Michael Le’s Post

I’m excited to share my first in-person speaking engagement at the Impact Partners Summit in May! 🗣️ I’ll be taking the stage in front of an audience of social-impact leaders working to collaboratively serve the nonprofit sector better 💞 I believe that a huge part of that is learning from each other about what is working - and, maybe more importantly, what’s not working! 🤷🏼♂️ Too often we hear about successful companies and organizations through rose-colored glasses after the fact - which causes pretty significant success bias 🤩 But we’re missing the more valuable knowledge of what did you try that didn’t work? Why did you try it? What part did work and what ultimately was the downfall? What was out of your control and in your control? 🤔 I’m committing to the utmost transparency in this conversation about my experience entering the nonprofit sector a total newbie 4 years ago, building a platform & community with Pond that achieved many exciting things - but ultimately did not succeed 🐸 I’m coupling those learnings with comparisons to my more recent experience leading at Chariot, a social impact start up that is seeing tremendous success serving the nonprofit sector ✅ I’ve never seen something like this - a founder stepping in front of an audience of their peers to walk through the details of what did not work in a failed start up 👀 Which is exactly why I wanted to offer that to others - being the change I want to see in the world and all 😉 Preparing for this session is a truly cathartic experience - I have so many feelings related to my start up journey, that I’m incredibly appreciative of this experience to take a step back, organize my thoughts and stop holding those emotions inside 🙏🏼 If you’re able to be in the Bay Area the week of May 20th and join us for the summit, it would mean so much to see as many of you there as possible! 🤗 Link below to learn more and register 💙 #nonprofit #philanthropy #fundraising #startup

𝟱 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲. Nonprofit leadership is entering a new era. The next five years will separate those who lead intentionally from those who fall behind. Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve: 1. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 We live in an amazing time. We have unprecedented access to data that can reshape how we grow our organizations. The next generation of nonprofit leaders will dive into their data to make informed decisions. 𝟮. 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 The future belongs to those who partner, not those who go it alone. Collective impact is the name of the game. We are already seeing nonprofits merging organizations to scale their social impact. Start building alliances now. Find partners who complement your mission and amplify your reach. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 Donors demand transparency. If you can’t clearly show your impact, you’ll lose their trust—and their support. Be upfront, honest, and accountable. Build reporting systems that make your impact impossible to ignore. 𝟰. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Technology is reshaping everything, and leaders who don’t adapt will be left behind. Stay ahead of the tech curve. Learn how AI, digital tools, and new platforms can streamline your operations and amplify your impact. 𝟱. 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗢𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 Impact investors have raised expectations for nonprofit outcomes. Leaders who double down on the impact their donors can create when they give will win big. The more we can prove how much it costs to make an impact and how the world will change, the better. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 The future of nonprofit leadership is about being bold, data-smart, tech-savvy, and impact-focused. Those who embrace these trends will thrive. The rest? They’ll be playing catch-up. I hope this helps! #nonprofitleadership #nonprofit #fundraising

Hey LinkedIn community I need your help!!! Recently, I got into a pre-accelerator program at the Boyd Innovation Center, powered by GrowCo and I’m working to validate a concept that will benefit how the public and nonprofit sector manages its marketing and communication. Yay!!!🎉 This is where I need you all… I kicked off a virtual listening tour and I’m trying chat with as many people as possible to better understand the different pain points my fellow social impact leaders, marketers, and communicators. If you fit into one of the below categories or know someone who does, could you DM me? I’d love to connect. I'm looking to connect with people who: ✅ lead an NGO or nonprofit especially multi-site or associations like Girls Inc. Feeding America YMCA of the USA YWCA USA Girl Effect ✅ lead at a small (but mighty) NGO or nonprofit that tries to prioritize marketing and communications ✅ manage marketing, comms, or financial development in the nonprofit or public sector ✅ oversees or does the creative concepts for nonprofit, NGO, or public sector I can’t wait to connect. ☺️ And special thanks to Caroline Crowder, MIB, who's leading and advising our cohort. #nonprofit #marketing #nonprofitleadership #marketingoperations #ngo #communications

Powerful article. I still need to go back and do a closer read. Sharing with Max Klau’s thoughts/post. I’m curious about what’s possible when we engage communities more directly in solving problems and addressing challenges. My mind goes to methodologies such as participatory action research and large group/open space dialogue . . .and their latest iterations and innovations for social change. Yet there is so much more in this piece to explore and unpack beyond possible methods of change and empowerment. We’ve all got something at stake to improve the collective. This article is inspiring me to do more than ponder. What actions can we take?

