in 2016 and led me to write Chapter 3, which reframes nonprofit leadership as copilots flying a twin‐engine jet. Today, I feel a greater sense of urgency as these stories continue to come my way. A lack of understanding of board service is the one thing that most often thwarts the success of a nonprofit organization’s efforts to do the good work that is so badly needed. And this is as true of nonprofits with multi‐million‐dollar budgets as it is of the hundreds of thousands of those organizations who struggle to hit $500,000 in revenue. I hope that my new chapter about why boards matter will be a catalyst in a broad and actionable conversation about how to make real and lasting change in this area.
Those two stories represent my “why” about this second edition. Shall we talk about the “why now”?
Since the first edition of this book was published in 2017, we have seen the development of a mindset that is about drawing lines in the sand and building walls (literally and figuratively). We have become a society that is focused on what divides us rather than what unites us. The situation is ugly. People on both sides of the aisle are angry. It seems hopeless.
This divisive society will not magically disappear anytime soon. Hardly. And I guarantee you that every American citizen will be fired up — ready to stand up for what they believe in. Folks who have spent their lives on the sidelines or in the stands will be propelled from their seats.
By you. All you have to do is invite them.
And it isn't just because they feel compelled to do something. It's also because they want to be on the side of hope and possibility. And so they will look to those who are leading.
And they will see you.
And they will want to play for your team: your team that advocates and educates; your team that works to protect our planet and the living creatures who are our neighbors; your team that brings beauty through music and the arts or reminds us of our history and the shoulders we stand on.
I am driven to help you to be the best leader you can be: to fuel your ability to lead well, manage well, and have the greatest possible impact; and to encourage you to take time from repairing our world to take good care of yourself.
I am writing now amid the most terrifying health crisis of our time, the COVID‐19 pandemic. I am watching nonprofits struggle so badly, and at the same time, I am watching them do the most heroic things. Eric Cooper, the President and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, saw what he never imagined possible. In one week in April 2020, ten thousand cars lined up waiting for food. Many of the drivers never imagined they would ever need the services that Eric's heroic team provided. Listening as Eric Cooper became emotional on the evening news reminded me that there is such humanity in our sector, such deep empathy, and this has been, for me, one of the real the treasures to see in the darkness. I have no crystal ball, but as all of us navigate our way through this crisis, one that reveals so clearly the racial, gender, ability, and class divides in our country, I am certain that nonprofit leaders will continue to need our support and continue to lead us in the direction of a truly civil society.
Eric Cooper's story is one of many; you will meet a host of new characters in this new edition. In the past three years, I have worked with thousands of leaders whose stories affirm much of what I shared the first time around. Many of these leaders enriched my understanding of the superpowers and the kryptonite of the nonprofit leader. You will meet these characters and hear their stories throughout the book, and I hope that the stories and the lessons within them will be as much of a gift to you as they have been to me.
So let's get to it, shall we?
Acknowledgments
We are who we are because of the families that raised us. My mom passed away just after I submitted the manuscript for the first edition. I found a paper copy of the cover art for the book in her purse about a month later. It looked well worn — like the cashiers at Stop & Shop had probably seen it a few times. It made me smile. If I am smart, feisty and a bit of a dog with a bone about issues that feel important to me, it is because I am my mother's daughter. To steal a line from one of my kids, Thanks for birthing me, Mom.
My dad taught me the power of being a good coach. I saw him in action during years of being his right hand in Little League dugouts. And I admired him. Offering direction, support, and encouragement, he was not just a coach; he was a champion and an educator. A leader. Everyone wanted to be on his team. I was lucky. I was born into his team.
Father Jim Loughran, SJ, of blessed memory, taught my first philosophy class. He challenged me to consider the value of my moral compass, my own intellectual capacity, and the power of inquiry.
We are who we are because of the people who shape our thinking during our journey. Attorneys Paula Ettelbrick and Suzanne Goldberg represented our family in a precedent‐setting case to create a legal connection between our kids and me. These two triggered the activist in me, planting the idea in my head that it was time to get off the sidelines and onto the field.
In 1985, Showtime engaged consultants Joan Goldsmith and Ken Cloke. Joan and Ken were evangelists about making teamwork a reality (not a buzzword) in workplaces. And they taught me about the power of difficult conversations. Much of my work today feels like the baton they passed on to me.
Yes, this was the village that led me from a solid, happy life to a life with real purpose — leading me to the nonprofit sector and never looking back.
During my tenure at GLAAD, I met activists, donors, and volunteers who inspired me to do my best for them. Lessons learned from this journey are too long to list but special thanks to “heart monitor Julie” and the five‐star staff and board who partnered with me to build an organization to last. And I hope you are lucky enough to find someone like Karen Magee to step into a board leadership role. I can talk about the power of that partnership because I speak from experience with Karen.
This book is my chance to reach more people with guidance and direction. My deepest thanks to Scott Paley of Abstract Edge for believing that I had something to say and for working tirelessly to ensure that the message reached far and wide. Without a blog and a podcast (both Scott's idea), there would be no book.
The team at my small but very mighty consulting firm has changed and grown since my first edition. I am so grateful to have a team that is as driven to help the “helpers” as I am. To a person, my team is smart, funny, empathetic, and dedicated. Special thanks to Cindy Pereira who runs what we jokingly call “Joanlandia.” “I think you should update your book, Joan,” she said offhandedly one day. I think it was the next day we had a signed contract. Because that is how Cindy rolls. I'm also deeply grateful to Laura Zielke, the Director of Member Experience for The Nonprofit Leadership Lab. She treats our work together as a vocation and in this, we are kindred spirits. Laura worked closely with me in identifying Lab members whose stories would really bring the lessons to life.
Thank you so much to Arielle Eckstut my “book doctor” and Jim Levine, my agent at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. Jim was a nonprofit leader in a former life, and I could not have asked for a better advocate who really understands that nonprofits are messy. And, of course, I am so grateful to my friends and colleagues at Wiley for believing in me.
I am forever grateful to all my clients, members of the Leadership Lab, and the thousands of board and staff leaders who have entrusted their professional development to me and my team through the years. It is a privilege to serve you, and you are all my heroes. Full stop.
Lastly, we are who we are because of the families we create. I never thought I'd be so lucky to have one, and I try never to take it for granted. I keep
