Podcast Summary: "The Courage to Disappoint: Trust-Based Leadership for Nonprofits"

We Are For Good Podcast – Ep. 684 – Glennda Testone
Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott
Guest: Glennda Testone, CEO, Nonprofit Leadership Lab

Overview

This episode centers around trust-based leadership in the nonprofit sector and the courage it takes to lead authentically, even when it means disappointing some stakeholders. Glennda Testone, a seasoned nonprofit leader, shares her journey, leadership philosophy, and practical wisdom on relationship-building, accountability, and transformational giving. The conversation is candid, supportive, and deeply rooted in real experiences of nonprofit growth, crisis navigation, and culture change.

Guest Introduction: Glennda Testone (00:31–04:18)

• Glennda Testone is CEO at the Nonprofit Leadership Lab and co-host of "Nonprofits Are Messy."
• Noted for leading the NYC LGBT Community Center, tripling the budget, and pioneering a $9M renovation campaign.
• She is recognized as a “warrior, mama bear” leader, championing growth, equity, and collaboration.
• Speaks from 14+ years of nonprofit executive experience and a passion for justice and connection.

Glennda’s Origin Story (02:41–06:25)

• Raised in a service-oriented family: mom worked at an African American community center; dad was an educator.
• Educational journey included broadcast journalism, philosophy, women's studies, and a master’s degree in women’s studies.
• Early nonprofit work at GLAAD under Joan Garry’s mentorship, awakening a passion for executive leadership.
• Progressed through roles at Women’s Media Center and as Executive Director at NYC’s LGBT Center.
• Emphasizes feeling “at home” in the nonprofit sector.

Shaping a Leadership Philosophy: Growth, Complexity, and Vulnerability (07:28–11:14)

• Approach is “collaborative to a fault” but also driven by impatience—keen on moving from talk to action.
• Mistakes are inevitable; owning them and learning is essential.
• Memorable Quote:
  “I will get things wrong, I will make mistakes. And the way that I can best handle that is to admit it and own it and do it differently. And what I know better, do better. That's been my plan.”
  (Glennda Testone, 09:46)

Trust as the Foundation for Growth (11:32–15:27)

• Tripling the Center’s budget and running a capital campaign required deep trust-building across all stakeholder levels.
• Trust begins with lateral, upward, and downward relationships—not just with donors and boards, but especially with staff.
• Notable Insight:
  “They do not and will not just give [trust] to you. You have to demonstrate to them that you care about the right things.”
  (Glennda Testone, 13:46)
• Transparency about nuance and trade-offs builds credibility and resilience.

Accountability Reframed: From Fear to Positive Impact (15:27–21:12)

• Old-school fear-based leadership and risk-aversion can paralyze progress.
• Leaders must shift focus from fear of disappointment to intentional, value-based decision-making.
• Powerful Reframe:
  “It’s about deciding who you are okay disappointing, because you absolutely cannot please everyone… Decide ahead of time: ‘Okay, I’m okay disappointing that person because I really believe we have to do this thing that’s going to help this other person.’”
  (Glennda Testone, 20:45)
• Accountability isn’t just about failure; it’s also about celebrating what is done right, especially in service of those with the least power.

Leading Amid Constant Urgency: Prioritization Tactics (21:12–27:04)

• Urgency and nonstop crises in nonprofit work require disciplined prioritization.
• Glennda favors an old-school but effective method: a notebook with “big priorities” on one side and daily to-dos on the other; circles urgent tasks for the day.
• Balancing what is urgent versus what is important is key for sustainable leadership.
• Created a prioritization tool at Nonprofit Leadership Lab to help leaders sort tasks (“How do I decide what to do right now? And then what’s next?”).