Recently I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone.... I took a chance on change. It paid off more than I could have dreamed. I have several speaking engagements coming up where I get to educate people on how I help elevate nonprofit brands to reach their goals. Change can be scary but even the smallest adjustments can yield incredible results. Embracing change and innovative approaches can foster engagement, drive impactful initiatives, and ultimately, broaden the reach and effectiveness of your mission. If you have a few changes you're needing help navigating though, please reach out! Let's champion change together! #CommunityDevelopment #NonprofitGrowth #Innovation #SocialImpact #StrategicChange #OrganizationalDevelopment #MissionDriven

The learning is hot at #ImpactPS24 The Impact Partners Network gathers folks that work in the social sector ecosystem to innovate new approaches and use the power of community to drive solutions for us / by us. #nonprofits #nonprofit #philanthropy #impact #collaborativeLearning Aimee Cubbage and Mandy Kutschied, SHRM-SCP shared knowledge about #eq and #emotionalIntelligence (in the Multiverse) Self awareness Self regulation Intrinsic motivation Empathy Social skills Leaders who have empathy outperform those without by 40% ☀️ Rubin Singh of OneTenth Consulting explored the unique technology challenges facing nonprofits today … and why tech implementations fail and how we can do better. NTEN and Institute for the Future Great technology requires great people. Sam Adiv and Sam Dorman remind us in their session: “Collaborative Greatness”: Building Thriving Client-Partner Alliances This summit brings together an incredible collection of humans. We don’t need dreamy data or cutting edge tech stacks. We need collaboration and strategic alignment. First. (#downwithRFPs) Institute for Nonprofit Practice Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) Garvin Maffett, Ed.D. Julie Michelle Morris Technology Association of Grantmakers Salesforce Microsoft Nonprofit Leadership Alliance LinkedIn for Nonprofits BPOZ Brand Leadership Three Little Birds Agency

Just read this remarkable article on the failure of strategic philanthropy. So many thoughts! Is it sobering to see how much money has gone into philanthropy in recent decades and how little change that money has generated. The authors make a powerful case for focusing on democracy and making government as representative and responsive to the people as possible. That's exactly what we've been working on at the New Politics Leadership Academy for years. Also, I'm struck by the strong argument that we need to shift away from paternalistic approaches based on the assumption that those with wealth have a better understanding of how to address challenges than those in the communities they seek to serve. I've been working for years on efforts to create leadership development spaces grounded in the assumption that individuals already have the answers and insights they need. I've had so many experiences where I've shared this work with organizations that are genuinely focused on serving others and the response has been genuine anxiety. "You mean you don't have any expert speakers or powerpoint decks?!? How is that going to work?!?". This shift to truly trusting those who are closest to the work is very deep, but very important. Hope this gets a wide read and generates some real change. And if anyone is interested in discussing how to create spaces that genuinely empower leaders at scale, I'm happy to chat!

