What I’ve Learned About Leadership Through Serving on a Nonprofit Board

Serving on the board of a brand-new nonprofit is equal parts exhilarating and humbling. It’s a journey that has challenged every assumption I have made about leadership, strategy, and perseverance. Unlike established organizations, there’s no blueprint to follow — no playbook of what’s worked before. Instead, every decision feels like an uncharted step forward, guided only by our mission and the collective strength of the team around me.

As Executive Director, I’ve learned lessons that extend far beyond the nonprofit world. From navigating complex relationships to making tough calls under pressure, this experience has shaped how I lead, how I listen, and how I organize. It’s revealed the power of collaboration, the grit required for agility, and the unshakable importance of staying grounded in my purpose.

Whether you’re stepping into board service, supporting a nonprofit, or simply looking for insights into leadership, the lessons I’ve gained from this journey might resonate with you too.

Servant Leadership in Practice

When I first joined the nonprofit world, I didn’t step in with decades of business experience or a finely tuned blueprint for success. What I did have was a deep belief that leadership is less about directing and more about serving. As a new nonprofit, we don’t have the luxury of precedent or generations of history to fall back on. Instead, we’ve had to build something entirely from scratch — together.

One of the most humbling lessons I’ve learned is how much leadership demands a willingness to roll up your sleeves, listen deeply, and put the needs of others — whether it’s the team, our partners, or our partners’  communities — above your own agenda. This concept of servant leadership isn’t just a philosophical ideal; it’s the foundation of our organization.

In the early stages of building our nonprofit, there were countless moments when someone needed to step up for the unglamorous tasks: drafting documents late into the night, brainstorming solutions to unforeseen challenges, or even troubleshooting unforeseen technical issues. These weren’t moments of grandeur, but they were critical. And every time I chose to lead by serving, I noticed that trust deepened, collaboration grew, and a shared sense of ownership blossomed.

The psychology of leadership reminds us that people are motivated by meaning and connection. By prioritizing the needs of the consultancy and those we serve, I saw firsthand how leading with humility fosters psychological safety. When team members know their voices matter and their well-being is prioritized, they are far more likely to lean in and contribute their best ideas.

Servant leadership also requires a willingness to model vulnerability. I’ve had to admit when I didn’t have the answers and ask for help more times than I can count. At first, it felt counterintuitive — shouldn’t leaders be the ones with the solutions? But I’ve been reminded that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s an invitation for others to step into their strengths. And that’s where the real magic of a nonprofit happens — when leadership becomes a shared effort rather than a solo act.

In organizational development, we often talk about leading from the front versus leading from behind. Serving on a nonprofit board has taught me that the most effective leaders know when to do both. Sometimes, you’re the visionary rallying everyone toward a shared goal; other times, you’re in the trenches, clearing the path for others to succeed. Servant leadership bridges these roles seamlessly, creating a culture of respect, trust, and mutual accountability.

Collective Decision Making

One of the most transformative aspects of serving on a nonprofit board has been cultivating the power of collective decision-making. In any other context, decision-making can feel solitary — shouldering the weight of getting it right, with little room for collaboration. But on a nonprofit board, decisions are rarely made in isolation. They require consensus, deliberate discussion, and the integration of diverse perspectives.

At first, this process felt slow. Building consensus among a group of people — each with their own experiences, priorities, and ways of seeing the world — can be challenging. But I quickly realized the intentionality behind this design. A successful board isn’t just a group of like-minded individuals nodding in agreement. It’s a dynamic mix of advisors and directors, each bringing a unique lens to the decision-making table.

This process is so powerful because diverse perspectives shape better solutions. The process of finding common ground, even in disagreement, has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of my leadership journey. It’s also a living example of what organizational behavior management teaches us about group dynamics: robust discussions, and even healthy conflict, can lead to better, more innovative outcomes. By intentionally creating space for diverse perspectives to come together collaboratively, we’re not just solving problems — we’re designing solutions with purpose.

The psychology of leadership also emphasizes the importance of shared ownership. When decisions are made collectively, they are implemented collectively, too. Everyone has a stake in the outcome because they were part of shaping it. On our board, this has translated to a sense of accountability that I’ve rarely seen elsewhere. We don’t just agree to move forward — we move forward together.

I believe what makes this process work is intentionality. As a young nonprofit, we’ve been deliberate about ensuring that our decision-making table reflects the voices we serve. By combining the insights of directors who set the strategic vision with the wisdom of advisors who bring specialized expertise, we’ve created a decision-making culture rooted in respect, collaboration, and shared purpose.

