Nonprofit Mission: Impact – Détails, épisodes et analyse

How can nonprofit organizations navigate leadership transitions with steadiness and clarity? In episode 137 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton talks with Erin Stratford Owens, a seasoned interim executive director to answer this question. Carol and Erin talk about:

• what makes interim leadership distinct from simply "holding down the fort" — it's a time for honest reflection, system assessment, and preparing the path for what's next.

• how boards and staff can make the most of an interim period, 

• the common mistakes to avoid, and why slowing down to plan for sustainability — rather than reacting in urgency — is essential for long-term impact. 

The conversation offers nonprofit leaders a grounded perspective on turning moments of uncertainty into opportunities for renewal and learning.

 

Episode highlights:

[00:08:26] What Interim Leadership Really Is

[00:11:56] Misconceptions About Interims

[00:15:21] Avoiding Common Mistakes

[00:18:46] Setting the Stage for the Next Leader

[00:20:26] The Board's Crucial Role

[00:22:41] Building Staff Trust

[00:25:36] Addressing Systems and Structure

[00:29:26] What Makes an Interim Successful

[00:30:56] From Urgency to Sustainability

Guest Bio:

Erin Stratford Owens is the founder and CEO of ESO Nonprofit Consulting, specializing in Interim Executive Leadership and coaching for nonprofits and nonprofit leaders in transition. Erin holds a BA in English from UNC-Greensboro and a Master's in Nonprofit Management from The New School's Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment. She is a Certified Interim Executive through Armstrong McGuire Interim Leadership Institute. With 12 years of experience as an in-house nonprofit Executive Director, her extensive interim leadership experience includes guiding organizations through critical transitions at Humane Society of the Piedmont, Partners Ending Homelessness, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, Greensboro Farmers Market, and Humane Society of Catawba County. She currently serves as Board Chair for the Guilford County Continuum of Care and as a Steering Committee member of the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium. When not working or volunteering, Erin enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, two dogs, and a 16-year-old blind kitty cat named Smokie

Important Links and Resources:

Erin Stratford Owens

 

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In episode 136 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton, Elizabeth Engel, and Jamie Notter talk about their new white paper Lean at 10: Culture Eats Methodology for Lunch. Ten years after Engel first explored Lean Startup principles in the nonprofit and association world, she and Notter revisit what's changed—and what hasn't. Carol, Elizabeth and Jamie discuss:

• Why the tools of innovation are accessible, yet the real challenge in adoption lies in organizational culture. 

• how competing commitments, fear of failure, and rigid silos can quietly sabotage innovation efforts

• what leaders can do instead to nurture learning, empathy, and experimentation.

For nonprofit and association leaders navigating rapid change, this conversation offers a candid look at how to build cultures that support innovation—not resist it.

 

Episode highlights:

[00:06:00] Revisiting Lean Startup, 10 Years Later [00:010:50] Defining Lean Startup and Design Thinking [00:011:50] Culture: The Invisible Barrier [00:014:40] When Culture Undermines Innovation [00:19:00] Insight Over Perfection [00:22:00] People Don't Resist Change—They Resist Being Changed [00:24:40] Low Fences, Not No Silos [00:27:00] Listening Beyond the Boardroom [00:30:40] Volunteer Culture Matters Too [00:31:00] The Role of Healthy Conflict [00:37:35] What a Culture Supportive of Innovation Looks Like [00:41:20] From Reactive to Proactive Transparency [00:44:35] The Questions Nonprofit Leaders Should Ask

 

Guest Bios:

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.

Jamie Notter is a speaker, author, consultant, and culture scientist. His career spans 30 years, with more than a decade of research and practice in the culture field, as well as deep experience in areas like conflict resolution and generations. He desperately wants to make work suck less for everyone, and has written four popular business books, including the award-winning Non-Obvious Guide to Employee Engagement, and his latest release, Culture Change Made Easy. He holds a Master's in conflict resolution from George Mason and a certificate in Organization Development from Georgetown, where he served as adjunct faculty.

Important Links and Resources:

Elizabeth Weaver Engel

https://www.getmespark.com/

https://www.getmespark.com/blog/

Jamie Notter

https://jamienotter.com/

https://jamienotter.com/research-books/

 

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In episode 127 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton speaks with Cat Lazaroff. They talk about her work around engaging white-led and majority-white organizations in meaningful culture change to more inclusive, diverse and equitable cultures. 

They explore:

• how nonprofit leaders, especially white leaders, can begin and sustain their own equity learning journeys. 

• Privilege, identity, conflict, organizational culture, and the necessity of holding multiple truths. 

• how culture transformation isn't about quick fixes, but rather long-term commitments, courageous relationships, and collective learning. 

Episode highlights:

[010:20] Starting with the personal

[14:50] Identity and Bias: What's Seen, What's Hidden

[19:50] Lived Experience, Assumptions, and Honoring Multiple Truths

[27:20] Managing Conflict and Holding Space

[31:20] Navel Gazing or Doing the Work?

