Kevin Dean, Ed.D.’s Post

Picture this: your heart pounds with the thrill of launching your dream nonprofit. Countless hours, sleepless nights, and unwavering belief fueled its growth. You’re the visionary, the driving force, the one who knows every fiber of your organization’s being. But what if, without realizing it, you’ve become a bottleneck? The very qualities that propelled your nonprofit’s success can morph into liabilities. Your deep-rooted knowledge might make you resistant to new ideas. Your unwavering commitment could blind you to the need for change. The organization might even become a reflection of your personality, hindering its ability to adapt and thrive independently. Welcome to the often-unacknowledged reality of founder’s syndrome. https://lnkd.in/eCYSQ92X

Let me be blunt: "best practices" are killing your nonprofit. There, I said it. As a CEO with decades in the nonprofit sector, I've seen how this blind adherence to cookie-cutter strategies suffocates innovation and stifles growth. Everyone loves to tout best practices as the Holy Grail of management. But here's the ugly truth: what works for one organization might be disastrous for another. Your nonprofit is unique. Your mission, your team, your community—all different from the next organization. So why are you forcing yourself into a one-size-fits-all mold? 🤔 The nonprofit world is rife with fear—fear of failure, fear of criticism, fear of change. Best practices offer a false sense of security, a comforting checklist that promises success. But in reality, they're a crutch, holding you back from truly transformative work. They encourage complacency and discourage critical thinking. 😴 It's time to break free. Stop obsessing over what other organizations are doing. Instead, focus on your specific mission and community need. Experiment, take risks, and be prepared to fail. Yes, failure. Because failure is where real learning happens. 🚀 Your nonprofit doesn’t need another best practice; it needs bold leadership. It needs someone willing to ask uncomfortable questions and make unpopular decisions. So, rip up the playbook. Challenge the status quo. And for goodness' sake, stop worshipping at the altar of best practices. Your mission deserves better. 🌟 In the end, the only "best practice" that truly matters is the one that drives your nonprofit to achieve its unique goals. Everything else is just noise. #NonprofitLeadership #InnovateForImpact #BreakTheMold

Let me be blunt: "best practices" are killing your nonprofit. There, I said it. As a CEO with decades in the nonprofit sector, I've seen how this blind adherence to cookie-cutter strategies suffocates innovation and stifles growth. Everyone loves to tout best practices as the Holy Grail of management. But here's the ugly truth: what works for one organization might be disastrous for another. Your nonprofit is unique. Your mission, your team, your community—all different from the next organization. So why are you forcing yourself into a one-size-fits-all mold? 🤔 The nonprofit world is rife with fear—fear of failure, fear of criticism, fear of change. Best practices offer a false sense of security, a comforting checklist that promises success. But in reality, they're a crutch, holding you back from truly transformative work. They encourage complacency and discourage critical thinking. 😴 It's time to break free. Stop obsessing over what other organizations are doing. Instead, focus on your specific mission and community need. Experiment, take risks, and be prepared to fail. Yes, failure. Because failure is where real learning happens. 🚀 Your nonprofit doesn’t need another best practice; it needs bold leadership. It needs someone willing to ask uncomfortable questions and make unpopular decisions. So, rip up the playbook. Challenge the status quo. And for goodness' sake, stop worshipping at the altar of best practices. Your mission deserves better. 🌟 In the end, the only "best practice" that truly matters is the one that drives your nonprofit to achieve its unique goals. Everything else is just noise. #NonprofitLeadership #InnovateForImpact #BreakTheMold

I love learning from systems that exist, from the successes of others, and all the best practices. With this, I have found the value of optimism - not just in the bettering of the system but in the goodness of people. When Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, she saw a need and had faith that she (and eventually other medics) ran into the war, their presence would be respected and protected by both sides. The system was men died on the battlefield from treatable wounds. Her faith was that is could be better. Maybe not perfect, but better. As I am building my business and talking with leaders across many sectors, the current system is you are either a nonprofit org or you're not. And if you're a philanthropic for-profit, it's assumed in many circles you're doing it wrong (and to be honest, there are so many examples of businesses hurting entire economies by trying to provide one needed item). It's become a belief that nonprofit work is holy and for-profit work is selfish, that the intrinsic value of the work is found in a tax status, and that sides must be chosen and sacrifices must be made. And it's silly. This either-or dichotomy is limiting the impact that can be made all around. Nonprofits need business owners who have a heart for their causes who can infuse already good work with the ability to expand. Business owners need great nonprofits who will appreciate what they bring to the table while not trying to convince them to leave the work they truly enjoy doing. And if I'm being honest, some leaders can lead in both sectors. And some shouldn't - they just thrive in one or the other and that's a good thing. This year, let's stop setting value according to tax structures. Let's remove the boundaries of impact. And let's focus on strategic partnerships over siloed strategy.