The truth is, the best ideas rarely come from individual brilliance — they come from collective brilliance. And the more we lean into this, the more I see how critical it is for the success of our organization and the fulfillment of our mission.

Strategic vs. Operational Thinking

One of the most surprising lessons I’ve learned from serving on a nonprofit board is just how difficult it can be to balance strategic vision with the operational realities of running an organization. As a new nonprofit, the demands of day-to-day operations can feel urgent and all-consuming. And yet, effective board service — and leadership — requires stepping back to focus on the long-term direction of the organization.

This has been a constant exercise in discipline: learning to ask the right high-level questions while trusting staff and volunteers to manage the details. It’s tempting to get pulled into the weeds, especially when you’re deeply invested in the mission and want every initiative to succeed. But board service has reinforced an essential truth: governance is not management. Our role as board members is to oversee, advise, and provide strategic direction — not to micromanage the day-to-day operations of the team.

At times, this distinction feels like walking a tightrope — especially as I navigate my dual roles as a strategic visionary executive director and an operationally-minded president. In one meeting, I’m dreaming big about where we want to be in five years; in the next, I’m troubleshooting a logistics issue for upcoming services. The challenge is knowing when to shift gears and which role to lean into. Striking this balance is far from easy, but it’s critical for the health of our organization.

This balance also comes down to intentionality. The board exists to think strategically: to set the vision, approve budgets, and ensure that the mission stays front and center. But doing this effectively means letting go of the temptation to jump into every operational challenge. Organizational behavior management reminds us that clarity of roles and responsibilities is essential for effective collaboration. When everyone knows where they fit in the bigger picture, the organization can operate more smoothly. This is especially true for small nonprofits, where it’s easy for lines to blur. By defining where strategy ends and operations begin, we’ve been able to empower our staff and  consultancy to do their best work, while ensuring that the board stays focused on the bigger picture.

Ultimately, board service has taught me that strategic thinking isn’t just about setting goals — it’s about creating the conditions for those goals to become reality. And that means trusting the people around me, staying focused on the vision, and letting the operations unfold under the guidance of capable hands.

Stakeholder Management

One of the most nuanced aspects of leading a nonprofit is navigating the web of relationships that define its success. Unlike other organizations, nonprofits often have a wide variety of stakeholders: donors who fuel our mission, staff who carry it out, partners who rely on its outcomes, and communities who are impacted by our work. Balancing these often-competing needs is both a challenge and an art.

Along the way , I have learned that not every stakeholder’s expectation can or should be met. This can be difficult to accept, especially when my instinct is to say yes to every opportunity that seems remotely aligned with our mission. But stakeholder management isn’t about saying yes to everything — it’s about finding alignment and being transparent when something isn’t a fit. Clarity is a gift. Communicating that a particular initiative or request falls outside our organization’s scope demonstrates integrity and ensures that our energy remains focused where it’s needed most.

Transparent communication will continue to be the bedrock of these relationships. Whether it’s keeping donors informed about how their contributions are being used, collaborating with staff on operational challenges, or engaging district partners to understand their evolving needs — honesty builds trust. It’s not just about sharing successes but also about being upfront with challenges and explaining the rationale behind difficult decisions. I have been continually reminded that stakeholders value authenticity more than they value perfection.

I have also been learning the importance of sharing our vision in a way that resonates with each audience. For a donor, that might mean explaining how their contribution fuels lasting change. For staff, it could mean connecting their daily work to the organization’s broader mission. For our district partners, it means ensuring they feel heard and valued as central partners in the mission — not just passive recipients.

Balancing these relationships requires empathy and intentionality. Organizational behavior management principles have been a helpful guide here, reminding me to focus on understanding stakeholder perspectives, prioritizing transparency, and fostering collaboration. It’s not always easy — needs of one group routinely conflict with those of another. But when handled thoughtfully, these relationships become the foundation of an organization’s strength.

At its heart, stakeholder management is about connection. It’s about honoring the trust that people place in us, aligning expectations with the mission, and creating partnerships that uplift everyone involved. And while the complexities can be overwhelming at times, the reward of all of this effort continues to be seeing the collective power of those relationships transform lives, systems, and communities.

Financial Stewardship

When you’re entrusted with managing the resources of a nonprofit, every decision feels weightier. Each dollar represents someone’s belief in your mission — whether it came from a small, heartfelt donation or a major grant. That responsibility sharpens your perspective and forces you to prioritize with intention.

