Episode 06: The Inner Work Nonprofit Leaders Avoid and How it Impacts their Teams with Dr. Natalie Pickering
Episode 06: The Inner Work Nonprofit Leaders Avoid and How it Impacts their Teams with Dr. Natalie Pickering
Episode Overview
What happens when a leader becomes so focused on one problem that they stop listening to the people around them?
In this episode of The Crosswind Approach, Michael Baldree, CPA and founder of Crosswind CFO Advisory, shares the story of United Airlines Flight 173 and the leadership lessons that emerged from a tragic accident caused by a breakdown in communication and self-awareness. He connects that story to one of the most overlooked aspects of nonprofit leadership: understanding how your leadership identity impacts the people you lead.
Michael is joined by Dr. Natalie Pickering, organizational psychologist, executive coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Leading Becomes You: A Real World Framework for Leading from the Inside Out. Together, they explore the connection between leadership identity, team trust, psychological safety, burnout, and organizational performance.
If you are a nonprofit leader who wants to improve your leadership effectiveness, strengthen team culture, and better understand how your leadership impacts others, this episode will challenge you to do the inner work that creates lasting organizational impact.
Key Takeaways
Leadership identity shapes leadership effectiveness
Self-awareness is a critical leadership skill
Burnout is often connected to internal leadership conflict
Trust and psychological safety start with the leader
Feedback is essential for leadership growth
Authentic leadership creates stronger teams
Leadership development is more than competencies
Growth requires ongoing self-reflection and awareness
Crosswind Checklist
Diversify your nonprofit's revenue sources
Review your Form 990 regularly for accuracy and completeness
Provide your board with strategic financial dashboards instead of detailed accounting reports
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to The Crosswind Approach and podcast overview
01:35 – The aviation story: United Airlines Flight 173
03:46 – Leadership self-awareness and the lessons from aviation
05:56 – Introduction to Dr. Natalie Pickering
08:15 – How leadership impacts employee well-being
10:36 – Why leadership identity matters more than competencies
13:01 – The cost of leading from an inauthentic version of yourself
15:23 – Understanding your inner leadership terrain
17:50 – The swamp: low identity clarity and low connection
20:13 – How the swamp impacts teams and trust
22:37 – The wasteland: losing connection to yourself
25:13 – The petrified forest: high certainty and low feedback
29:56 – How organizations reinforce unhealthy leadership patterns
32:14 – Diagnosing your leadership terrain
34:18 – The flourishing meadow and authentic leadership
39:02 – Why identity-first leadership matters
41:22 – The Four A's framework for leadership growth
43:41 – A real-world leadership transformation story
48:18 – The impact of leadership growth on teams
50:45 – Is the inner work worth it?
53:09 – Why flourishing is a lifelong leadership journey
55:34 – Practical first steps toward leadership growth
57:52 – Crosswind Checklist: nonprofit financial best practices
59:15 – Final thoughts and closing remarks
Connect:
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbaldree/
Connect with Dr. Natalie Pickering:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnataliepickering/
Website: https://www.doctornataliepickering.com
Get the book:
Leading Becomes You: A Real World Framework for Leading from the Inside Out
https://drnataliepickering.com/book/
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