh opportunities. The post Why I Became CEO Of Nonprofit Leadership Lab appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
There is a thin line between doing and leading. Here are 10 causes of ineffective delegation as a nonprofit leader. What are they? And what is the solution? The post How Nonprofit Leaders Can Delegate Successfully appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Learn my simple equation that can turn your board from low performing to informed, enriched, engaged, and ignited. The post No More Boring Board Meetings! appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
In reviewing all of the blog posts I wrote in 2023, there were three topics in particular that stood out for me. Here they are. The post Joan’s 3 Biggest Takeaways of 2023 appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
So many members of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab are pure, unadulterated Givers. But Heidi was the “Queen Giver”. The post 6 Ways to Create a Culture of Givers At Your Organization (a Tribute to Heidi Dressler) appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Here are 5 important lessons that apply to both fundraising and dating. A team member actually tried them out! Did she get a second date? The post Love At First Pitch: Dating Advice For the Fervent Fundraiser appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
I am asked with some regularity to coach Chief Diversity Officers. I am tempted because helping an organization to become more culturally competent, where everyone has a true sense of belonging, is important to me. But I always say no. I can’t coach them to success. They are not set up for it. Now, I. Read more The post Chief Diversity Officers Are Set Up To Fail appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
I reveal the human cost of a government shutdown on nonprofits. It's time to act—advocacy isn't just crucial, it's our moral duty. The post The Human Cost of a Government Shutdown: A Call to Action for Nonprofits appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
If you see your "busyness" as a badge of honor, it's time for some truth telling. This reflects poorly on your leadership. So let's discuss time management. The post Master Nonprofit Time Management in 90 Minutes appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
When an Executive Director announces their exit, it can cause a whole lot of chaos inside and outside the organization. Let's avoid that. Here's a 2-Year Succession Plan Timeline you can download and adapt to set up the smoothest transition possible. The post Two-Year Executive Director Succession Plan Timeline Template appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
The key to having super high impact without burning out? Empathy. Beth Kanter and I explain. The post Why Empathy is the Key to Outstanding Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Transform your nonprofit's internal communications from chaos to clarity with these internal communications tips + a handy template to help your team create its own internal comms best practices! The post The 5 Attributes of a Great Nonprofit Executive Director appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Nonprofit talent management is a challenge. Here's how to attract, retain, and develop the best people to help your org achieve its mission. The post Stop Pecking Me to Death! appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Nonprofit talent management is a challenge. Here's how to attract, retain, and develop the best people to help your org achieve its mission. The post How To Attract Top Talent and Retain Top Performers appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Discover how your nonprofit can transform remote work into a superpower — creating a thriving culture across your team. With humor, flexibility, and a deep sense of belonging, let’s redefine hybrid work models. The post How to Manage Your Team When Everyone’s Working Remotely appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
Raising money isn’t the ONLY measure of fundraising success, but it’s definitely one of them. If you’re still looking for answers to the question, “Why is my org not raising more money?” download this free resource. You might find the key to your next fundraising event's success! The post Help! My Fundraising Event Was a Total Flop! appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
There are more than a few key differences between nonprofit and for-profit leadership. Let’s unpack this, shall we? The post The Key Differences Between the Nonprofit and For-Profit Sectors appeared first on Joan Garry Consulting.
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