Solving Nonprofit Leader Burnout

In this podcast episode, Delaney interviews Tucker Wannamaker, an expert in nonprofit leadership and the co-founder of Thrive Impact.

Tucker discusses the prevalent issue of nonprofit burnout, where Tucker explains both obvious and less apparent reasons why nonprofit leaders experience burnout. Moreover, he emphasizes the systemic injustices faced by nonprofit leaders. These injustices include the lack of diversity, inequitable resource distribution, and limited opportunities for advancement.

Delaney mentions the free workshop Thrive Impact 101, which focuses on six key shifts for nonprofit leaders to lead effectively.

Furthermore, decision fatigue is explored, with Tucker offering mitigating strategies. He suggests delegating decisions and setting priorities to combat the diminishing decision-making effectiveness caused by decision fatigue.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into nonprofit leadership, burnout, decision fatigue, the Impact Cycle, and the work of Thrive Impact, making it an informative and thought-provoking episode.

Tucker Wannamaker, Chief Executive Officer, Thrive Impact . ORG

As the co-founder and CEO of THRIVE IMPACT, Tucker is working to right the injustices happening against nonprofit leaders and solve nonprofit leader burnout for those in some of the toughest leadership conditions. 

Burnout is the enemy of creating positive change. We must honor nonprofit leaders and the impact we all want to have by investing in their leadership. 

He facilitates powerful community-driven leadership development experiences that unlock the best in people and the collective wisdom of nonprofit teams. 

For the last 15 years, Tucker has been in the trenches of community work and nonprofits as a leader inside of Ashoka, Character.org, and Youth Service America; as a founder of a startup nonprofit called Wild Fire Tees leading them to $1M in revenue in the first year; and developing leadership development programs and fundraising campaigns for nonprofit clients like the Red Cross, United States Olympic Museum, Greater Nashua Mental Health, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, and Colorado College. 

A little about Tucker personally: He rides an old 1980 Vespa. He has four kids that are radical. He loves taking them skiing, bike riding, and kayaking (it’s the Colorado in me). THE BEST: his wife. 18 years into it and she gets more lovely every year. #notevenjoking

Quote that he loves: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery