50: The Sabbatical Solution: Normalizing Rest for Executive Directors (with CEO Karen McNeil-Miller)
Send us Fan Mail What if the best thing you can do for your nonprofit isn’t to keep pushing…but to step away and truly rest? In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, Marcia Beckner talks with Karen McNeil-Miller about the power of executive sabbaticals, sustainable leadership, and why nonprofit CEOs shouldn’t have to burn out to prove their commitment. Karen shares how a four-month sabbatical program can strengthen organizations, build leadership benches, support succession plannin...
Sep 8
31 min
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you step into the CEO role after someone else has built the organization from the ground up? In this episode, Marcia talks with Elana Silber, CEO of Sharsheret, about succeeding a founder, honoring a powerful legacy, and finding your own way to lead. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How Elana moved from being the founder’s “number two” to leading the organization. • How to honor a founder’s legacy while allowing the organization to evolve. • How everyday pra...
Sep 1
41 min
Send us Fan Mail The best board meetings don't feel like a reporting session…they feel like a strategic conversation. In this finale episode of the Board-CEO Partnership Series, Marcia sits down with entrepreneur and Zeck co-founder Robert Wolfe to explore why so many board meetings leave everyone frustrated and what leaders can do to change that. After building multiple companies and serving through hundreds of board meetings, Robert recognized a common problem: executives spend enormous amo...
Aug 27
21 min
Send us Fan Mail What separates a board that simply functions from one that truly strengthens the mission? It isn't bigger budgets, better resumes, or more experience. It's the culture the board intentionally creates together. In this final episode of the Board-CEO Partnership Series, I bring together the five elements of the CARES Framework and share why healthy board culture is one of the greatest gifts a board can give its CEO, staff, and community. Small changes in how a board works toget...
Aug 25
10 min
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever left a board meeting wondering why no one spoke up, even though you knew people had something to say? Silence is rarely a sign that everything is fine. More often, it's a sign that people don't feel safe sharing unfinished ideas, asking hard questions, or respectfully disagreeing. In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, I explore why psychological safety is the foundation of healthy board culture and how small moments around the board table shape tru...
Aug 20
7 min
Send us Fan Mail What if the reason your board isn't fully engaged has very little to do with attendance? In this episode of Nonprofit CEO Spark, Marcia explores why board engagement is built through relationships, not just responsibilities. Drawing from my own experience serving on a nonprofit board, she shares how a board can do everything "right" on paper and still miss the connection that turns individual volunteers into a true team. If you want a board that contributes more, ...
Aug 18
14 min
Send us Fan Mail It doesn't take conflict to weaken a board and CEO relationship. Sometimes it starts with people who genuinely want to help. In this episode of Nonprofit CEO Spark, I share a story from my coaching work that highlights how easy it is for well intentioned board members to step into management without realizing the impact. It's an honest conversation about trust, clear roles, and why respect is about more than treating each other well. When everyone understands where their resp...
Aug 13
9 min
Send us Fan Mail You can have a board full of people who care deeply about the mission and still have a CEO who doesn't feel supported. It happens more often than we realize. In this episode, Marcia shares why appreciation is about much more than saying "thank you." It's about creating a board culture where people know their expertise is trusted, their contributions matter, and they're encouraged to keep bringing their best to the organization. In this episode, you'll learn: Why appreciation ...
Aug 11
11 min
Send us Fan Mail It's easy to assume a healthy board is one where everyone shows up, serves on committees, and believes in the mission. But what happens after the meeting often tells the real story. In this episode, Marcia explores why commitment is about far more than attendance. It's about keeping promises, taking ownership, and creating a board culture where CEOs and Executive Directors can focus on leading the mission instead of managing unfinished business. In this episode, you'll ...
Aug 6
7 min
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the first episode of a special 8-part Board-CEO Partnership Series on Nonprofit CEO SPARK! Throughout August 2026, I'll be releasing two short episodes each week to help you strengthen one of the most important relationships in your organization: the partnership between your board and your CEO or Executive Director. Each 8–12 minute episode is packed with practical strategies you can immediately put into action. Together, we'll explore how to build a board cu...
Aug 4
10 min
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