In this episode of Learning for Good, we’re exploring how nonprofit leaders can take actionable steps to maintain performance and build capacity even during stressful seasons. If your team is feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck in reactive mode, this episode offers timely advice rooted in real-world nonprofit experience.

▶️ Stretched Thin? Three Capacity Building Strategies Every Nonprofit Leader Can Use Today 

▶️ Key Points:

01:20 Stress is impacting your nonprofit more than you think

02:50 Three capacity building strategies in times of stress

07:44 What these capacity building strategies can do for your organization

Resources from this episode:

Episode 140: Building a Learning Strategy to Support Your Succession Plan with Naomi Hattaway

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Get ready to change the way you think about designing training scenarios in this episode of Learning for Good. I have used scenarios myself, and I really do think this is a skillset that we all need to get better at because scenarios are such a helpful tool in learning. That's why today I'm talking to Srividya Kumar, a learning design leader and co-founder of Learnnovators.

She makes designing scenarios approachable and shares what we need to know to create training scenarios that truly engage and allow the learner to navigate the situation and learn from their own decisions and judgments.

Whether you're just starting out with scenario design or you have some experience under your belt, this episode will give you the tools you need to up your scenario-based training game.

▶️ How to Design Realistic Training Scenarios that Actually Work with Srividya Kumar

▶️ Key Points:

03:07 Srividya's career in L&D and her passion for learning design

05:59 Defining what a training scenario is

07:45 When scenarios are helpful and when they're not

11:01  How to create scenarios that are realistic and relevant

18:12 Four things to avoid when creating scenarios

20:36 What brings scenarios to life and what gets in the way

25:42 Expert advice for those starting out with scenario design

Resources from this episode:

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Srividya

LinkedIn: Srividya Kumar

Website: learnnovators.com

Podcast: The Learning+ Podcast

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Creating a strong learning culture is no longer a luxury - it's a necessity for nonprofit leadership development and sustainable mission impact. In this episode, I sit down with leadership coach and author Yogi Mueller to explore how nonprofits can foster curiosity, promote vulnerability, and embed learning into their everyday operations.

Whether you're facing high turnover, stagnant performance, or disengaged teams, building a learning culture can be the catalyst for change. 

▶️ How to Make Learning Part of Your Nonprofit's DNA with Yogi Mueller 

▶️ Key Points:

[03:14] Introducing Yogi Mueller and his leadership journey

[06:01] Defining a learning culture

[09:25] Creating a desire to learn

[12:26] Building a strategic learning culture from the top down and bottom up

[19:25] Shifting leader mindsets around learning

[22:28] The challenges organizations face when building a learning culture

[27:43] Advice for L&D professionals building learning cultures

Resources from this episode:

The Great Slapping: The Power of Mentorship by Yogi Mueller

Episode 103: 5 Low Cost Leadership Development Activities

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Yogi

LinkedIn: Yogi Mueller

Website: craftleadership.net 

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Are your nonprofit’s people managers equipped to lead with clarity and confidence, or just left to figure it out on their own?

In this episode, I take a deep dive into how to develop nonprofit people managers using proven learning and development strategies. With a focus on building leadership through competency models, coaching, enablement, and accountability, you’ll discover how to build confident, capable staff who can lead, not just execute. 

▶️ Key Points:

02:58 Identifying competencies with a needs analysis

06:51 Training options

09:05 The role of coaching in nonprofit leadership development

10:59 Enablement & accountability

12:40 Preventing burnout

14:05 Planning for staff transitions

Resources:

Workshop: How to Diagnose Learning Needs That Drive Action

• August 6, 11:00–12:30 CT, Zoom
•  $49 (free for Nonprofit L&D Collective Catalysts)

Needs Analysis Episodes:

• 129: Designing for Behavior Change? Your Training Needs Analysis Blueprint
• 128: Three Ways to Identify Training Audience Needs
• 89: One Needs Analysis Method That Can Improve Your Nonprofit Training

109: How to Develop Your People Managers with Off-the-Shelf Courses & Customized Conversations

105: 5 Keys to Great Nonprofit Leadership

133: The Surprising Power of Cross-Sector Coaching with Bob Tiede

120: People Manager Development: How to Transfer Skills Beyond the Classroom with Kamaria Scott

118: How to Create Belonging and Connection at Work with Abigail Finck

140: The Role of L&D in Succession Planning with Naomi Hattaway

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Learning for Good, we explore how nonprofit leaders can navigate the complexities of global teams with guest Dr. Lori Beyar, Global VP of Strategy & Organizational Development at Cru. If your nonprofit is scaling across borders, or even just managing diverse teams, you’ll want to hear this conversation on nonprofit leadership development, building trust, and creating high-performing multicultural teams.

We dive deep into how to build a foundation for consistent performance across teams by cultivating awareness, acceptance, and appreciation. 