[36:50] Nuance, Polarity, and Organizational Culture

[42:20] Community, and Expanding Belonging

[45:50] Guilt, Blame, and the Journey for White Leaders

[51:20] Final Advice: Don't Do This Alone

Guest Bio:
Cat Lazaroff

Cat Lazaroff (she/they) is a white, queer consultant who supports anti-racist culture change at nonprofits and small companies. She specializes in helping other white folks center equity, inclusion, justice, and diversity in their work and their lives.

Important Links and Resources:

Cat Lazaroff

Cat Lazaroff, LLC

Deep democracy: https://deepdemocracyusa.com/

Liberatory Design: https://www.nationalequityproject.org/training/liberatory-design-for-equity

White supremacy culture characteristics: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/

Resource Media: https://www.resource-media.org/

Natasha Aruliah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-aruliah-75071420/ 

Tara McMullin: https://whatworks.fyi/

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This episode is part of the Culture Fit project that Carol recorded with her son-in-law Peter Cruz. In this episode, Carol, her cohost Peter Cruz, and their guest Ariel Salome discuss:

• Non-positional leadership and how everyone is a leader in their own right
• Being an active ally and status quo disruptor
• How you can create a safe and inclusive environment

 

Guest bio:
Ariel Salomé thrives on challenging assumptions and limiting beliefs, reframing challenges into opportunities. She possesses the uncanny ability to constructively disturb the status quo to the point where it opens the floodgates of possibilities, leading to transformation. For the past 18 years, Ariel has served as a training & curriculum designer, DE&I practitioner and group process facilitator. She just returned to California from Washington D.C. where she managed National Science Foundation grant-funded projects in STEM higher education reform, supporting the development of STEM faculty leaders across the nation. Ariel is now known as the "Corporate Healer" as she coaches and develops the next generation of leaders in tech as the PM for Leadership Development at Lyft. Ariel is also the founder and space holder for METANOIA, a spiritual community of practice. Ariel received her BA in Sociology and dialogue facilitation training at Occidental College. She completed ICF comprehensive coaching certification and doctoral-level training in human and organizational development at Fielding Graduate University. Her research and practice include transformative learning, ontological coaching, and the somatic release of intergenerational and racialized trauma. She believes that the world's greatest problems can find solutions when we show up as fully human and fully divine.

Important Links and Resources:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjcruz/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielsalome/ 
• https://www.theforem.co/features-at-the-forem/developing-ah-ha-moments-with-ariel-salome 
• The Art of Possibility – Benjamin Zander, Rosamund Zander 
• Innovation Adoption Curve 
• Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do– Claudia Steele
• The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell

 

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In episode 36 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol, her guest, Anne Hilb discuss:

• How nonprofits can best handle conflict within the organization 

• What steps can be taken to avoid conflict before it happens

• How to handle the hurt feelings that can linger in the wake of conflict

 

Guest bio:

Anne Hilb, MSOD is a community and culture architect, an expert at conflict resolution, and a champion of restorative and racial justice practices. As a community and culture architect, she partners with managers, executives, and front-line employees to repair conflict and restore trust so they can succeed and organizations can thrive. Her approach to this work is unique due to her blend of a decade of hands-on experience with more than a half-dozen degrees and certifications. Anne harnesses the power of circle and uses her deep listening skills to help build healthy workplaces. She develops deeply connected people and communities by leading with authenticity, transparency, curiosity, and care. Her work is centered around building confidence and accountability while mitigating blame, shame and guilt. When not repairing harm, working through conflict, and restoring trust, she can be found searching out the best taco, hosting circles, and spending time in nature.

 

Important Links and Resources:

•  https://www.linkedin.com/in/annehilb/ 
• https://www.graymake.com/ 

 

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In episode 35 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol, her cohost, Peter Cruz, and their guest, Nathaniel Benjamin discuss diversity, equity and inclusion and its intersection with human capital management. This episode is a release of a podcast Carol planned to start with her son-in-law and has many transferrable ideas and concepts to the nonprofit sector. We talk about:

• Where and where not to situate DEI initiatives and staff in your organization 
• The value of the stay interview vs the exit interview
• The importance of data in fostering healthy cultures of inclusion and belonging

 

Guest bio:
Nathaniel Benjamin approaches the space of Diversity and Inclusion as not only a profession, but as a passion that's taken hold of his life's work.  As a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, his educational endeavors led him into a marketable career in Human Resources -- working in the C-suite level --managing workforce planning, strategy, policy and talent management.  But to "really" understand how an organization works, he later found that you must understand its people… the diversity of those who make an organization thrive.  He brings 17 years of experience as an organizational Change Agent and a D&I Strategist, ready to exceed your organizational needs.

