Lead for Good

Every leader will face a moment when the ground shifts.
A financial shortfall.A reputational threat.An external shock no one saw coming.
The question is never if a crisis will come. It is how you will lead when it does.
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Tom West, Executive Director of Atlanta Ballet, to explore what it truly means to manage through crisis when the stakes are real and the responsibility rests squarely on your shoulders.
Tom shares a candid account of navigating a post-pandemic financial crisis that threatened payroll, stability, and long term sustainability. From a seven figure revenue shortfall to a pulled line of credit, he opens up about the weight leaders carry when livelihoods and mission are on the line.
In this conversation, you will learn:
• How to define a true crisis versus normal turbulence• What leaders must do in the first 24 to 72 hours• Why “work the problem” is more powerful than panic• How transparency builds trust during uncertainty• The critical role of boards in crisis recovery• Why building a strong network may be your best preparation• How crisis can sharpen mission and strengthen strategy
Tom offers practical wisdom drawn from decades in arts leadership, including lessons from 9/11, the 2008 recession, COVID, and a multi year cash flow crisis where making payroll came down to days.
This is a masterclass in calm, clarity, communication, and courage.
If you are leading a nonprofit organization, serving on a board, or preparing for the inevitable storm ahead, this episode will equip you with the mindset and tools to lead with steadiness when it matters most.
Listen now and learn how to lead for good, even in the hardest seasons.

Can two CEOs really lead one of the most complex nonprofits in the country?
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Steve Delgado, Co-CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention and re-entry organization in the world.
With 10,000 people walking through their doors each year, 16 social enterprises, 300 staff members, and a powerful mission rooted in radical kinship, Homeboy Industries is no small operation. Yet instead of one executive at the top, they chose a shared leadership model.
In this conversation, you will discover:
Why Homeboy adopted the co-CEO structure as part of intentional succession planning
How shared leadership actually works in a large, complex organization
The role of humility, patience, and trust in co-leadership
Why values alignment is the foundation of independent decision-making
How the model strengthens fundraising through a blend of soul and strategy
What boards must consider before embracing a co-CEO structure
Why Steve believes the nonprofit sector may see a major shift in executive leadership models over the next five years
One of the most compelling takeaways? Scaling love and tenderness is at the heart of Homeboy’s next strategic vision.
If you are a nonprofit executive, board member, or emerging leader navigating complexity, growth, or succession planning, this episode will challenge the way you think about the CEO role.
🔔 Subscribe for more leadership conversations shaping the future of mission-driven organizations.

Leadership Is Not Meant to Be Lonely with Robin Sinclair
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney welcomes Robin Sinclair, Executive Director of the Fieldstone Leadership Network, for a powerful conversation about camaraderie and connection in nonprofit leadership.
Robin reflects on:
The moment she was told to “get your running shoes on” and step into leadership
Leading during the Great Recession and learning to “act as if”
The early loneliness of becoming the boss of former peers
How imposter syndrome followed her into her first peer cohort
They discuss why nonprofit leaders often feel isolated:
You cannot fully confide in your board
You protect your staff
You may compete for the same funding
Revenue is unpredictable
Burnout is common but rarely admitted
Robin explains how trusted peer cohorts create something different from networking or training. In these spaces, leaders feel validated, heard, refreshed, and supported. Vulnerability happens organically when trust is built intentionally.
You will hear why:
Culture matters more than control
Curiosity is stronger than quick fixes
Coaching reduces isolation
Camaraderie multiplies impact across entire communities
If you are a nonprofit leader searching for clarity, resilience, and connection, this episode offers both encouragement and practical direction.
Leadership is not meant to be endured alone.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney interviews Art Groeneveld, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley, about culture, values, and leadership growth.
After years of investing in staff development and rebuilding post COVID, BGCHV formalized a new organizational values framework developed by its management team. Art explains how the organization identified four cultural pillars, engaged staff through a values exercise, and is now rolling the framework out across 300 employees.
Key themes include:
• Leadership growth and self awareness• Connecting personal values to organizational culture• Building trust after crisis• Financial stewardship and donor partnership• Creating career pathways within nonprofit teams• Sustaining culture beyond the initial rollout
Art also shares powerful stories about mentorship, humility, service, and why leaders must “not believe their own press releases” while still confidently telling their story.
A thoughtful and practical conversation for nonprofit executives, board members, and emerging leaders seeking to build strong, values aligned organizations.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney speaks with Jennifer Wise, Vice President for Regional Development in the Southeast for the National MS Society. Jennifer brings more than twenty years of experience in fundraising, volunteer leadership, and organizational development, and she shares a thoughtful look at what it takes to build strong boards and activate them in meaningful ways.
Jennifer begins by reflecting on her leadership journey across higher education, Habitat for Humanity, and the MS Society. She highlights the mentors who shaped her, the importance of being both a learner and a teacher, and her commitment to building people centered teams.
The conversation then turns to board recruitment, board engagement, and the growing role of boards in corporate relations. Jennifer outlines practical tools and strategies that any nonprofit can adopt, including the use of board matrices, mentorship programs, clear expectations, and intentional systems that help trustees feel confident, connected, and ready to lead.
Listeners will hear how her chapters strengthened their work with corporate partners by breaking the process into simple steps, providing clear templates and support, and creating space during board retreats for trustees to take action together. These efforts produced new connections, new partnerships, and a more engaged board culture.
Topics include• What strong, balanced boards look like in practice• How to use a board matrix to guide intentional recruitment• The power of mentorship, retreat time, and peer engagement• How mission moments strengthen trustees’ connection to the cause• Why small, specific action steps lead to better board involvement• Building board supported corporate relationships that actually work• How regional collaboration can reduce silos and expand opportunities• Practical advice for organizations hesitant to involve trustees in corporate outreach
A grounded and practical episode for any nonprofit aiming to build a stronger, more engaged board and deepen its partnership work with the corporate sector.
Listen and subscribe for more conversations on leadership, strategy, and the future of nonprofit work.

