The Nonprofit Edge

The Nonprofit Edge: A Conversation with Dr. Brian Evans - Episode 18

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The Cost of Doing Good: Redesigning Leadership and Success

What if one of the biggest challenges facing nonprofit leaders today isn’t strategy, fundraising, or governance… but the hidden cost of doing good?

In this thought-provoking episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney sits down with Dr. Brian Evans to explore a reality many leaders feel but rarely articulate.

Across the sector, an unspoken equation persists:

Do more with less.
Give more than you receive.
Sustain impact at personal cost.

Over time, that equation leads to burnout, strained leadership teams, and organizations that are effective, but not sustainable.

This conversation challenges that model.

Together, Chris and Brian unpack:

  • Why burnout has become normalized in mission-driven work
  • The hidden patterns shaping nonprofit leadership and decision-making
  • How inherited beliefs about scarcity and sacrifice limit growth
  • What it means to redefine success beyond trade-offs
  • Practical ways leaders can create alignment between impact and sustainability

    • This episode goes beyond tactics. It offers a deeper lens on leadership itself, one that invites nonprofit leaders to think differently about how they operate, how they lead, and what is truly possible.

    If you’ve ever felt the weight of leadership or questioned whether there is a better way, this conversation will resonate.

     

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