In this episode, I take an example from today's newspapers about global diplomacy and make it relevant to managing a nonprofit where relationships sometimes get strained and responding to those situations becomes a leadership challenge, and opportunity.

After recording the last episode on what I learned from six role models, I thought of other things they taught me, and I also heard from each of them. This prompted me to record another short episode about what role models can teach you and how you can be one yourself. While this applies to mission-driven leaders, it has applications well beyond that important realm.

In this episode, I talk about what I have learned from six individuals whom I have worked closely with professionally, personally, or in the context of hobbies. These are not necessarily the most accomplished people I know -- though they have accomplished a lot -- but rather are people whose decision-making about what to do and even more how to do those things is nearly impeccable. It all comes down to how they treat other people -- with consideration which is to say with appreciation, admiration, and valuing the relationship over decades. Those individuals are Julian Schroeder, Jennifer Meehan, Howie Erichson, Norm Tonina, Bob Eichfeld and Tim Carter. To know them is a special pleasure and a unique learning opportunity if you can grasp it. I imagine each of us has people like them in their lives; bask in the joy of knowing them and see what you can learn and apply from observing them go through life.

In this episode, I share examples of how I have pushed myself at times to avoid personal and professional ruts and as a result, have accomplished more and been more satisified with my life. I underscore how this strategy can be used by mission-driven leaders in a variety of ways.

In this episode, I share a bit about my own recent feelings of despair, why occasional feelings of despair are normal for nonprofit leaders, and ten strategies for dealing with them so that you can regain a sense of energy, optimism, and possibility that helps you and your team do more good in the world.

In this episode, I talk about the inevitability of dropping the ball on a few important activities or tasks or priorities, and the importance of not beating yourself up about them -- since it is part of being a nonprofit leader -- but just get back to them when you can. I spend the rest of this episode talking about one of my strengths -- decisiveness -- and how it can also be a weakness: impatience. Learning how to maximize your strength while managing its dark side (which starts with acknowledging it in the first place) is a key leadership opportunity, and I share about how I have done so with decisiveness/impatience.

In this epsiode, I discuss President Biden's decision to end his campaign for reelection and relate it to a similar decision by President Truman many years ago, and how both of these situations relate to the opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities of mission-driven leadership.

In this epsiode, I give an example of how I asked a family member in their 90s what she had learned that she would share with a woman in her 20s if they asked her for career advice. Her response, and my reflections on the value of this conversation, make up the bulk of this short episode.