How often do you jump into problem-solving mode - only to miss the real issue? Presented with an issue or question, ask an extra question to get to the root of the matter.

Increased stability, even growth, comes from knowing what your organization excels at and investing in that core competency. Here's how one nonprofit did just that.

Many nonprofits do everything possible to keep expenses down. By investing in their operations and properly valuing their work, one nonprofit went from "surviving" to "thriving."

The pitfall of putting strategy on a pedestal: an unachievable vision, over-ambitious plan, and inflated sense of progress. Balance ambition with reality to stretch your organization - not break it.

Not every organization could survive a 90% cut to its budget. One museum is finding its way by restoring its focus on a unique mission. How clear is your

focus?

How do you build capacity to thrive when specialized expertise is too expensive? One nonprofit grew by empowering existing staff to step into new roles.

How do you activate support, even when many other organizations serve the same mission area as you? One organization found the key was filling a critical gap in their mission space.

Feeling stuck? Don’t wait so long for the perfect answer to come that you don’t turn in your test on time.

Create a healthy team by fostering connection, authentic communication, shared goals, and inclusion. You will bring out the best in your team – individually and collectively.

Describe what you do in a way that connects with your audience by using their language, getting specific, and including the "why" behind your work.

Set clear goals before planning initiatives to have the most impact on your organization’s mission. Those goals will have significant influence on how you approach your plans.

"Open doors" are a passive approach to feedback. Instead, proactively gather honest input from your team – and act on it – to build trust, increase engagement, and improve results.

Strategies solve many problems. But not all. Be careful not to apply that solution when the challenge is really a specific issue, a program decision, or a functional gap.

Leaders who constantly jump in to solve problems undermine team growth and burn themselves out. True leadership impact comes from strategic restraint that empowers others.

Applying the "hedgehog concept" - organizing around a single, clear, core competency - is key to unleashing your organization's potential mission impact.

It's frustrating when strategies don't yield results. Restore the value of yours by diagnosing why it stalled out and adjusting it to get your team on board.

Your vision is a vehicle for motivating your team, driving positive change, and ultimately achieving more for your mission. Don’t miss the opportunity with a run-of-the-mill vision. Be bold.

We don’t usually talk about love in the workplace. But love is essential to unleashing the full potential, passion, and commitment of the people attached to your mission.

You might avoid admitting a mistake for many reasons. Most of those reasons, though, do more harm to you and your team than good.

It is incredibly hard to change a habit by trying to do less of (or stop doing) something. Focus instead on instilling new, beneficial behaviors.