I’ve been thankful to learn that financial stewardship is more than balancing a budget — it’s aligning resources with impact. There are always competing demands: new services to launch, unexpected expenses to address, and opportunities that seem too good to pass up. But when resources are limited — and they often are — you quickly realize the importance of careful prioritization. Not every idea can be funded, and not every initiative aligns with our core mission.

Balancing mission impact with financial sustainability is an ongoing challenge. It’s tempting to focus solely on ambitious goals and trust that the financial pieces will fall into place later. But I’ve come to see that financial health isn’t just a byproduct of doing good work — it’s a cornerstone of organizational stability. Without it, even the best intentions will falter.

One of the most humbling lessons has been understanding the gift of finances as a vital part of the mission itself. While it may not be as glamorous as providing service, maintaining a healthy financial foundation ensures the organization’s longevity and ability to fulfill its promises. Stewardship is about seeing money not as an obstacle but as a tool — one that, when used wisely, creates opportunities to serve more people and create greater impact.

Overseeing others’ charitable contributions has also sharpened my decision-making. Every financial choice — from how we spend to how we save — needs to reflect both respect for our donors and district partners as well as commitment to our mission. This accountability is more than an obligation; it’s a privilege. It reminds me daily of the trust people have placed in our organization and the responsibility we have to honor that trust.

Ultimately, financial stewardship has taught me to embrace the tension between ambition and prudence. It’s about dreaming big while planning carefully, ensuring that every step forward is rooted in both impact and sustainability. Because at the end of the day, an organization that’s financially healthy is one that can continue serving its community for generations to come.

Strategic Agility

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about leading a new nonprofit, it’s that nothing ever goes exactly as planned. Crises have a way of finding you, no matter how prepared you think you are. These moments have tested not just my resilience but also my ability to adapt — forcing us to take a hard look at what’s truly essential to our mission and what needs to change for us to be sustainable.

Strategic agility isn’t as polished or predictable as it is in the textbooks. It’s messy, uncomfortable, and often born out of necessity. I remember one particular moment when we faced the reality that a segment of our services that we’d poured time and resources into simply wasn’t stable. It was heartbreaking. Letting it go felt like losing a part of our organization’s identity. But as we stepped back and examined our mission, it became clear that holding tightly to it would jeopardize the very impact we were striving to make.

These moments demand more than quick fixes — they demand courage and wisdom. Courage to admit that something isn’t working. Courage to change course even when it feels risky. And the wisdom to preserve what’s core to the mission while letting go of what no longer serves it.

Because strategic agility isn’t just about the big decisions. It’s also about the small, deliberate shifts. And in those moments, it’s essential to respond quickly — but not recklessly. Organizational development principles remind us that change is as much about people as it is about plans. Every pivot, big or small, must align with the mission while addressing the reality at hand. The best pivots succeed not because the plan is perfect, but because the people implementing it are invested, aligned, and have ownership.

It is the board who has played the crucial role in these moments. When I’m in the thick of a strategic realignment, it’s easy to lose perspective. Having a board that offers thoughtful guidance and unwavering trust — not just rubber stamps or endless second-guessing — makes all the difference. This support, however, doesn’t come automatically. It’s earned through clear, consistent communication and a track record of transparency. Building stakeholder support for strategic pivots requires honest conversations and a willingness to acknowledge uncertainty.

Our journey hasn’t been perfect — it’s been filled with detours, tough calls, and lessons learned the hard way. But I’ve come to see that agility isn’t about avoiding failure; it’s about learning from it. It’s about using these moments to refocus, reimagine, and recommit to what matters most — together.

Leadership as a Living Commitment

Leadership, I’ve come to realize, isn’t something that’s mastered — it’s something that’s lived. Every decision, every pivot, every conversation is an opportunity to grow and strengthen the impact of the work  bring done.

Serving on this board has reminded me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions. It’s about leaning into discomfort, embracing the messiness of growth, and staying rooted in the mission even when the path forward isn’t clear.

The most meaningful part of this journey has been the people — the donors who believe in our vision, the consultancy who brings it to life, our district partners who inspire us, and their communities who hold us accountable. Together, they’ve shown me that leadership is less about guiding others and more about walking beside them, building trust, and creating a shared sense of purpose.

To lead is to serve, and to serve is to grow. That’s the lesson I’ll carry with me as this nonprofit — and my leadership within it — continues to evolve.