What does it look like to truly invest in people as a leader?
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Christy Ward, CEO of Share Ourselves, for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most important responsibilities of leadership: helping people grow, develop, and find the roles where they can truly thrive.
Christy shares her own leadership journey and the mentors who helped her see potential in herself that she had not yet recognized. She also reflects on a pivotal lesson that helped her transition from manager to leader: the goal of leadership is not to remain indispensable, but to develop people who have the skills and confidence to succeed without you.
Throughout the conversation, Christy explores how leaders can:
• Create a culture where staff development happens at every level• Provide honest, constructive feedback with compassion and clarity• Use delegation as an opportunity to develop emerging leaders• Open promotional opportunities to uncover talent that might otherwise go unnoticed• Recognize when someone may be in the wrong role and help them find a better fit• Navigate the difficult conversations that are an unavoidable part of leadership• Prepare high-performing individual contributors for the transition into leadership• Build staff development and succession planning into organizational strategy• Strengthen recruitment, retention, engagement, and organizational sustainability by investing in people
Christy also offers an important reminder that leadership is not about holding all the answers or doing all the work. Strong leaders surround themselves with talented people, invite their expertise, create opportunities for them to stretch, and help remove the barriers that prevent them from doing their best work.
Perhaps most importantly, Christy shares the legacy she hopes to leave as a leader: to be someone who opened doors for others and helped prepare them for opportunities they may not have imagined for themselves.
It is a powerful conversation about servant leadership, courageous conversations, developing talent, and recognizing that an organization’s greatest asset is its people.
Listen to this episode of Lead for Good with Christy Ward and discover how investing in the growth of others can strengthen not only individual careers, but the entire organization.

What does it take to lead a creative organization where artistry, business discipline, and community impact must all coexist?
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney is joined by Lacey Huszcza, President and CEO of the Richmond Symphony, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on leading creative teams. Drawing from her experience as both a musician and nonprofit executive, Lacey shares how effective leadership in the arts requires fluency in both artistic and business languages, deep respect for creative professionals, and a clear commitment to alignment over consensus.
Throughout the episode, Lacey explores how leaders can navigate the tension between artistic ambition and financial reality, make difficult decisions when resources are limited, and build organizational alignment without requiring universal agreement. She also discusses the importance of authentic community connection, from commissioning locally rooted works to meeting audiences where they are, both inside and outside the concert hall.
Listeners will gain insight into:
Balancing artistic integrity with financial sustainability
Building alignment without stifling creativity or healthy conflict
Engaging communities in meaningful, non performative ways
Leading highly skilled, independently minded professionals with clarity and trust
Creating space for creativity alongside systems and processes
This episode offers valuable lessons not only for arts leaders, but for any nonprofit or mission driven leader guiding talented teams whose work is deeply personal and purpose driven.

