Episode Summary:

Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Ep 245: Rethinking Leadership in 2026: The Shifts Nonprofit Leaders Need to Make Now

Host: Joan Garry
Date: January 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this timely episode, Joan Garry and her co-host Glenda take stock of the nonprofit landscape following an "unprecedentedly tough" 2025. They discuss how leaders can adapt and thrive amid prolonged uncertainty and systemic threats. Drawing on stories from their coaching and community work, the hosts highlight key leadership lessons and offer practical advice to help nonprofit professionals—whether staff, board, or volunteer—set priorities for 2026. The overarching message: resilience, adaptability, and community are more essential than ever.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nonprofit Climate in 2025 and Looking Forward

• Political headwinds: 2025 brought direct government attacks—funding cuts, challenging executive orders, increased IRS scrutiny—impacting nonprofits and the people they serve. Foundations also found themselves under threat and slow to respond.
  (05:10) “Democracy itself was under attack … life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness here in the US was something that we could not take for granted anymore.” — Glenda

• No ‘Smooth Sailing’ in Sight: Unlike early COVID, where leaders could see an end in sight (i.e., a vaccine), current challenges are ongoing with no easy resolution. (06:04) “There isn’t—you can’t, we can’t be inoculated by this.” — Joan

2. Leadership Pitfalls Seen in 2025

• Short-Term Fixation or Paralysis: Some leaders were either stuck in nonstop crisis-management, paralyzed by chaos and fear, or too focused on long-term optimism without addressing urgent needs. (07:22) “Some people let the chaos manage them … every day it felt like their head was spinning around 360.” — Joan
  (09:36) “It was very hard to shift between [urgency and long-term thinking].” — Glenda

• Lack of Community/Isolation: Leaders who tried to go it alone, rather than seek support from peers and partners, struggled most. (11:50) “There is no doing it alone and succeeding in this world.” — Glenda

• Boards as Obstacles: Risk-averse boards sometimes pushed for closure too quickly or focused solely on the immediate crisis (“no more money coming in, we've got to shut down”), inhibiting creativity and resilience. (12:41) “Boards got in the way, because, remember, they are risk managers … Risk, fear, chaos, these are not the ingredients for creativity, for innovation.” — Joan

3. What Worked: Positive Leadership Examples

• Distributed, Grassroots Leadership: Impactful leadership wasn’t always about titles or platforms. Local leaders and everyday advocates made a difference (e.g., school board candidate Brittany Ramos, neighbors supporting each other). (15:50–19:26) “I really saw so much leadership that did not necessarily come with a big leader title…” — Glenda

• Collaboration and Ecosystem Thinking: Organizations that shared resources and fostered collaboration (e.g., Transgender Law Center regranting funds to smaller orgs) strengthened the entire sector. (22:18–23:57) “They did not just take that money and hoard it. They … gave those organizations money.” — Glenda

• Adopting a Growth Mindset: Leaders and boards who embraced curiosity, scenario planning, and adaptability proved more effective than those stuck in “how we’ve always done it.” (23:57) “Growth mindset … approach a problem from a place of curiosity, from a place of collaboration.” — Joan

4. Actionable Leadership Shifts for 2026

• Assume Uncertainty Will Continue – Plan for It
  (26:45) “Great leaders this year will actually assume that this year is just like last year. Right. To assume something different might be naive.” — Joan

• Scenario Planning (‘If-Then’)
  (28:19–29:59) “If-then is actually at the heart of scenario planning. If this happens, then this is the path … If you take a group of people and say ... let's spend a whole day talking about scenario planning. That’s an investment that will pay massive dividends.” — Joan

• Balance Short-Term Response with Long-Term Vision
  (31:40) “Balancing the crisis in front of you ... you can’t not do that. But don’t forget about the long term planning.” — Glenda

• Invest in Your Board
  (33:06) “If I was gonna do anything in quarter one ... I would actually educate my board on what a great board looks like, so they know what they’re shooting for.” — Joan

• Activate and Appreciate Volunteers and Small Dollar Donors
  (37:28) “I am so glad that the people that run the organization ... reached out to me and asked for help because I had something to give this year.” — Glenda (as volunteer)

• Lead with Curiosity and Embrace the “Power of the Question Mark”
  (38:19–39:51) “I want to be able to say that I embrace the power of the question mark … come to my work from a place of curiosity. What could we try? What might be different? How are my staff feeling?” — Joan

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (00:46) “All of the ways are important. … Sometimes what you think is a small way is actually a big way.” — Joan
• (06:04) “There isn’t—you can’t, we can’t be inoculated by this.” — Joan
• (11:50) “There is no doing it alone and succeeding in this world.” — Glenda
• (19:26) “Who are the people in my world that I can light up to get engaged in different kinds of ways…?” — Joan
• (23:57) “I do think enriching yourselves and your board and your volunteers … to try new things is going to be pretty essential.” — Joan
• (28:43) “In 2026, I want all of you to think about this phrase: if-then … at the heart of scenario planning.” — Joan
• (39:51) “The power of the question mark. The power of curiosity. Asking ourselves as leaders the tough questions and asking other people the tough questions … That would be something new. That would be something that challenging times may make possible.” — Glenda

Key Timestamps

• 00:46 – All acts matter, big or small (Joan)
• 05:10 – “Democracy itself was under attack.” (Glenda)
• 06:04 – This is ongoing chaos, not a short term crisis (Joan)
• 11:50 – “There is no doing it alone and succeeding…” (Glenda)
• 15:50–19:26 – Stories of grassroots and distributed leadership (Glenda & Joan)
• 22:18 – Collaborating and supporting ecosystem health (Glenda)
• 23:57 – Growth mindset, Carol Dweck book recommendation (Joan)
• 26:45 – Assume continued turbulence, scenario plan (Joan)
• 28:43 – “If-then” for scenario planning (Joan)
• 31:40 – Balancing urgent needs/long-term vision (Glenda)
• 33:06 – Invest in board education—priority for Q1 (Joan)
• 37:28 – Importance of activating volunteers (Glenda as volunteer)
• 38:19–39:51 – Power of curiosity and “the question mark” (Joan & Glenda)

Practical Takeaways for Nonprofit Leaders

• Embrace ongoing uncertainty—don’t hold out for "smooth sailing."
• Foster community, share leadership, and do not isolate.
• Get boards aligned and educated; they must be assets, not obstacles.
• Engage in scenario planning using "if-then" thinking.
• Adapt a growth mindset: foster curiosity and willingness to try new approaches.
• Balance the urgent and the visionary—tend to immediate crises but keep moving toward long-term goals.
• Remember that everyone is a potential leader—cultivate leadership among staff, board, volunteers, and community.

Final Thoughts from the Hosts

• (40:32) “Prepare for the worst and celebrate the good things.” — Glenda
• (40:55) “Take your nose up, look down the road. That’s what people are hoping that you will do. … It will give you the most sense of reward, gratification, meaning and purpose.” — Joan

The episode closes with encouragement to revisit these lessons throughout the year and a reminder:

“You’re not alone. … We’ll be right here with you.” — Joan & Glenda (40:56–41:25)