 

Contact:

Nathaniel Benjamin:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielhbenjamin/ 
• https://benjaminacg.com/ 

Peter J. Cruz:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjcruz/

 

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In episode 34 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol, her guest, Doug Spencer talked about:

• What branding really is
• What gets in the way of having a unified message that all your stakeholders are ready to share
• Why our expertise can actually get in the way of having a clear message

Guest Bio:
Douglas Spencer is president of Spencer Brenneman, LLC, which helps mission-driven organizations reframe their focus and remaster their messages to thrive in any environment. In 2021, Douglas launched the podcast, Messaging on a Mission. In it he talks to leaders of nonprofits, social enterprises, associations about their journeys and the messages they're using to thrive. He is also the author of Do They Care? The one question all brands should ask themselves, continually, a book that shows leaders how they can create meaningful connections with everyone important to their organization's success.

 

Resources:

• https://spencerbrenneman.com/ 
• https://spencerbrenneman.com/messaging-on-a-mission/ 
• https://spencerbrenneman.com/books/ 

 

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In episode 33 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol, her cohost, Peter Cruz, and their guest, Stephen Graves discuss diversity equity and inclusion in the health care sector. This episode is a release of a podcast Carol planned to start with her son-in-law and has many transferrable ideas and concepts to the nonprofit sector. We talk about:

• Why leadership engagement and support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts is key regardless of the sector
• How data and evidence can inform DEI efforts
• Why there is historical mistrust of the medical professional among communities of color

 

Guest Bio: Stephen Graves

Born in South Carolina and raised in the black Baptist church, Stephen had an insatiable curiosity to understand the South's nuanced history related to race, his place in that story as a black man, and how the Christian faith could be used as a tool to heal or a weapon to hurt.  This curiosity set him on a personal exploration, which turned into a professional journey as he pursued and earned a Master in Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina.  Throughout his career in healthcare and in diversity, equity and inclusion, he has led initiatives centered on addressing health disparities, improving language access, and increasing cultural humility among teams.  He has been fortunate to collaborate with healthcare providers, faith leaders, high school and college students, and business leaders in helping them to create welcoming and inclusive cultures where all can thrive.

 

Resources:

Cultural humility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSHLbS1V4w

Tuskegee Study:  https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/ethics-articles/The_Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study_and_Its_Implications_for_the_21st_Century/

Racial biases about Black people and pain: https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/how-we-fail-black-patients-pain

Guest contact:

Stephen Graves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sggraves/

All In Consulting: https://www.allinconsulting.co/

Peter Cruz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjcruz/

 

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In episode 32 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, some of the topics that Carol and her guest, Don Tebbe discussed include:

• How organizations can best manage transition
• Why it is important for the outgoing director to take care of themselves
• How boards might need to change to accommodate a transition

 

Guest Information: Don Tebbe is an organizational planning consultant and one of America's most experienced advisors on nonprofit CEO transition and leadership succession. He experienced, first-hand, the challenges of sustaining an organization and navigating leadership succession as a former nonprofit executive director and five-time interim CEO. Since 1993, he's helped hundreds of nonprofit leaders plan for and manage turnover in their chief executive positions. Don was one of the national thought leaders involved in an Annie E. Casey Foundation-sponsored project to develop better practices for nonprofit leadership succession. Many of the concepts and practices used by succession practitioners today originated with the Casey project. He is the author of Chief Executive Transitions: How to Hire & Support a Nonprofit CEO and The Nonprofit CEO Succession Roadmap: Your Guide for the Journey to Life's Next Chapter.

Important Guest Links:

• https://dontebbe.com/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dontebbe/ 
• https://twitter.com/ceotransitions
• Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire
• Annie E Casey Foundation – Executive Transitions
• Center for Excellence in Nonprofits 
• When a New Manager Takes Charge, John Garbarro 
• Going Solo, Going Big 

 

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In episode 31 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, some of the topics that Carol and her guest, Sharon Anderson discussed include:

• What lobbying consists of and how organizations can get involved
• The constraints placed on lobbying and other ways to help
• The legislative process and why nonprofits have a lot to offer in the arena of public policy

 

Guest Information: Sharon Anderson has been engaged with nonprofit boards of directors in several capacities: president, member, interim executive director, and consultant. As CEO of Anderson & Associates, LLC, Sharon strengthens teams and organizations through personalized governance training, advocacy training, meeting facilitation, and project management. As a Licensed Consultant of the Standards for Excellence® program, Sharon has conducted Board excellence trainings. She has also designed and presented advocacy training for nonprofits through the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in Washington, DC. Anderson & Associates, LLC provided project management, meeting facilitation, and policy development services to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

 

Important Guest Links: 

• https://bolderadvocacy.org/
• https://www.nonprofitadvancement.org/vendors/anderson-associates-llc/ 
• https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/advocacy-vs-lobbying 
• https://standardsforexcellence.org/Home-2/code

 

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