Glad You Asked

Michelle Flores Vryn - How are you different than your peer organizations?

Most nonprofit leaders struggle to articulate what truly makes them distinct. In this episode, Michelle Flores Vryn reveals how differentiating your organization isn’t just branding jargon, it’s the key to standing out in a crowded sector while inspiring trust in your community and potential donors. This episode also dives into how leaders can foster a culture of authenticity and visibility, as well as methods to help clear the mind to prepare for important conversations in order to be more present during these interactions. HERE ARE THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS: Martha’s Q: Are you clearing your brain and deeply listening to the person across from you? Listener engagement Q from Cecelia Caspram: "How do we inspire others to prioritize leading with integrity, care, and compassion as essential - not soft - skills?" Guest Q from Michelle Flores Vryn: "How are you different than your peer organizations?" ACTION ITEM: Ask yourself, how am I different from my peers at my organization? Make a list of your skills and responsibilities. With this list, you'll be able to discover your own unique contributions to your organization. Once you've built this list, ask yourself: does this match your job description? If not, how have you shifted your role to better meet your organization's needs? And of course, is this how you want to represent yourself? RESOURCES & LINKS: Nonprofit Futures: https://www.nonprofitfutures.com/ [https://www.nonprofitfutures.com/] Michelle’s substack: https://michellefloresvryn.substack.com/ [https://michellefloresvryn.substack.com/] Social Impact Staff Retention Project: https://www.thenonprofiteers.com/sisr [https://www.thenonprofiteers.com/sisr] Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michellefloresvren [https://linkedin.com/in/michellefloresvren] Cecelia Caspram: https://www.fortheloveofhumanity.community/ [https://www.fortheloveofhumanity.community/] Community Centric Fundraising: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/ [https://communitycentricfundraising.org/] For ongoing learning, check out the show’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/GladYouAsked [https://www.patreon.com/cw/GladYouAsked]

Willeke van Rijn - What is the world that we want to see?

Welcome to Glad You Asked, a show about how active listening can help you build stronger connections with folks in your life, personally and professionally. EPISODE OVERVIEW THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS: Guest question (Willeke): What is the world that we want to see? Martha’s question: What are your personal leadership and management styles and why? Listener question Bernard Ross of MC Consulting: What are two to three ways the social impact sector can help to build a more equitable society? ACTION ITEM: Explore Martha’s question about leadership and management styles. What's your style and why? Reminder, if you don't manage another staffer, that doesn't mean you aren't a leader. Think about what you do daily, weekly, monthly to lead, and how you manage relationships with your colleagues, with your boss, with your donors, etc. #6 Active Listening Key Element: Summarizing Summarizing in active listening involves condensing the speaker's main points, core ideas, and underlying emotions into your own words. This technique verifies your understanding, makes the speaker feel validated, and naturally transitions the conversation toward resolution or the next topic. #7 Active Listening Key Element: Empathy Empathy is the cornerstone of active listening. It requires suspending judgment and setting aside personal biases to genuinely understand the speaker's emotions and perspective. Rather than simply waiting for your turn to speak, empathic listening builds trust, defuses conflict, and fosters deep emotional connection. Martha’s 5 priorities as a leader: Authenticity, accessibility, empathy, transparency, vulnerability RESOURCES & LINKS: Resource Alliance [https://resource-alliance.org/] Register for IFC 2026 before July and get the early bird discount! [https://www.resource-alliance.org/event/ifc-2026/] International Fundraising Congress (IFC) [https://resource-alliance.org/ifc] Calling All Heroes by Tammy Zonker [https://amazon.com/Calling-Heroes] Pratham in India [https://pratham.org/](Example of watchdog role) CONNECT WITH WILLEKE VAN RIJN: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/villica] Twitter [https://twitter.com/villica] CREDITS: Glad You Asked is a Hazen Institute for Leadership Training podcast. Join us on Patreon for more in-depth content. [https://www.patreon.com/c/GladYouAsked] If you have a question you’d like me to ask on our show, or you’ve used one of the questions from an episode in your life, send Martha Schumacher a message on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaschumacher/], or send me an email at hello@hazeninc.com [/s/group%3Ahello%40hazeninc.com]. Learn more at hazeninc.com [http://hazeninc.com]. Produced by Patrick and Benjamin Childers of Odd Conduit Media [https://www.oddconduitmedia.com/]. Original music by Bassel & The Supernaturals featuring Herbie Hunkele on trumpet.

Tammy Zonker - How do we create an organizational culture that is more human centered?

