(that email we just sent didn't have the promised video link - oops!) Leadership transitions are inevitable—but silence isn't strategy. In this video, I share why naming change early and honestly can actually build deeper donor trust, not weaken it. 💬 Closing Reflection Questions: For nonprofit staffers: What assumptions do you think your donors hold about leadership transitions? For funders: When has transparency (or the lack of it) changed how you felt about an organization? (Hit reply, I'd...

Most orgs plan carefully for how people join the board… but not for how they leave. I know, I know -- I'm a broken record on this topic. In this video below, I offer a few practical action steps / practices for offboarding board members with intention and care—because how someone leaves matters just as much as how they served. Offboarding is the often-ignored half of board culture, but a thoughtful exit process supports continuity, legacy, and dignity. It's not super easy to SEE this in your...

The headlines focused on Omaha electing its first Black mayor. But buried in the coverage was a big lesson in transition planning that every nonprofit should study. When John Ewing Jr. defeated a three-term incumbent mayor, he faced a choice: bring in his own team or work with what he inherited. He chose continuity. He retained every department head and senior staffer except one who was already retiring. His explanation cuts to the heart of succession planning: "What I've found in transitions...