“It’s okay to not know the answers, but it’s not okay to sit on that.”

In this episode, Craig P. Anderson speaks with Sean McDonald, President of MOR Associates, about navigating leadership in the face of autonomy, uncertainty, and change. Sean shares how his early experiences taught him to step into responsibility before he had a title - and why that mindset remains critical today. Sean and Craig explore the challenges leaders face when they don’t have all the answers, how to build trust during turbulent times, and why empathy requires action. Drawing on his own experiences and working with not-for-profit leaders, Sean offers a grounded, forward-looking perspective on leadership development.

After You Listen:

• Connect with Sean McDonald on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcdonaldsean/

• Check out MOR Associates: https://morassociates.com/

• Connect with Craig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigpanderson/

• Sign up for Craig’s Monthly Business Leadership Webinars: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3GDgSdp_RfGqegxIXIbAYg

Key Takeaways:

• Autonomy builds leadership muscles, especially when support is limited

• Listening creates trust, but action builds momentum

• In times of uncertainty, focus on what you can control

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(01:25) Recommended reading for leaders

(02:47) Lessons Sean learned from his father

(04:24) Leadership as choice, movement, and impact

(06:27) Navigating leadership in nonprofits

(09:02) Insights from Sean’s first leadership experience

(11:35) The impact of AI on leadership

(16:31) Sean’s professional leadership journey

(22:00) Challenges in leadership during change

(27:15) Advice for young leaders