▶️ Leading Across Borders? How to Build High-Performing Nonprofit Teams Anywhere in the World 

▶️ Key Points:

01:20 Miscommunication at work often starts with mismatched expectations

03:18 Meet Dr. Lori Beyar and her global leadership development work

05:52 Lori’s unexpected path to executive coaching

08:35 Key principles for building trust across cultures

12:30 The 3 A’s: Awareness, Acceptance, Appreciation

21:08  Identifying the difference between the result and the path to result

26:05 Advice for nonprofit leaders working across cultures

Resources from this episode:

The Culture Map by Erin Meyer

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Lori

LinkedIn: Dr. Lori Beyar

Website: cru.org

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Nonprofit leadership development hinges on the ability to bring people together while still moving projects forward. In this episode of Learning for Good, I dive into how inclusive decision making can elevate your training and leadership initiatives without stalling progress.

Using real-life examples, I share ten practical strategies to lead collaborative projects while staying focused on outcomes. You’ll learn how to clarify roles, create psychological safety, and ensure that every voice is heard, especially when implementing learning and development strategies across teams.

▶️ Collaboration Without Chaos: 10 Inclusive Decision Making Practices for Nonprofit Leaders 

▶️ Key Points:

[01:20] How working with nonprofits differs from working with other industries

[01:55] The challenges of collaboration

[02:53] 10 Ways to  facilitate inclusive decision making in learning and leadership development projects.

Resources from this episode:

Episode 95: 5 Things to Include in Your Training Project Kickoff

Episode 126: How to Conduct a Training Project Debrief

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

When nonprofits scale programs too quickly without the right foundation, teams experience burnout, confusion, and inconsistent outcomes. In this episode of Learning for Good, I unpack the role of learning and development strategies in sustainable growth - and why scaling success starts with your people, not just your program.

You’ll learn how to build infrastructure and clarity, develop staff capacity through behavior-based training, and ensure long-term success through continuous improvement strategies.

▶️ Scale Smarter, Not Harder: A Better Way to Grow Nonprofit Programs 

▶️ Key Points:

01:19 Common breakdowns in scaling nonprofit programs

03:56 Why clarity is the foundation of effective scaling

05:01 What capacity really means and why training is key

07:55 Continuous improvement through data and communication

Resources from this episode:

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Succession planning may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about nonprofit leadership development, but it should be. In this episode, I sit down with transition strategist Naomi Hattaway to explore what it really takes to ensure leadership continuity and why it's a core part of any learning and development strategy.

With executive turnover on the rise and funding environments shifting, organizations can’t afford to leave leadership transitions to chance. Succession planning supports not only operational stability but also employee trust, team morale, and long-term mission impact.

▶️ Not Just an HR Problem: The Role of L&D in Succession Planning 

▶️ Key Points:

01:20 Why turnover hurts mission impact

03:20 Naomi’s background, career journey, and how she got into succession planning

09:05 What succession planning really means for nonprofits

11:27 How succession planning aligns with learning and development

15:00 Tips for integrating L&D with your succession plan

17:03 Questions L&D leaders can ask to influence succession conversations

21:28 Proactive steps and final advice for nonprofit teams

Resources from this episode:

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Naomi

LinkedIn: Naomi Hattaway

Website: naomihattaway.com 

Connect with Heather

LinkedIn: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

If training alone isn't moving the needle, it’s time to bring coaching into the equation. In this episode, I share how nonprofit leaders can use three simple yet powerful coaching questions to drive behavior change and improve staff performance, without micromanaging.

You’ll discover why traditional training isn’t always enough and how coaching can help build autonomy and accountability. These coaching questions are rooted in the Situation-Behavior-Impact framework for feedback and can be taught to people managers or used with external partners. 

▶️ Stop (only) Training. Start Coaching. How to Improve Staff Performance 

▶️ Key Points:

00:58 Coaching vs. directive management

02:35 Why training alone isn't enough

03:47 Three coaching questions to improve staff performance

06:55 The bonus question that unlocks ownership

Resources from this episode:

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Heather

Linkedin: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms

Creating meaningful change through staff training and development in a nonprofit can feel overwhelming, especially when you're the only one driving it. In this episode, I talk with Jamie Bussey, Senior Director of Learning and Development at the National Audubon Society.

Jamie joined Audubon as a team of one, inheriting a blank slate and a whole lot of opportunity. She shares how she used a needs assessment to guide her strategy, implemented scalable solutions like a learning management system and coaching programs, and launched a comprehensive people manager training called "Leading the Flock."

▶️ Leading Change and Navigating Challenges as a New L&D Leader with Jamie Bussey 

▶️ Key Points:

03:14 Jamie's career journey from journalism to nonprofit L&D

05:19 Starting L&D from scratch: challenges and early wins

09:56 Designing “Leading the Flock” for people managers

14:46 Creating a robust training program 

17:02 Overcoming resistance and building credibility

21:54 Advice for L&D leaders starting from scratch in a nonprofit

Resources from this episode:

Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective

Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇

Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗

Connect with Jamie

Linkedin: Jamie Bussey

Connect with Heather

Linkedin: Heather Burright

Website: skillmastersmarket.com

Book an interest call with Heather here.

Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.

Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!

Produced by Ideablossoms