TED: What advice would you give to women thinking about entering the nonprofit sector?
“My advice to women entering the nonprofit sector is to take every opportunity to get experience — research and donate to effective nonprofits that you care about; be a curious student of the sector; and recognize that many, many types of skills are needed. Then, my advice to women already in the field is to imagine themselves in the top roles. When I was recruited to be CEO of the END Fund, I was 39 and thought I didn’t have enough experience. I didn’t think I should apply unless I excelled at 100 percent of the requirements. It dawned on me that if I was going to contribute to addressing the inequity of women in top positions, I shouldn’t let my fears and biases get in the way. I realized I should follow the advice I like to give: ‘Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress, and if you’re lucky enough to be offered the job, give it a go.’ I’m so glad I did.”
— Ellen Agler, CEO of the End Fund, which works to end the suffering caused by five neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.7 billion people (watch a TED video on the END Fund here)
“People often think, ‘I’ve got to fit a mold that’s in the nonprofit sector.’ I would flip it and say, ‘Focus less on the role that you think a nonprofit has, and focus instead on what is the issue you want to solve, what would be the most impactful way to address it, and how can the skills you already have serve in that direction.’ That can crack open new innovation and new approaches to problems. Then, when you do that, you’ll also be deeply inspired because you’ll be using your unique skills to change the world.”
— Julie Cordua, CEO of THORN, a a technology-led non-profit that builds products and systems aimed at eliminating online child sexual abuse (watch her TED Talk here)
“Women don’t need advice. They need opportunity.”
— T. Morgan Dixon, cofounder and CEO of GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls (watch her TED Talk — given with cofounder Vanessa Garrison — here)
“I think the nonprofit sector is generally a good place to work; most organizations try to make their cultures diverse, open and welcoming to everyone. But it is important to recognize that you will earn a lot less money in the nonprofit sector than in the private or public sector for the same type of role. There remains an expectation that people in nonprofits should not be motivated by money, which is all very well but people have mortgages to pay, kids to fund. I don’t agree with this — if we want to attract good people, we need to pay them decently and not rely on retirees or people like me who worked in the corporate sector for many years. We fight against exploitation; we mustn’t be guilty of it ourselves.”
— Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers, which strives to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure that people with disabilities have equal rights (watch her TED Talk here)
“I welcome women from all fields into the nonprofit sector. Having more participation from them is critical to solving the world’s many challenges, and it has the potential to bring transformational impact on how we work toward achieving the sustainable development goals. My advice would be to have a mentor or coach as you begin this journey. This comes from my personal experience; it really helped me accelerate my journey.”
— Safeena Husain, founder and executive director of Educate Girls, which focuses on mobilizing communities for girls’ education in India’s rural and educationally underserved areas (watch her TED Talk here)
“My advice is the same for all women, whether they are thinking about entering the non-profit or for-profit world. Despite movement forward, there will be gender-specific barriers to your becoming a leader. Some are internal — the voices we hear inside our heads and the stories we tell ourselves about our own competency. But some are external — the still-prevalent boys club, systems of exclusion, rank sexism, and, of course, harassment. Stay focused, work hard, remain kind, find those unwavering people you want in your lifeboat and keep them there, hold your doubts close, don’t start sentences with qualifiers (“maybe I’m wrong but …” “I’m not really sure but …” “this may be stupid but …”), and stop worrying about being liked. Please.”
— Robin Steinberg, founder and CEO of The Bail Project, an organization which is combating mass incarceration in the US by disrupting the money bail system one person at a time (watch her TED Talk here)
TED: What are the critical qualities needed to be an effective nonprofit leader?
“The most important qualities I’ve seen in effective non-profit leaders are a deep, authentic, passionate belief that the work their organization is doing will make the world a better place and an ability to engage both their staff and a range of partners to contribute to the organization’s mission, strategy and culture.”
— Ellen Agler, CEO of the End Fund, which works to end the suffering caused by five neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.7 billion people (watch a TED video on the END Fund here)
“The first quality is being able to set a clear vision and paint a picture of a world you’re trying to create. One of my biggest jobs is creating an entry point for people to come into the issue of child sexual abuse with optimism and see their impact so they don’t get discouraged. The second quality that’s needed is an unwavering persistence. This is all hard work. While you’ll have a lot of wins, you’ll have a lot of hurdles and unexpected bumps. You have to be the one who’s willing to weather those and come out the other side and continue to drive towards that vision. The third quality is being willing to learn from mistakes. When you’re working on social issues and you’re doing transformative work, you’re doing work that hasn’t been done before. There’s no roadmap, and you have to get really comfortable with that and with knowing you may make a mistake. How do you learn from the mistake and move forward and not get too bogged down?”