Join Martha Schumacher as she explores the power of active listening and human-centered organizational culture with her guest Tammy Zonker, founder of Fundraising Transformed. Discover practical insights and questions to deepen connections and foster trust in any setting and prioritize the important needs of our communities. Stay tuned until the end for a chance to win a copy of Tammy’s new book, Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater Impact. HERE ARE THIS EPISODE’S QUESTIONS: Guest question (Tammy Zonker): How do we create an organizational culture that is more human centered? Martha’s question: What is the biggest challenge in your job day to day? Listener question (Lacey Slay): What is the number one trait leaders need to be successful? ACTION ITEM: Talk with a colleague, friend, or even a stranger and ask: “What is the number one trait humans need to be successful?” You’ll be showing that you respect their opinion, and you’ll come away with new insights and maybe even some great advice! TAMMY’S FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS: That's so interesting. Tell me more about that. How did you come up with that idea? What problem are we solving with that approach? Help me understand. I'm very interested in that. How long have you felt that way? Have you always felt that way? TAMMY ZONKER’S LINKS: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/tammyzonker Twitter - https://twitter.com/tammyzonker Podcast - https://podcast.com/intentionalfundraiser RESOURCES: Fundraising Transformed - https://fundraisingtransformed.com Calling All Heroes (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7F4X9X2 CREDITS: Glad You Asked is a Hazen Institute for Leadership Training podcast. Join us on Patreon for more in-depth content. [https://www.patreon.com/c/GladYouAsked] If you have a question you’d like me to ask on our show, or you’ve used one of the questions from an episode in your life, send Martha Schumacher a message on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaschumacher/], or send me an email at hello@hazeninc.com [/s/group%3Ahello%40hazeninc.com]. Learn more at hazeninc.com [http://hazeninc.com]. Produced by Patrick and Benjamin Childers of Odd Conduit Media [https://www.oddconduitmedia.com/]. Original music by Bassel & The Supernaturals featuring Herbie Hunkele on trumpet.

Vu Le - What Brings You Joy?

In this episode of ‘Glad You Asked’, Martha is joined by Vu Le, a two time executive director, one of the Founders of Community Centric Fundraising, and author of a wildly popular blog and creator of NonprofitAF. He also recently published his first book, Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector. The two discuss joy, overcoming toxic professional standards, rethinking leadership structures, and much more. Vu’s comfortable, thoughtful approach allows for a personable conversation as the two unpack many harmful unwritten rules in the social impact sector. Stay tuned until the end for a chance to win a free copy of Vu’s new book! Here are this episode’s questions. Vu’s Q: What brings you joy? Martha’s Q: What can I do to help make your experience here better? Cherian Koshy’s Q: If you were in-house today, which leadership model would you want to be a part of and why? Action item: Take a moment over the next week or so to ask a colleague, “What is bringing you joy right now?” It’s an easy one, and you’ll enjoy hearing the answer. Resources: Nonprofit AF: https://www.nonprofitaf.com/ [https://www.nonprofitaf.com/] Buy a copy of Vu Le’s book, Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector: https://www.nonprofitaf.com/book/ [https://www.nonprofitaf.com/book/] Philanthropy Active Listening Empathy NonProfit Leadership Roles Leadership Hierarchies

AmickyCarol Akiwumi - How might we co-create the future you actually want?

In this episode of ‘Glad You Asked’, Martha is joined by AmickyCarol Akiwumi, CEO and founder of The Avocado Foundation and host of the World Changers Podcast, to discuss co-creation, the importance of exit strategies and evolving needs, economic justice in the social impact sector, and much more. Amicky Carol shares her personal journey and confronts the difficult but necessary task of understanding when you’re no longer needed in a space, and having faith that there is a calling for each of us. Here are this episode’s questions. Amicky’s Q: How might we co-create the future you actually want? Martha’s Q: How do you determine what board(s) you want to join? Michelle Flores Vryn’s Q: What part of your own story do you see in the story of our mission? Three questions that Amicky Carol asks herself when she’s considering whether or not to say yes to an invitation to join a particular Board: 1. Do I really care about the mission and is it something I’ll give money to and/or volunteer for? 2. Do I bring something distinctive that they actually need right now? Am I needed and if so, why? 3. Will serving here accelerate my own growth in a way that serves my personal mission? Action item: Take a look at your own organization and ask yourself the question, “Is your organization co-creating the future your mission recipients actually want?” In other words, “Are your organization's leaders co-creating with their beneficiary partners or not?” And if the answer is no, what are possible ways you can approach your organization's leaders and ask this question? Resources: Avocado Foundation: avocadofoundation.org [https://avocadofoundation.org] Resource Alliance - International Fundraising Congress: resource-alliance.org [https://resource-alliance.org] Article - Inequality Vs. Poverty: thisvsthat.io/inequality-vs-poverty [https://thisvsthat.io/inequality-vs-poverty]