✨ Day 1 Reflections: #TalentJusticeSummit ✨ Yesterday was nothing short of transformative. As we gathered at Fund the People's #TalentJusticeSummit, the energy in the room was undeniable—a mix of passion, hope, and determination to rewrite the story of nonprofit work. Here’s a recap of the inspiring conversations and moments that set the tone for the days ahead: 🌟 Grounded in Transparency From the start, we embraced the realities of our sector. With a mix of participants were nonprofit leaders and funders this set the spirit of collaboration. It also ignited a commitment to “silo-busting” dialogues that break barriers and pave the way for systemic change. 🌟 Framing the Opportunity The summit’s four-part framework was a powerful guide: 1️⃣ Power & Potential: Recognizing the incredible skills, creativity, and resilience of our workforce—and imagining the heights we could reach if our jobs were well-funded, sustainable, and inclusive. 2️⃣ Problems: Naming the challenges head-on, from chronic underinvestment to systemic barriers, while refusing to accept the status quo. 3️⃣ Proposals for Transformation: Tomorrow promises to dive into innovative solutions and practices that are already sparking change. 4️⃣ Planning & Pledging: This isn’t just a feel-good event. We’re leaving with clear, actionable plans and a collective pledge to prioritize talent justice in our organizations. 🌟 A Call to Reimagine One of the most powerful moments was reframing the narrative around nonprofit leadership. The issue isn’t a lack of leaders but a failure to invest in the people who make this sector thrive. This chronic underinvestment, compounded by new crises, calls us to action—to build a sector that attracts and retains talent by valuing them fully. 🌟 Bringing Creativity to the Table Dialog pods will bring together participants from across sectors and geographies to imagine solutions as diverse as the people in the room. These small-group conversations aren’t just exercises in brainstorming—they are intentional, equity-centered spaces where every voice matters. 🌟 Looking Ahead Tonight, we reflected on our strengths and challenges. Tomorrow, we will dive into solutions—practical, actionable steps that can transform nonprofit work. On the final day, we’ll pledge and map out plans that hold us accountable. 💡 Takeaway: Wherever you are in this journey—whether you’re grounded in your team's power and potential, navigating complex problems, or ready to take action—your perspective matters. Together, we are shaping the future of the nonprofit workforce. Let’s move forward with courage, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to talent justice. 🙌 Thanks to our sponsors, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Sierra Health Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, and the Avery Dennison Foundation. #TalentJusticeSummit #NonprofitLeadership #Day1Recap #InvestInPeople

Co-ops face a lot of challenges in adapting to changing corporate and nonprofit landscapes, as the latter organizations often have far more resources at their disposal when tic comes to digitalization and innovation. That isn't to say the deck is stacked against co-ops but rather these organizations need to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them when it comes to optimizing technologies. #Nonprofit #Finance #Leadership

2024 taught me something powerful: commercial success and community impact aren't just compatible - they're better together. And what a year of proving it! Jumping on the LinkedIn rewind from Coauthor The highlights tell a story of growth in all the right ways: • Watching Axiologik win Best Place to Work (while somehow picking up Leader of the Year myself!) at Leeds Digital Festival Awards • Helping distribute over 2,300 meals in one session at FareShare Yorkshire as a new trustee • Supporting 130+ amazing people who braved the cold at Millennium Square for Boycott your Bed • Organising a insightful round of leadership dinners as part of our Executive Edge programme • Growing our marketing function with the talented Rae Evans while deepening our commitment to social value & the digital community as a whole through supporting the work of UK Tech Week, Leeds Digital, partnering techUK and our ongoing support of Leeds Community Foundation, one of 12 community charitable organisations we have supported this year. Three posts that really captured my year: "Let's talk about yesterday!" On how leadership is all about the people you surround yourself with and our incredible Leeds Digital Festival wins https://lnkd.in/gdqwNT_f "So this happened last week" On being a proud Southern exile championing Northern tech excellence https://lnkd.in/gg9JH2nD "At the start of the year" What 30 days of exercise taught me about making time for what matters https://lnkd.in/gsyTWdhj Looking ahead: 2025 will be about scaling what works - growing Axiologik's reach while deepening our community impact, partnerships and our leadership cohort to add value. The Northern digital scene keeps showing that success and social responsibility go hand in hand. To everyone who's been part of making business a force for good this year - whether through sharing insights at our Executive Edge dinners, supporting community initiatives, or just connecting over coffee - thank you for proving that the best impact always comes from working together. I've learned that leadership isn't about choosing between commercial success and social impact - it's about creating space for both to thrive. Here's to building more of that in 2025. #yearinreview #socialvalue #digital #leadership Get your 2024 LinkedIn Rewind at https://lnkd.in/gkG7RfB2