The Courage to Disappoint & Radical Candor (26:18–28:15)

• Saying no and accepting disappointment is inherent to leadership—attempting to please everyone leads to burnout and ineffective organizations.
• Radical candor and upfront truth-telling enable team problem-solving and trust.
• Memorable Quote:
  “What I’m saying is, please don’t be alone and in your own head. And as we’re talking about accountability and how hard we are on ourselves, I just want to tell you to, like, remember to love yourself well in this.”
  (Becky Endicott, 27:04)

Philanthropy Story: The Keith Haring Foundation Gift (28:15–33:19)

• During the pandemic, Testone received a surprise call: the Keith Haring Foundation wanted to auction Haring’s personal art collection and give the proceeds to the Center.
• Initially expected $500K–$1M, but the total gift became $3.5M, providing a lifeline amid crisis.
• Key Takeaway:
  Philanthropy can and should be bold—one-time transformative gifts, not just incremental disbursements.
• Persistence matters: After being denied earlier requests for support, continued relationship-building eventually led to transformational funding.
• Memorable Quote:
  “We have all this art... They could have sold that and put it back in their endowment and continued to give away 5%. And they chose not to… we want to make a big transformational gift in the spirit of Keith and everything he believed in.”
  (Glennda Testone, 30:37)

Playing the Long Game: Trust and Relationships (33:19–34:43)

• Even when requests are denied, maintaining relationships for their own sake can lead to unexpected opportunities.
• The story underscores the value of the “long game” in donor relations and trust-building.

One Good Thing: Don’t Go It Alone (34:43–36:09)

• Glennda’s parting advice:
  “Don’t try and go it alone. It's not going to work. It's much harder and it's much less fun… The most fun I have had in nonprofit is linking arms with other people to try and do a really hard thing that was really important.”
• The magic of nonprofit work happens in community: “That is how it happens.”

Closing Notes and How to Connect (36:54–37:46)

• Glennda is available on Instagram and Facebook (@GTestone) and on LinkedIn.
• Learn more and join the Nonprofit Leadership Lab at nonprofitleadershiplab.com (a 5,500-member-strong community).
• Anyone feeling isolated should reach out—community is foundational.

Key Episode Takeaways

• Trust is the catalyst – both for raising resources and building resilient teams.
• Vulnerability and transparency are superpowers in nonprofit leadership.
• Accountability should be loving and values-driven, not just about avoiding mistakes.
• Prioritization is a learned skill—balance urgent vs. important and use practical tools.
• Radical candor unlocks collaboration—don’t be afraid to disappoint the right people for the right reasons.
• Long-term relationships matter—even when immediate results aren’t visible.
• Community is everything—no one drives real change alone.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “I will get things wrong, I will make mistakes. And the way that I can best handle that is to admit it and own it and do it differently. And what I know better, do better. That's been my plan.”
  — Glennda Testone [09:46]

• “They do not and will not just give [trust] to you. You have to demonstrate to them that you care about the right things.”
  — Glennda Testone [13:46]

• “It’s about deciding who you are okay disappointing… because you absolutely cannot please everyone.”
  — Glennda Testone [20:45]

• “Please don’t be alone and in your own head… remember to love yourself well in this.”
  — Becky Endicott [27:04]

• “Don’t try and go it alone. It's not going to work. It's much harder and it's much less fun.”
  — Glennda Testone [34:43]

Segment Timestamps:

• 00:31—Introduction to Glennda & her background
• 07:28—Leadership philosophy: collaboration, learning, imperfection
• 11:32—Building trust: relationships at every level
• 15:27—Accountability as trust-building, not just fear-management
• 21:12—How to prioritize when everything feels urgent
• 26:18—Leading with candor and accepting the need to disappoint
• 28:15—Transformational giving: The Keith Haring Foundation story
• 34:43—One Good Thing: “Don’t go it alone”
• 36:54—Connecting with Glennda & the Nonprofit Leadership Lab

For nonprofit leaders, changemakers, and anyone feeling the weight and complexity of impact work, this episode offers deep affirmation and practical guidance: Lean into community, own your humanness as a leader, and embrace the courage to disappoint—because trust, not perfection, is what moves missions forward.