Leading with purpose: Practical tips for purpose-driven work

Diligent
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Strong and adaptable leadership is essential for nonprofits and public sector organizations to thrive. Each episode of our limited podcast series brings you in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders in nonprofit governance and public service, focusing on different topics. These conversations will bring you actionable insights, fresh perspectives and proven strategies to strengthen board leadership and tackle the challenges your board faces. 

  1. 2 days ago

    Aligning storytelling with mission metrics for impact

    As nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations face growing pressure to demonstrate impact, boards need more than just numbers. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Jennifer McKenzie, founder of Organised Synergy, and Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute,  explore how storytelling and mission metrics work together to help boards communicate impact with greater clarity, credibility and confidence. The conversation covers how boards can identify the right mission measures, use data more strategically, strengthen fundraising and donor engagement, and build trust through authentic storytelling. Jennifer and Dottie share practical advice on board development, the role of technology in supporting mission impact, and how nonprofits can approach AI responsibly while uncovering new insights from their data. Stay tuned to the end to hear Jennifer and Dottie's advice on the single most important thing boards can do to better connect mission metrics, storytelling and mission impact. Further resources on board mission measurement and advocacy How to leverage data for your mission-driven organization's successHow nonprofit boards can unlock digital advocacy and crush it on Linkedin

  2. 27 Jul

    How school boards benefit from student voice through representation

    Student voice is most powerful when it’s more than feedback but actually part of governance. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Zachary Patterson, co-founder of the National Student Board Member Association and former student board member, explores how school boards can meaningfully include students in decision-making. We discuss the unique perspective student board members bring, why representation matters, and what separates genuine participation from a symbolic seat at the table. The conversation also covers practical ways boards can better support student board members through onboarding, training, access to information and technology, and stronger relationships with board leaders. Be sure to listen to the end, where Zachary shares the one action every board can take in the next 30–60 days to better support and empower its student board members.  The Edvanced Cohort Diligent, the National Student Board Members Association (NSBMA) and the Consortium for State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) are proud to collaborate on a national professional development initiative to support students serving on district governing boards called The Edvanced Cohort. Inquiries from districts that wish to submit their student representative for consideration for the 2026-2027 cohort are currently being accepted, find out more here.

  3. 6 Jul

    How mission-driven boards can evaluate themselves (and improve)

    Board self-assessment is one of the most effective, and often overlooked, tools for strengthening governance. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, governance experts Barbara Paxton of BoardStrong and Steve Schroeder, former school board member and governance leader, explore how mission-driven boards can turn self-evaluation from a box-ticking exercise into a catalyst for continuous improvement. They discuss why many boards struggle with self-assessment, the key areas boards should evaluate, and practical ways to gather honest feedback, build trust, and turn insights into meaningful action. They also share how regular self-evaluation can strengthen board engagement, accountability and mission impact.  Be sure to listen to the end of the episode, where Barbara and Steve share their top advice for boards looking to get started and build a stronger culture of continuous improvement. Further resources on board self-assessment Self-assessments for transformative public school boardsA checklist for volunteer board self-evaluations

  4. 24 Jun

    How to combat public sector fraud, waste and abuse through smarter technology

    Public sector organisations face mounting pressure to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse but traditional audit methods often fall short. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Diligent experts Jason Venner and Katja Freeman, both former practitioners from federal and state government, explore how audit and finance teams can move from reactive investigations to proactive, technology-driven oversight. Drawing on their experience, they discuss why manual sampling no longer works, how analytics and automation are transforming risk detection, and where leaders can achieve fast, measurable ROI. The conversation also highlights what’s truly at stake: protecting public trust while ensuring every dollar delivers on its intended mission. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode, where Jason and Katja share their top advice for protecting public funds and getting started with a more modern, technology-enabled approach. Further resources on combating waste and fraud: Guide to combating public sector fraud with AI and analytics

