Courage to Lead in the Nonprofit Sector

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews leadership coach Julie Boll regarding courageous leadership in the nonprofit sector. Julie explains why bravery and courage are vital for nonprofit sector leaders, as they must take risks, have difficult conversations, and disrupt the status quo to drive change.

Julie discusses how courageous leadership relates to the level of trust within an organization. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability, accountability, and integrity are able to build trust, which in turn enables organizational success. On the other hand, Julie outlines tangible behaviors that can erode trust, like avoiding hard topics, finger-pointing, and hiding mistakes.

Julie discusses how courageous leadership relates to the level of trust within an organization. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability, accountability, and integrity are able to slowly build trust over time. This built trust in turn enables organizational success. On the other hand, Julie outlines tangible behaviors that can quickly erode trust. These include avoiding hard topics, finger-pointing, and hiding mistakes.

Drawing on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, Julie shares four teachable and measurable skills of daring leadership. These are rumbling with vulnerability, living into your values, braving trust, and learning to rise. Mastering these skills empowers nonprofit leaders to have those courageous conversations and make bold decisions.

Julie provides examples of courageous nonprofit leadership from her own experience. She describes a CEO disrupting longstanding but ineffective programs. She also describes a board chair giving candid feedback to the executive director despite personal discomfort. Both of these moments of courage resulted in increased trust and overall organizational health.

Julie Boll, M.Ed, CPCC, is the founder of Julie Boll Consulting, which provides leadership training, executive coaching, and strategic planning for nonprofits. Julie has more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, serving in marketing, public relations and grant development roles. Julie is a certified Dare to Lead Facilitator, and, in 2019, was a part of the inaugural global cohort of Leadership and Organizational Development professionals selected by thought-leader Brené Brown to facilitate her work in organizations.

As a Courage Catalyst in the Dare to Lead™ program, Julie focuses her work on helping nonprofits learn the skills, practices and tools needed to support brave leaders and build more courageous cultures. Over the course of her career, Julie has helped her clients and employers secure more than $10 M in competitive grants from foundation, state and federal funders. She is Grant Professional Certified by the GPCI Institute and is a Grants Professionals Association (GPA) Approved Trainer. Julie is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), and McNellis Compression Planning® facilitator. Julie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a Masters Degree in Education, both from Quincy University.