In this episode of Lead for Good, nonprofit strategist and executive coach Nancy Batterman shares a rich set of lessons shaped by more than three decades as a CEO and six years of coaching leaders across the sector. Nancy reflects on her early journey in special education, her unexpected rise to leading a large nonprofit organization, and the mentors who shaped her approach to leadership. She emphasizes how confidence, curiosity, and a strong commitment to personal development help leaders grow over time.
A major theme throughout the episode is the role of self awareness. Nancy explains how blind spots often hold leaders back more than any external obstacle, and she describes practical ways to identify and address these areas through assessments, coaching, honest conversations, and inviting feedback. She also explores how affirmations, reflection habits, and peer support systems help leaders overcome imposter feelings and build resilience.
Nancy also discusses culture building, decision making, and employee engagement. She shares stories from her own leadership tenure, including navigating the 2008 economic crisis, keeping teams aligned during high pressure seasons, and creating environments where staff feel recognized and valued. Her insights highlight that great leadership is both people centered and growth minded, and that leaders must stay grounded in curiosity, care, and consistent learning.
If this conversation resonates with you, or if you are looking for a place where nonprofit leaders learn from one another and share real life experience, check out Fulcrum Nonprofit Leadership. Fulcrum brings executives together for peer learning, leadership development, and practical support that helps leaders thrive in their roles and strengthen their organizations.

Leadership is not about having all the answers. It's about creating clarity, listening well, and building trust that endures through both success and crisis.
In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with John Kozyra, President & CEO of Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in Nebraska, for a thoughtful conversation on what it means to lead with vision while remaining deeply grounded in service to others.
John's leadership journey is anything but conventional. Beginning in consulting and philanthropy before transitioning into healthcare operations, he shares how mentors, lifelong learning, and a desire to improve the lives of others shaped his path to becoming a hospital CEO.
Together, Chris and John explore how great leaders create momentum for meaningful change by establishing clear strategic priorities, engaging stakeholders early, and ensuring every person feels heard throughout the process. John explains why defining an organization's "North Star" is essential for navigating uncertainty, especially when unexpected challenges arise.
The conversation takes a powerful turn as John recounts leading his hospital through a devastating explosion that forced a complete evacuation and temporary closure. Rather than abandoning their strategic plan, his team relied on clearly defined priorities centered on their people, patients, and community to remain focused, resilient, and ultimately stronger than before.
Listeners will also hear practical leadership insights on:
• Creating organizational momentum that people genuinely want to be part of
• Why vision must be supported by clear communication and stakeholder alignment
• Building cultures where psychological safety and authentic feedback drive innovation
• The discipline of listening, from frontline employees to community members
• Why responsiveness and accessibility are essential expressions of respect
• How nonprofit leaders can balance long-term strategy with daily operational demands
• The critical role community trust will play as healthcare and nonprofit organizations navigate rapid technological and societal change
Throughout the conversation, John reminds us that leadership is ultimately about people. Missions are achieved not by individual leaders, but by organizations that cultivate trust, invite collaboration, and remain steadfast in serving their communities.
Whether you lead a hospital, foundation, university, social service agency, or any nonprofit organization, this conversation offers practical wisdom for building resilient teams, sustaining momentum, and leading with purpose.
Listen now and discover why the strongest organizations are built on clarity, trust, and a shared vision for the future.
#LeadForGood #NonprofitLeadership #HealthcareLeadership #Leadership #OrganizationalCulture #StrategicPlanning #EmployeeEngagement #CommunityEngagement #HospitalLeadership #MissionDriven #LeadershipDevelopment #FulcrumNonprofitLeadership

Lead for Good with Erin Rank: Defining Your North Star
What happens when a nonprofit leader takes a growing organization, applies business discipline without sacrificing mission, and creates extraordinary clarity across the entire team?
In this episode of Lead for Good, I sit down with Erin Rank, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, to explore how her organization used the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and the principles outlined in Traction to define its North Star and align every aspect of the organization around mission impact.
Erin shares her remarkable leadership journey from serving as Habitat LA's very first employee, working from a donated church closet, to leading one of the largest and most innovative Habitat affiliates in the nation. Along the way, she reflects on the mentors who shaped her leadership philosophy, including lessons learned from President Jimmy Carter, and explains why great leaders ultimately shift from building programs to building people.
Together, we discuss:
• How EOS and Traction helped Habitat LA create organizational clarity and alignment• The process of identifying an organization's unique strengths and defining its North Star• Why leaders must learn to say "no" in order to maximize mission impact• The power of Level 10 Meetings, accountability systems, and measurable goals• Practical exercises nonprofit leaders can use to uncover their organization's distinctive value• How clarity helped Habitat LA respond strategically to the Los Angeles wildfires without losing focus on its core mission• Why leadership alignment may be one of the most important investments an organization can make
One of Erin's most powerful insights is that a nonprofit's North Star lives at the intersection of what the organization does best and what its community needs most. When leaders gain that clarity, decision-making becomes easier, teams become more aligned, and impact accelerates.
Whether you lead a small nonprofit or a large, complex organization, this conversation offers practical tools and timeless leadership wisdom to help your team gain focus, strengthen execution, and move confidently toward your mission.
#LeadForGood #NonprofitLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EOS #Traction #HabitatForHumanity #StrategicPlanning #MissionDrivenLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #TeamAlignment #NonprofitCEO #FulcrumNonprofitLeadership