🌟 4 Insights to Transition from Corporate to Nonprofit Dream! 🌟 🌈 Purpose as Your North Star: Define your nonprofit's purpose clearly. Let it guide every decision and fuel your passion for change. 🗓️ Plan Strategically: Craft a roadmap for your nonprofit journey. Set milestones, allocate time, and make steady progress. 💡 Network & Collaborate: Surround yourself with fellow dreamers. Networking opens doors, brings inspiration, and builds your tribe. 🌟 Start Small, Dream Big: Begin with manageable steps. Every action, no matter how small, inches you closer to your nonprofit dream. Ready to dive into a fulfilling nonprofit adventure? 🚀 Your dream awaits! #CorporateLeaders #Director #ceo #cfo #founder #Vicepresident #HRLeader

Running a nonprofit organization isn't merely about great ideas – it's about turning those ideas into a reality, and that reality demands funding. Every action, every decision, every late night, and every early morning counts. This isn't solely about making an impact; it's about having the means to create a lasting impact. Your work today echoes into the future, shaping the world 30 years from now. So, get out there, make a ruckus, and most importantly, love the process. Being a nonprofit executive with no board, no staff, and no revenue isn't a flex; it's a recipe for burnout and resentment. If you truly want to make a difference, it's time to develop a strategy that propels you closer to your desired impact. Take action every day, network relentlessly, and make bold asks without excuses. This is about turning your passion into a sustainable force for change. No more excuses. No more delays. Make it happen, one step at a time, because the world needs your vision, your determination, and your unwavering commitment to creating a better tomorrow.

Nonprofit leaders, I've heard the same story dozens of times.  It starts with a nonprofit CEO and an idea. It's a good idea. A game changer. Honed over time through listening, trends, research, experience, exploration, failure, and iteration. And finally: The New Big Thing. They excitedly share it with their team, board, donors, community. Everyone. But for every audience, the same thing happens. The New Big Thing falls flat. Doesn't resonate. It even causes confusion. At this point, they either 1) keep trying fruitlessly, 2) rework the whole idea again (with the same poor result), or 3) find their way to me (and tell me this story). Here's what I've learned over the years: The idea itself rarely needs changing. What's missing is the right framework to make it understandable, palatable, and interesting to each audience. The missing ingredient? A Change Narrative. A Change Narrative provides  ☑ Context ☑ Vision ☑ Concrete goals ☑ Engagement strategies around the new idea Without a proper Change Narrative to lay the groundwork, even the most transformative idea will struggle to find buy-in and support. That game-changing idea will likely fizzle out before ever taking flight. I know how powerful a thoughtful Change Narrative can be in helping nonprofit leaders create transformation. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to guide so many inspiring organizations through this process of reframing their vision in a way that resonates. If you've been spinning your wheels trying to get an important initiative off the ground, it may be time to revisit how you're packaging and presenting that idea. It may be time to wrap your The Next Big Thing in a Change Narrative. ▶ I’d love to know: When was the last time you had to repackage an idea or initiative to get buy-in? 

Don’t be afraid to have regrets! Regrets can be surprisingly empowering for business owners—if you know what to do with them. Over in our nonprofit consultant community, The Hive, we asked folks about how past #CareerRegrets affect their choices as entrepreneurs. We heard a few key themes: -> I worked too many nights and weekends in my nonprofit career and sacrificed my health and personal goals in the process. Now, I want to find a way to work less and live more while still adding value to the world. -> I gave too much of my value away for free (or for very little pay) earlier in my career. Now I’m making sure my team knows what they’re worth and gets the pay to match. -> I waited a long time to connect with other nonprofit consultants because, as an introvert, I dreaded networking. It wasn’t until I attended the first Nonprofit Consulting Conference that I realized what I was missing and started building meaningful connections. Personally, my regret wake-up call came when I lost my dog Leo. For too long, I had been working too much and saving special time with my family for “the future.” But when Leo passed away, I realized he wouldn’t be here for that future. So now I make sure to schedule time off every month—and not only on the weekends—to spend time with loved ones. One thing I don’t regret? Starting a business that can grow and adapt. A massive regrets research project, as described in the book The Power of Regret, found that a lot of people regretted NOT starting a business or waiting too long to start a business. My experience coaching nonprofit consultants backs this up. People are consistently excited that they took a risk to start their business—and wonder why they didn’t do it sooner! If you’ve been thinking about starting a consulting business, join our community: https://lnkd.in/g7yQrCHJ   #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #SmallBusiness #Nonprofit #Networking

Celebration post! A couple of months ago, we launched a democratized coaching initiative in a nonprofit that wanted to support the well-being, learning, and development of all their people, not just leaders. As of today, 60% of their employees have booked a session and 100% of coachees have booked at least a second time. Coaching is too often reserved for the most senior or most privileged. And many coaching platforms price out the organizations and humans that need coaching most. It’s exciting to be changing the game by offering accessible and affordable coaching packages to nonprofits, start-ups, and small businesses. Bonus: Our coaches are best-in-class!! Diverse in all the ways. Experts in their craft. Compassionate at their cores. Partners in your and your people’s growth. No slimy self-help, toxic positivity, or generic solutions here!!!