— Julie Cordua, CEO of THORN, a a technology-led non-profit that builds products and systems aimed at eliminating online child sexual abuse (watch her TED Talk here)
“Trust of the people I serve. Massive change, population-level healing, disruption of centuries-old injustice and habits of mind are all, well, uncomfortable. It requires an extraordinary effort of a group of people who love and trust each other. No strategy can get you there; it’s relationships, shared agreements, bold vision and a sort of integrity in which people trust that you all can get to the finish line.”
— T. Morgan Dixon, cofounder and CEO of GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls (watch her TED Talk — given with cofounder Vanessa Garrison — here)
“I have been a leader in for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and the qualities needed are pretty similar. In my experience, you need to be someone people can trust. They need to see that you are genuine in what you do and that you care about the organization and its mission and about them. You need to surround yourself with the best people that you can find (never think you have to know everything), and delegate appropriately. If you try to control everything yourself, as new leaders often do, you will cause great resentment. You also need to be someone who can build relationships with a wide range of people, of different ages and from different cultures.”
— Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers, which strives to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure that people with disabilities have equal rights (watch her TED Talk here)
“Clarity on cause and disciplined alignment to mission are very important for nonprofit leaders. With those, your funders, team, volunteers and organization can collaboratively work together towards a common vision. Another priority for nonprofit leaders is to define the values by which you’ll attain that success. Finally, you have to have the courage to be unwilling to accept the status quo and have lots of patience at the same time. Most projects in the social sector are working toward behavior change, which is an excruciating process. You have to be patient about it and ensure your teams have the energy and enthusiasm to deal with it. “
— Safeena Husain, founder and executive director of Educate Girls, which focuses on mobilizing communities for girls’ education in India’s rural and educationally underserved areas (watch her TED Talk here)
“Effective leaders of non-profit organizations should always ground their decision-making in the people or cause they serve. This supports flexibility and innovation in setting (and resetting) organizational priorities, policies and goals. The ability to see the long game, even when mired in the crisis of the moment, is essential. Authenticity, clarity of vision, ferocity, kindness and fearlessness — or at least the willingness to act even when scared — are aspirational qualities for leaders.”
— Robin Steinberg, founder and CEO of The Bail Project, an organization which is combating mass incarceration in the US by disrupting the money bail system one person at a time (watch her TED Talk here)
TED: Burnout is a huge problem in nonprofits. How do you deal with it?
“It’s hard; the drive and passion I have to do this work involves long hours and extensive travel and thinking. I need to be intentional about prioritizing spending time with family and friends, doing yoga, meditating, going outdoors, and reading. Otherwise, I can feel burned out. In college I took a Buddhist studies course and learned about “right livelihood”. I hoped I could find work that would help me make the world a better place and that I’d enjoy it as much in my 20s as my 40s as my 80s. I have relatives who lived to 100, and it’s always fascinated me to think what we can accomplish over a long life in service of others. Keeping my eye on this long game has helped me take breaks along the way and avoid burnout in the short term.”
— Ellen Agler, CEO of the End Fund, which works to end the suffering caused by five neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.7 billion people (watch a TED video on the END Fund here)
“I’ve only recently come to terms with how burned out I was during the first few years at Thorn and what I need to do personally to prevent that. I recently took a three-month sabbatical where I completely disconnected. It was really difficult to do but I knew I wouldn’t be a good leader if I didn’t go recharge and then come back. I’ve also put more boundaries in place because if I don’t feel a connection to myself, my friends and my family, I will not be good in this mission for the long run.”
— Julie Cordua, CEO of THORN, a a technology-led non-profit that builds products and systems aimed at eliminating online child sexual abuse (watch her TED Talk here)
“Labor has always been the great American problem. We’re exhausted; all of us … trying to out-work computers and out-clever algorithms. At GirlTrek, we say that slowing down is the most radical sh*t you can do. As an organization, we’ve built structures to sustain our core value of self-care. Every team member is required to take a six-week sabbatical over the holidays; everyone has a self-care stipend that matches their professional development stipend; and we’ve structured our week for think time. “No Meeting Mondays” have unleashed a wave of essential energy, time on task, and creative collaboration, and “Field Fridays” get us out of our heads, out of the offices, and connected to the women we serve.”
— T. Morgan Dixon, cofounder and CEO of GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls (watch her TED Talk — given with cofounder Vanessa Garrison — here)
“From time to time, I have found I have exhausted myself mentally and emotionally, and it is easy to turn to the wrong things to manage stress (witness my expanding waistline … ). In terms of helping employees avoid burnout, I try to be there for the more senior ones if they need to vent; I offer advice when it is sought (and occasionally when it isn’t); and I offer as much flexibility as possible to allow them to be their best. I don’t always succeed, and there have been times when we have had workload clashes which have caused significant strain. Helping our managers recognize signs of stress in employees, and making sure people know it’s OK to speak up if they are struggling are really important.”
— Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers, which strives to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure that people with disabilities have equal rights (watch her TED Talk here)
“To avoid burnout, I try to prioritize between real emergencies and matters that can wait. I have to travel frequently, and sometimes taking a quick break can make all the difference. Another important element has been to find ways to keep me and my team motivated and connected to the cause. I do this by continuing to invest in developing my skills as a leader and developing the skills of my team. At Educate Girls, we want employees to focus on what’s really important. We invest in learning and development opportunities and encourage our employees to attend relevant courses and interesting workshops, webinars and conferences.”
— Safeena Husain, founder and executive director of Educate Girls, which focuses on mobilizing communities for girls’ education in India’s rural and educationally underserved areas (watch her TED Talk here)
“I would love to say that I have a regiment of self-care and Zen-like mantras that safeguard me from burnout. But the truth is I thrive on work and have never mastered the art of relaxation or decompression. I have an internal, constant sense of urgency about the work I do because millions of people are locked in jail cells everyday in America. Until freedom in the pretrial justice system is the norm, burnout is simply not an option for me. Yet I know for my team to thrive, a culture of support and work-life balance is essential. I always encourage our staff to explore professional development opportunities of interest, as well as take ample time off to rest and restore.”
— Robin Steinberg, founder and CEO of The Bail Project, an organization which is combating mass incarceration in the US by disrupting the money bail system one person at a time (watch her TED Talk here)
TED: What is the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn while running a nonprofit?
“In the nonprofit world, it is easy to have your identity associated with the work you do. The work can be all-consuming, the task is enormous, and the opportunity to make a positive, lasting difference in the world so tangible. Some of my friends who lead nonprofits have told me they’d be willing to die for their cause; the level of commitment and engagement can be extreme. The hardest lesson for me to learn was that just because the organization may have a failure or a not-good year or series of years, that doesn’t mean I’m a failure. As Colin Powell once said, ‘Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.’”
— Ellen Agler, CEO of the End Fund, which works to end the suffering caused by five neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.7 billion people (watch a TED video on the END Fund here)
“In my transition from the private to the nonprofit sector, one of the lessons I had to learn was how to ask for money. It was just very uncomfortable. The other key learning was how to build a big team. Starting an organization is one kind of skill, but there’s another skill in building an organization from 50 to 150 people and ensuring it remains effective and nimble and can deliver the kind of impact that you need and want.”
— Julie Cordua, CEO of THORN, a a technology-led non-profit that builds products and systems aimed at eliminating online child sexual abuse (watch her TED Talk here)
“I’ve found it hard to publicly practice faith. I’m not talking hope, vision, probability, smart projections; I’m talking about tambourine-rattling faith. It’s the thing we all work for: a unifying Love of all people, all things. Arms wide open is, well, terrifying. I believe that Black women are uniquely positioned to show the world resilient love. Our collective history has made us spiritual warriors.”
— T. Morgan Dixon, cofounder and CEO of GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls (watch her TED Talk — given with cofounder Vanessa Garrison — here)
“You don’t always hire the right people for the job. Sometimes, they are just not the right fit; occasionally, they have taken on something too big and it clearly isn’t going to work. In some cases, I have waited hoping ‘things will get better’, when in my gut I know they won’t. Nonprofits can feel that parting with someone who isn’t working out is in conflict with their values. But in my view, the beneficiaries come first, so if a person isn’t a fit, we owe it to them to sort out the problem.”
— Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers, which strives to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure that people with disabilities have equal rights (watch her TED Talk here)
“The challenges of running a scaled-up and a scaling program are very different. Mostly, it’s about managing complexity: people, money, external relations — all at once. The challenge is to keep complexities to a bare minimum. One needs to focus hard on both codifying and simplifying everything. As you grow, you also need to remain a learning organization and to look out for the mission drift that creeps in.”
— Safeena Husain, founder and executive director of Educate Girls, which focuses on mobilizing communities for girls’ education in India’s rural and educationally underserved areas (watch her TED Talk here)
“By far, the hardest lesson has been realizing that when you are in a firefight for survival, most people will not step into a real, public battle with you — no matter how much they say they believe in you, your work, or your organization. You have to get comfortable with the fact that at the end of the day, you are doing what you are doing because you believe in it to your core. Don’t get into the ring expecting gratitude; step into the fight because you couldn’t live with yourself otherwise.”
— Robin Steinberg, founder and CEO of The Bail Project, an organization which is combating mass incarceration in the US by disrupting the money bail system one person at a time (watch her TED Talk here)
These organizations are all recipients of grants from The Audacious Project, a collaborative funding initiative that is unlocking social impact on a grand scale. Every year The Audacious Project (which is housed at TED) selects and nurtures a group of bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges and gets them launched thanks to an inspiring group of donors and supporters.
