Nonprofit Leadership Institute

Thursday, June 11, 2026. 8:30 AM - 3 PM

Kathryn Wilemon Lake House Event Center

Group discount of $100 each for 5 or more tickets.

8:30 - 9 AM Check-in/Continental Breakfast

9 - 10:05 AM Dr. Colton Strawser, Ph.D.

Stop Leading Softly: Strategic Leadership for Nonprofit Impact

Nonprofit leaders are often encouraged to embrace servant leadership—to prioritize others, build consensus, and lead with humility. While these qualities have value, they are not enough to meet the growing complexity, urgency, and accountability demands facing today’s nonprofit organizations.

This session challenges the overreliance on servant leadership as the dominant framework in the sector. Nonprofits do not just need supportive leaders—they need decisive, strategic leaders who can navigate ambiguity, make difficult choices, allocate scarce resources effectively, and drive measurable impact.

Participants will explore a range of leadership styles—including strategic, adaptive, transformational, and situational leadership—and examine when and how each approach is most effective. The session will also highlight the core competencies required of high-performing nonprofit leaders, including strategic thinking, data-informed decision-making, financial stewardship, and organizational alignment.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of their own leadership tendencies, practical tools to strengthen their decision-making capacity, and a framework for leading with both clarity and accountability in mission-driven environments.

10:15 - 11:45 AM, Irish Burch

Leadership That Performs Under Pressure

Lunch, 12 - 1:20 PM

1:15 - 2:45 PM

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