Right now, many non-profit organizations are facing significant uncertainty. Budgets are tight. Funding may be at risk. And teams are looking to leadership for clarity and reassurance.
If you're in a leadership role, how you show up right now matters more than ever.
1. Talk More Than You Think You Need To
Here’s what I’m seeing across the non-profit landscape: the healthiest teams are led by people who are talking. A lot. They're communicating early and often—even when they don’t have all the answers.
Contrast that with organizations where leadership stays silent, vague, or avoids the conversation. In those spaces, you can feel the anxiety. Teams are left guessing, wondering what’s coming, and bracing for impact. And even worse, gift officers are shying away from conversations with donors because they don't know what to say.
Here’s the truth: This is the moment to communicate and over-communicate. Even if you don’t have all the answers yet, be transparent about the process, what’s being discussed, and what you do know.
Bring them along with you. Regular check-ins, open forums, and even short weekly updates go a long way.
People don’t expect perfection. They expect honesty.
2. Rest Is Not a Luxury—It’s a Leadership Discipline
This one might feel counterintuitive, especially in a high-stakes season. But hear me out: Take your PTO. And encourage your team to do the same.
Your paid time off isn’t a perk; it’s part of your compensation. It’s not “extra.” It’s a right. Don’t just accrue it. Use it.
If you’re waiting for the “right” time to take a break, it won’t come. There’s always going to be a campaign to run, a donor to call, or a fire to put out. But you’ll be better at all of it if you’re rested.
Not once have I heard anyone say, “I wish I had worked more Saturdays” at the end of their career.
Even if travel isn’t in the budget, a staycation can do wonders. It helps you show up as a better colleague, a better fundraiser, and a better version of yourself. And if you’re in a leadership role, your actions set the tone.
Model boundaries. Show your team it’s OK to recharge.
And let’s be clear: rest doesn’t mean sending emails from the beach or taking a call in between hikes. Real rest means unplugging. Letting your brain and body reset. Trusting your team and systems enough to step away.
Donors will understand—they take vacations too!
You don’t have to disappear all summer. But you do need to set healthy boundaries and show that rest is valued, protected, and practiced.
The Bottom Line
In stressful, uncertain seasons, your team needs you to do two things really well:
It might seem simple, but it’s profoundly effective. When leaders show up with transparency and humanity, teams respond with trust, resilience, and renewed commitment to the mission.
Talk more. Rest more. Your people—and your purpose—will be better for it.
Lauren