You’re the Leader for This Time: Three things you’re doing right

Dear Executive Directors,

In case you need to hear it: You’re the leader for this moment. I know it doesn’t feel like it somedays, that there are seemingly impossible decisions to make, and none of them really feel like the right ones. Nonprofit leadership is always hard, but we are in an especially challenging moment, and I’ve noticed a troubling trend: Executive Directors hint to me that they don’t feel like they have the right skill set, or they outright say: Maybe I’m just not the right leader for this time.

As you can guess, I could not disagree more. I’m a huge proponent of authentic self-reflection and leaders making decisions that are best for themselves and their organizations; however, I think it’s important to parse out if this line of questioning is driven primarily by the uncertainty of our current time and an internalizing of external chaos. For context, I think this uncertainty is showing up in a variety of ways for nonprofits:

• Conversations around how to, or whether to, cut or change or reimagine language and services focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Funding cuts at the federal level.
• Building up reserves to weather cash flow fluctuations.
• Deciding to scale down, restructure, merge, or sunset.
• How to keep clients and staff safe from ICE or other threats to safety and well-being. 

This list could be longer, more detailed, and filled with pressures from staffing, to cashflow, and to facilities concerns. It is no surprise that some leaders are feeling inadequate right now. With so many unknowns, it can feel overwhelming to predict every potential scenario and have a plan for each. And none of these plans feel good – most of them result in more change and challenges. 

Propel supports organizations with a range of strategy consulting services, and one of our roles is to be a mirror that can reflect the best parts of what leaders do in their work, so they feel more empowered and less unsure. So, here are three things I see that you, Executive Directors, are doing right:

Centering Your Mission

As leaders, you’re expected to problem-solve, to have a plan, to present these plans confidently at board meetings – and that’s hard to do right now. We are working in a challenging environment, and the reality of our situations is sometimes out of our hands.

I have had the privilege and honor of walking alongside nonprofit leaders through some of the most challenging moments of their careers. What has struck me the most, in the last six months especially, is how passionate they are about their missions, and how they tell the story of their organizations. Regardless of the situation they are in, they put their missions first, and they continue to treat their clients and teams with dignity and grace.

Making a Big Impact with Focused Plans

When my team and I are working with leaders on strategic and scenario planning, we recommend identifying 1-3 most probable scenarios and creating a plan for those options, depending on how much runway you have. Then, set the planning work aside for a bit to get out of the churn of constant scenario planning. Even better, schedule time to connect with the mission or do something rejuvenating immediately after a scenario-planning session.

Recently, we were halfway through a financially informed strategic planning process with an organization when they suddenly lost a major funding source and had little reserves. Understandably, the Executive Director had a moment of panic and then got to work creating a set of multi-year financial projections to better understand how much time they had. Once the organization had a clear idea of their runway, it helped them better define and prioritize the options available. Now, they have a defined plan with clear priorities, and the board is more engaged in supporting the Executive Director with the next steps.

Not Doing the Work Alone

I see many leaders recognizing that today’s challenges are too big to try to address in a vacuum, and that these uncertainties extend beyond any one organization. Successful leaders think about their broader ecosystems and how they can support the greater good.

For example, we are working with several food justice organizations and collaboratives who are coming together to plan for the impacts of cuts to the federal SNAP program and the influx of demand on already over-extended food shelves. These leaders realize that what impacts one organization impacts all of them, and that they’re stronger when they plan together.

At the organizational level, I also see leaders asking for help in multiple ways:

• Tapping the expertise of board members who have experience with strategic planning, financial planning, and business models
• Engaging staff to co-create solutions
• Keeping their boards updated more frequently so the board can take quicker action if needed
• Continuing to develop their boards with the skills they need
• Connecting with peers and trusted colleagues to brainstorm or just vent when needed
• Engaging thought partners to provide outside perspectives.

You Got This

That’s the truth. You’re the leader for this moment. It is ok to take a break and focus on the things you can control.

If you need assistance, please know that the team at Propel is here to support you in a variety of ways:

• Join us for a free Scenario Planning webinar on August 5, 2025
• Our free nonprofit resources library is always available
• Monthly office hours with nonprofit finance, governance, and strategy experts are free; you can sign up here: https://propelnonprofits.org/services/office-hours/
• If you’d like to learn more about Propel’s financially informed strategic planning or scenario planning services, please submit a web inquiry here.
• And if we don’t have the answer, we’ll do our best to connect you to someone who does.