Send us a text

In challenging times, abundance isn’t about having more. It’s about defending what matters most.

Recently, I met with an Executive Director I’ll call Susan. She had been in her role just a few months when the funding landscape shifted in a way that couldn’t be ignored. This wasn’t a temporary disruption—it was a permanent change that forced hard decisions forward.

Susan reviewed the financials and knew layoffs were coming. She also knew her team would struggle—not from lack of commitment, but because uncertainty makes all of us reach for what feels familiar.

And she understood something that sat heavily with her.

She hadn’t been hired to protect the status quo.
She had been hired to ensure the organization could endure and continue serving its community.

Standing in that tension, Susan designed a pathway forward that protected the mission.

Today, I want to share what she did, why it mattered, and how you can move through difficult seasons with the same steadiness if you’re facing something similar.

You can find the full transcript and show notes at CultureCARES.com/14.

Marcia Beckner helps nonprofit executives lead with confidence and create healthy, thriving workplace cultures, especially during times of growth and change.

After nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector, she’s seen far too many talented, hard-working leaders burn out and walk away.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Nonprofit CEO SPARK is your invitation to pause, pivot, and reignite your energy so you can lead with clarity, courage, and balance.

Feeling exhausted and on the edge of burnout?

Grab my free guide - 4 Strategies for Nonprofit CEOs to Reduce Burnout, Unify Your Team & Build a Culture That Lasts. Go to https://culturecares.com/guide.

If this episode resonated, I invite you to join my Tuesday newsletter. Each week I share the podcast topic, practical leadership insights, and occasional special offers and event invitations designed to help you lead with clarity without burning out.

If you know another nonprofit leader who could use this support, please pass it along. And if you’d ever like to connect directly, you can reach me at https://culturecares.com.

Send us a text

One of the toughest calls for nonprofit leaders right now is which staff members get remote flexibility… and which don’t.

You’re juggling programs, fundraising, and staff wellbeing — all while trying to create policies that balance fairness, equity, and mission delivery.

But when different departments play by different rules, silos can deepen.

Here’s a common example:
💼 The Development team’s working hybrid.
👥 The Program team’s in the field.
💬 And soon, staff are whispering about fairness instead of collaborating on impact.

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking real, actionable strategies to turn hybrid work from a source of tension into a tool for trust and connection.

Let’s make your hybrid culture one where everyone feels seen, supported, and set up to thrive.

Picture a nonprofit called “Bright Futures.” Their Development team negotiated hybrid schedules: two office days, three remote. Reports and grant writing can be done from home office.

Meanwhile, the Program team — the ones running after-school programs — are expected to be on-site five days a week. Their roles really do demand presence.

On paper, it makes sense.

But In reality, it sparks division:
- Program staff ask, “Why are we stuck here while Development gets flexibility?”
- Development staff quietly wonder, “Do people think we’re not pulling our weight?”

Team cohesion suffers. Emails go unanswered, deadlines slip, and the CEO feels like they’re putting out culture fires instead of leading the mission.

This is where nonprofit leaders must recognize: the issue isn’t just policy.

The real challenge is designing a culture that communicates fairness, explains the why, and creates connection across departments.

Marcia Beckner helps nonprofit executives lead with confidence and create healthy, thriving workplace cultures, especially during times of growth and change.

After nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector, she’s seen far too many talented, hard-working leaders burn out and walk away.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Nonprofit CEO SPARK is your invitation to pause, pivot, and reignite your energy so you can lead with clarity, courage, and balance.

Feeling exhausted and on the edge of burnout?

Grab my free guide - 4 Strategies for Nonprofit CEOs to Reduce Burnout, Unify Your Team & Build a Culture That Lasts. Go to https://culturecares.com/guide.

If this episode resonated, I invite you to join my Tuesday newsletter. Each week I share the podcast topic, practical leadership insights, and occasional special offers and event invitations designed to help you lead with clarity without burning out.

If you know another nonprofit leader who could use this support, please pass it along. And if you’d ever like to connect directly, you can reach me at https://culturecares.com.

Send us a text

Let’s say you’re leading a team meeting with the main goal to ‘Decide on new donor database’.

Two hours later, you’ve heard passionate arguments, five different options, and you’re running out of trail mix in the middle of the table.

Then someone says, ‘So who’s actually deciding this?’ Blank stares across the room. And that is the moment everyone realizes…nobody knows.

I’ll be honest …I was very guilty of this myself. When I was the Executive Director for MyLifeLine Cancer Foundation, the organization I founded, I thought being a good leader meant pleasing everyone and inviting all staff into every decision. I wanted my team to feel included.

But what often happened? Our big group wasted time spinning in circles and indecision. People left meetings frustrated.

I didn’t know it then, but I had confused inclusivity with clarity. Today, I’ll share a decision-making framework that saved the day and helped us address this challenge for good.

Marcia Beckner helps nonprofit executives lead with confidence and create healthy, thriving workplace cultures, especially during times of growth and change.

After nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector, she’s seen far too many talented, hard-working leaders burn out and walk away.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Nonprofit CEO SPARK is your invitation to pause, pivot, and reignite your energy so you can lead with clarity, courage, and balance.

Feeling exhausted and on the edge of burnout?

Grab my free guide - 4 Strategies for Nonprofit CEOs to Reduce Burnout, Unify Your Team & Build a Culture That Lasts. Go to https://culturecares.com/guide.

If this episode resonated, I invite you to join my Tuesday newsletter. Each week I share the podcast topic, practical leadership insights, and occasional special offers and event invitations designed to help you lead with clarity without burning out.

If you know another nonprofit leader who could use this support, please pass it along. And if you’d ever like to connect directly, you can reach me at https://culturecares.com.