What leadership approaches help deliver enduring nonprofit values?

Meaning-making 

During times of uncertainty, nonprofit staff, board members, and community members often turn to leaders for guidance and interpretation. Leaders who practice meaning-making help stakeholders understand not only what is happening but also why it is happening. This leadership approach serves to minimize anxiety and create clarity during challenging times.

Shared governance

Traditional hierarchical governance structures persist in many nonprofit organizations; however, shared governance models are a valuable alternative. When leadership and decision-making responsibilities are spread across staff, boards, and community members, values become embedded into everyday operations and practices. These inclusive practices create space for dialogue, accountability, and greater alignment with the organizational values and mission, especially during times of transition or pressure.

Reflection in leadership 

Well-established values can fade without intentional reflection. Organizations that embed values-based discussions into retreats, meetings, and planning sessions are better equipped to spot and respond to drift early. Sharing real examples of when values were upheld or challenged builds trust, encourages collective learning, and makes values feel both lived and relevant.

What this looks like in practice

Leadership decisions and behaviors don’t follow a one size fits all formula. Included here are ideas that while powerful on their own, are mutually reinforcing. Concentrate on one specific area or integrate several for a more comprehensive approach.

• Host team reflections after significant shifts or challenges.
• Use storytelling to showcase when values have shaped past decisions.
• Host leadership workshops on sensemaking, narrative framing, and values-based communication during uncertainty.
• Establish cross-functional working groups that offer guidance on aligning strategy, programs, and policies with organizational values.
• Rotate facilitation roles or agenda-setting responsibilities.
• Create mechanisms for ongoing staff and community feedback.
• Include values reflection in retreats, staff meetings, and board development.
• Revisit values during strategic planning—not just in times of crisis.

Lessons from the field

Rachel Peterson, CEO of United Way of North Idaho, shares a real-world example of these practices in action. Shortly after stepping into her new role as CEO, she noticed a misalignment between what the organization was doing and its stated values or pillars. “The work we were measurably accomplishing didn’t necessarily align with the values,” Peterson reflected. She wanted to understand how this had happened and why it had happened. She began by reaching out and having over 25 conversations with former board members, staff, and partners to understand the organization’s history and values. In doing so, she identified a disconnect between the organization’s stated pillars and its actual practices.

In response, she spearheaded the launch of a localized volunteer engagement platform—an initiative that directly revived a core value of community convening. Although United Way maintains a traditional board structure, Peterson has actively expanded participation through committee work and stakeholder engagement, reinforcing the organization’s values through inclusive strategy-setting and open dialogue.

Bringing it all together

Sustaining nonprofit values over time requires action. Organizational leadership must interpret, model, and reinforce values across all levels of the organization. From creating meaning during uncertainty to allowing space for collective reflection, nonprofit leaders have powerful tools at their disposal to resist values drift and strengthen mission integrity.

As the sector continues to navigate rapid change, ethical tension, and funding pressures, one truth remains clear: leadership that actively centers values is essential.

Teresa Oswald, CNP,  is a nonprofit professional and researcher with a Masters of Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University. She contributes to ASU’s research on volunteer management practices, focusing on survey design, focus groups, equity tools, and publications. Outside of work, she enjoys Alabama football and training her two dogs, Bama and Champ.

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