Stay the Course

Hey y’all,

I’ve been feeling the weight of uncertainty these days. The state of play seems to shift with the wind, impacting how we plan, how we grow, and how we serve. Whether you’re running a nonprofit that meets critical community needs or leading a business that invests in people and products, one thing remains certain: community ties are critical.

For businesses, strong community connections are about more than goodwill—they are about profitability, talent retention, and future-proofing. For nonprofits, they are the bedrock of mission fulfillment. For both, they are an invitation to lead with endurance, patience, empathy, and understanding, even when the road is rocky or the people we encounter challenge us in ways we didn’t expect.

Let’s talk about what it means to stay the course—to persevere in our missions, foster meaningful community relationships, and lead with grace when it’s easier to fold or fight.

Endurance

Leadership, whether in a nonprofit or business, is a marathon (or a stage race for my bike people,) not a sprint. The challenges we face can feel overwhelming, especially when external forces seem beyond our control. Policies change, priorities shift, and sometimes the decisions made by those in positions of power don’t align with our values or goals.

Endurance doesn’t mean ignoring these realities—it means embracing them as part of the journey. It means showing up every day, doing the work, and trusting that consistency builds momentum, even when progress feels slow.

Nonprofit leaders, your missions are often lifelines for people who are most impacted by these policy shifts. The work you do—providing food, housing, education, advocacy—requires not only resilience but an unwavering commitment to the long view.

Business leaders, your investments in communities and nonprofits aren’t just about corporate social responsibility—they’re about creating ecosystems where your employees (current and future) want to live, work, and stay. 

Endurance in this context means committing to long-term impact.

Patience

It’s easy to feel frustrated when progress stalls or when the people around us—partners, policymakers, or stakeholders—don’t act as quickly or decisively as we’d like. But change, especially meaningful change, rarely happens overnight.

Patience is not passive. It’s an active choice to give yourself, your team, and even your adversaries the grace to grow. It’s understanding that big wins are often preceded by small, seemingly inconsequential steps.

For nonprofits, celebrate incremental victories—each donor gained, each life touched, each policy influenced. 

For businesses, adjust your current plans to maximize competitiveness while staying committed to partnerships and investments that may take years to show returns.

Empathy

One of the greatest challenges in leadership is maintaining empathy for people who have disappointed us, who disagree with us, or whose decisions have had negative impacts on our organizations or communities. It’s human nature to retreat into frustration or opposition, but empathy is what allows us to lead with humanity and influence real change.

Empathy doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone. It means trying to understand where others are coming from, what pressures they are facing, and what values drive their decisions. It means treating everyone—supporters, critics, and even competitors—with respect.

For nonprofit leaders, sit down with policymakers and listen to their positions, even as you advocate for alternate paths forward. 

For business leaders, foster a dialogue with officials who have enacted policies that complicate your growth plans and identify ways to collaborate rather than clash.

Understanding

Finally, we come to understanding—not just of others, but of ourselves. Leadership is a privilege, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to live in a way that earns respect. This doesn’t mean being perfect; it means being intentional. It means leading by example, even when no one is watching, and making decisions that align with your values, even when they’re not easy or popular.

For both nonprofits and businesses, walk the talk. It’s not enough to post about your values on social media or slap a mission statement on your website. 

Actions, relationships, and decisions—especially the hard ones—must reflect your values.

The Role of Community Ties

Community ties are critical to organizational success -  the foundation of trust, collaboration, and shared impact.

For nonprofits, double down on relationships with donors, volunteers, and community partners, even when times are tough. Show up, not just when you need something, but when you can offer something.

For businesses, invest in the nonprofits and community initiatives that empower everyone to earn more, learn more, and live well. These investments are not charity but create a strategic advantage—supporting attraction and retention of talent, building a high functioning labor shed and high functioning workforce, and contributing to a thriving ecosystem.

Stay the Course

Lead with Respect: Treat everyone—your team, your partners, your critics—with dignity and respect.

Celebrate Small Wins: Don’t wait for the big breakthrough to recognize progress.

Stay True to Your Values: Let your mission and principles guide your decisions.

Invest in Relationships: Community ties are your safety net and your springboard.

Keep Going: When it gets tough—and it will—remember why you started.