  5. 7 May

    How to run efficient meetings with parliamentary rules

    Sarah Merkle is an attorney and certified professional parliamentarian with nearly 25 years of experience helping organisations run fair, efficient and orderly business meetings. Through her work with boards across nonprofit and the public sector, Sarah is known for making parliamentary procedure practical, accessible and relevant for today’s governance challenges. In this episode, we explore why parliamentary rules matter more than ever in a time of low trust and heightened sensitivity to decision‑making processes. Sarah explains what parliamentary procedure really is — and what it isn’t — and why having clear, agreed‑upon rules can actually make meetings smoother, more inclusive and easier to manage. We discuss common misconceptions about parliamentary rules, how they can be misused, and how boards can right‑size and customise procedures to reflect their size, culture and mission. From designing agendas that move decisions forward to encouraging productive participation and preventing meetings from becoming a free‑for‑all, this conversation offers practical guidance boards can apply immediately. Sarah also shares insights on the critical role of the board chair in setting tone, maintaining neutrality and de‑escalating conflict, as well as how technology, including digital agendas, secure voting and online meeting tools, can support clearer, more efficient and compliant meetings. Be sure to listen to the end for Sarah’s best advice for board administrators, chairs and governance professionals looking to use meeting time in service of the mission — not waste it — and to help board members feel heard, respected and engaged, even when decisions are difficult. Further resources on parliamentary procedures:  Download a free Robert’s Rules cheat sheet More helpful tips and resources from Sarah can be found on Civility.co

  6. 26 Mar

    How to design successful orientation for new board members

    Liz Thompson is Executive Assistant to the President, Corporate Secretary, and Corporate Compliance Officer at Presbyterian Senior Care Network. Chandu Vemuri is Executive Assistant for the Board and Superintendent Leadership at Sun Prairie School District in Wisconsin. Together, Liz and Chandu bring deep, hands‑on experience supporting nonprofit and public‑facing boards as they welcome new members into governance. In this conversation, we explore why thoughtful board orientation matters more than ever, what’s at risk when onboarding is rushed or unclear, and how organizations can set new board members up for success from day one. From clarifying roles and legal responsibilities to building confidence, culture, and trust, this episode looks at what effective orientation really takes — especially in highly regulated, highly visible environments like healthcare and public education. Liz and Chandu share practical approaches to self‑guided onboarding, peer mentoring, and using technology to make orientation more accessible, consistent, and engaging. Listen in as they discuss how good orientation strengthens governance over the long term — not just in the first 30 days — and why onboarding should be the start of a continuous learning journey for every board member. And be sure to listen to the end for their best advice for board administrators and clerks looking to move beyond a one‑and‑done orientation and build confident, effective boards. Further resources on board member onboarding: Our guide to onboarding and orienting nonprofit board members can be downloaded here.Our guides to onboarding and orienting public board members can be downloaded for public education and local government.

  7. 27 Feb

    Transparency, trust and the power of public records

    Andrea Messina is CEO of Florida School Boards Association and Kathy McFarland is Executive Director of COSSBA.   Together, Andrea and Kathy bring deep experience supporting school boards and school districts across the country. In our conversation, we explore why transparency is so critical for public-facing boards, where organizations sometimes fall short, and how open meetings, clear communication, and consistent records management help build trust — even when decisions are complex or controversial. From livestreamed meetings and accessible agendas to records retention and board accountability, this Sunshine Week conversation reinforces a core leadership principle: transparency isn’t about doing things perfectly — it’s about doing them openly, consistently and with the public in mind. Listen in as Andrea and Kathy share their advice and experience for public‑facing boards navigating the whole area of transparency. And do stick around to the end to hear their excellent advice for building a strong culture of transparency and trust.  Further resources on transparency for public boards: Our guide to transparency through technology for education can be downloaded here. Our guide to transparency through technology for government can be downloaded here.

  8. 4 Feb

    How to create an AI policy for your mission-driven organization

    Dominique Shelton‑Leipzig is CEO of Global Data Innovation and Dr. Andrea Bonime‑Blanc is founder and CEO of GEC Risk Advisory. In this episode, we explore why AI governance has become such a pressing priority for mission‑driven organizations, we look at where organizations tend to go wrong, and why trust, accuracy and continuous testing must sit at the heart of any AI program. We also talk about the risks of deploying AI without a framework. We discuss the importance of tone from the top, lifecycle oversight, strengthening cybersecurity, and how boards can embed principles like fairness and accountability into daily practice—not just policy documents. Listen now as we explore privacy considerations, bias in AI systems, human‑in‑the‑loop safeguards, third‑party oversight, and why AI policies should be living, breathing documents. And stick around to the end for Dominique and Andrea’s excellent advice for mission‑driven boards for creating AI policy. Further resources on AI governance for mission boards You can find the toolkits mentioned on the podcast along with other useful resources at www.diligent.com/leadingwithpurpose.

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Strong and adaptable leadership is essential for nonprofits and public sector organizations to thrive. Each episode of our limited podcast series brings you in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders in nonprofit governance and public service, focusing on different topics. These conversations will bring you actionable insights, fresh perspectives and proven strategies to strengthen board leadership and tackle the challenges your board faces. 

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