It was an unexpected twist. A seemingly benign LinkedIn training sent Margaret and David into a spiral to silence the inner critic. Here’s what happened. Margaret and David attended what promised to be a mundane topic: a training on how to write better posts on LinkedIn. David left the training beating himself about all he [...]

Coaching for Accountability What happens when a coach holds a client’s feet to the fire? And the follow-up question might reasonably be, “Why would anyone sign up for that??” Actually, accountability — which can feel a lot like having someone hold our feet to the fire — is one of the many tools coaches use [...]

Forgiveness and Self-Forgiveness Discussion Do you have a pain in your neck? Any chance it’s related to the practice of forgiveness? In this episode, David and Margaret share their insights on the practice of forgiveness. They focus particularly on self-forgiveness. Drawing from his experience managing self-criticism, David reveals how forgiveness has been a transformative practice [...]

Master the Art of Coaching: Essential Skills for Leaders Leadership is no longer defined by barking orders and expecting compliance; in today’s dynamic work environments, the leaders who stand out are the ones who master the art of coaching. Coaching is a subtle yet powerful art of guiding, not directing, and helping individuals and teams [...]

Most of us set goals. Whether to finish our studies, get a promotion, meet a deadline for a project, or achieve a sales or fundraising target. But what happens when we fail to achieve what we aim for? We can sometimes feel disappointed, discouraged, and even ashamed. However, contrary to popular belief, failing to achieve [...]

Margaret and David recently discussed the topic of (sometimes not so) graceful endings. You know the ones: a project ends, a marriage dissolves, or a loved one passes. You can read more about that topic in David’s Blogpost here. If you’re coming to the end of something in your life, feel free to reach out [...]

Join Margaret and Janice as they explore the topic and the science of feeling stuck with guest Britt Frank, a clinician, educator, and trauma specialist. Most people beat themselves up when they feel stuck or unmotivated, but there is science behind our stuck-ness that might invite us into a different relationship with it. Britt offers [...]

Do you create detailed plans, set goals, and schedule your days to control every aspect of your life? Do you also find that as much as you try to maintain a sense of predictability, life throws curveballs that can leave you frustrated and unfulfilled? In this episode, Margaret and David discuss a better approach: setting [...]

Discover the power of Leadership Stakes in the nonprofit world. Join Janice, David, Margaret, and Michelle in lively conversations, offering thought-provoking insights and practical demonstrations. Want to learn more? you can read our blog post about the importance of creating a stake here. We challenge our listeners to contemplate an upcoming conversation or group activity [...]

David and Michelle talk with the founder of ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg. Christian shares insights on seeing beyond the obvious, understanding social silences, and the power of deep observation in a world dominated by screens and opinions. You can read an excerpt of Christian’s latest book on our blog here. Get your copy of Look: How [...]

Janice and Margaret chat with Homaira Kabir, a leadership coach and Founder and CEO of the Goodbye Perfect Project. They discuss her new book, Goodbye Perfect, and delve into the elements that contribute to a woman’s confidence, highlighting the distinctions between different levels and types of confidence. Homaira challenges listeners to try the SING exercise [...]

The Fundraising Leadership team interview our very own David Langiulli regarding his latest book Wisdom From the Middle Ages For Living and Leading in Modern Times. The book is a translation and modern commentary on a collection of essays written by Thomas à Kempis. David explains the process behind choosing this particular topic and the [...]

David and Margaret talk with Andre Sólo, a best-selling author and co-founder of the Sensitive Refuge. They explore the true essence of being a sensitive person. During their discussion, they delve into the scientific aspects of sensitivity and also the numerous advantages and talents that accompany it. Andre encourages listeners who question whether they are [...]

Janice and Michele talk with Gretchen Rubin, one of today's most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. They discuss Gretchen’s latest book Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World. Gretchen shares the inspiration behind her book and the five senses project [...]

Janice and Michelle welcome Sally Helgesen, a renowned authority on women’s leadership, best-selling author, and highly sought-after international speaker. In this episode, Sally shares practical insights on fostering inclusion, drawing from her extensive experience in this field. She discusses her new book, Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace. Sally [...]

David and Michelle talk with Anita Nowak, certified coach and founder of Purposeful Empathy by Design, about her new book Purposeful Empathy. Anita shares the importance of purposeful empathy in creating a thriving workplace culture. She identifies five key challenges leaders commonly face and provides practical strategies for addressing them. She shares personal examples and [...]

The Fundraising Leadership Team discuss the hard lessons they have learned, or are learning, on their personal development journeys. Spoiler alert! It gets real and personal. We invite you to reflect on the lessons you continually have to learn. Our free resource today is an invitation to have a conversation with us. Please reach out [...]

Margaret and David talk with Valerie Tiberius about her new book What Do You Want Out of Life? A Philosophical Guide to Figuring Out What Matters. Valerie, an author and professor of philosophy, shares why she tackled such a lofty topic for a book. We delve deeply into values, and how we need to take [...]

Janice and Margaret talk with Mike Rucker about his new book The Fun Habit. Mike, an author and organizational psychologist, shares the personal stories that inspired him to write this book and explains how focusing on fun (versus the pursuit of happiness) led him to a more fulfilled and happy life. We explore the importance [...]

As we begin the new year, we have a special episode with the entire Fundraising Leadership team. We each share our personal development origin stories and talk about why we are so passionate about doing this work in the nonprofit sector. It’s important to note that personal development isn’t easy and it can be uncomfortable [...]

The nonprofit sector is constantly changing and staying ahead of the curve is essential. Advanced listening is a skill set you can use daily to help your organization grow. In this episode, David and Margaret talk with Mark Vincent, founder of the Design Group International. Mark shares his expertise in advanced listening as well as process [...]

The Holiday season can be a magical time, but it can also be very challenging. In this mini-episode, David and Margaret chat about saboteurs that can show up to crash your party during the holiday season. They share tips on what to do when the stress and anxiety get overwhelming. If you want to learn more [...]

A culture of accountability is critical to keeping donors happy and growing your organization. What happens when deadlines are missed? In this mini-episode, Janice and Michelle continue their conversation on getting stuff done with a focus on creating a culture of accountability. They share why it is essential, how to create and maintain it, and what [...]

In this episode, David and Margaret talk with Lisa Gruenloh, Founder and President of Purpose Journey, Inc. Lisa is passionate about journaling. In this conversation, she shares how it not only helps with creativity and innovation, but also unlocks inner wisdom and self-compassion. You can read Lisa's full blog here. Lisa’s challenge for listeners is to start [...]