If you’re too busy doing the work to talk about the work, you’re not alone.Most nonprofit leaders, organizers, and helpers don’t have the time — or the staff — to stop and share the story behind what they’re building.You’re trying to keep the programs running, meet needs, hold your team together, and somehow still show up tomorrow.Telling the story? It feels like one more heavy lift you don't have capacity for.I get it. But here’s the hard truth: The world won't know the impact unless you tell them.Funders won’t see the daily miracles.Partners won’t understand the struggles you’re navigating.Communities won't realize the quiet victories you’re winning.You don’t have to craft a polished brand or a picture-perfect highlight reel.You just have to start telling the truth.💬 In this video:• Why your story deserves to be told — even when you're exhausted• How sharing small, real moments can build bigger understanding• Simple ways to tell your story without needing a full-time PR team✨ Your work matters. Your voice matters.Even if it feels messy, unfinished, or too small — tell it anyway.🔔 Subscribe to The Leadership We Need Now for real-world leadership insights rooted in compassion, clarity, and courage.🔗 Connect with me at AppalachianInnovation.org📬 Join the newsletter for leadership tools and updates

Leadership today demands more courage than ever.In a time when government decisions feel cruel, unnecessary, and destabilizing—and when so many helpers don’t even know if they’ll have jobs or contracts in a few months—leadership can feel impossibly heavy.But leadership isn’t about having all the answers.It's about standing steady when everything around you shifts. It's about moving forward with heart, clarity, and resilience, even when the future feels impossible to predict.In this video, I’m sharing reflections and strategies for leading through uncertainty with courage—and why understanding your own emotions and values is more critical than ever.💬 I'd love to hear: How are you finding courage in these uncertain times?🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about real leadership at The Leadership We Need Now—where care is power, and clarity is the strategy.

Avoiding conflict may feel safer — but it’s quietly holding you and your team back.In this video, I’m unpacking why conflict is actually a powerful leadership tool when handled with respect and clarity. You’ll learn how to shift from dodging disagreement to using it as a way to strengthen communication, trust, and collaboration.What you’ll discover:✅ How conflict can build better leaders and stronger teams✅ Why avoiding disagreement damages trust✅ Simple strategies for leading healthy, productive conversations✅ The mindset that turns tension into a catalyst for growthIf you want stronger communication, healthier workplace culture, and more effective leadership, this conversation is for you.

Being a nonprofit leader today means more than delivering services—it means advocating for change.In this video, we talk about why helping isn’t enough anymore—and why advocacy is essential to real leadership.If you’ve ever felt like speaking up is too risky or 'too political,' you’re not alone. But staying silent also carries a cost.Helping people means standing with them and using your voice when systems fail.💬 I'd love to hear: What’s one issue you believe nonprofits should be speaking up about right now?🔔 Subscribe to The Leadership We Need Now for more conversations about courageous leadership, advocacy, and standing with our communities.

In leadership, understanding others starts with understanding yourself.In this video, we talk about how self-awareness is the foundation of real leadership—especially when you’re navigating complex relationships and challenging environments.I’ll share why emotional intelligence, personality insights, and reflection aren't 'soft skills'—they're the essential skills we need right now.💬 Tell me in the comments: What's one thing you’ve learned about yourself that's helped you lead better?🔔 If this resonates with you, don't forget to subscribe and join us at The Leadership We Need Now—where care is power, and clarity is the strategy.

Too many women in leadership start their sentences with “I’m sorry” or “I don’t mean to be…” — even when they’re right, clear, and confident.It’s time to stop apologizing for being a strong, capable leader.In this video, I share:✅ Why women leaders often feel pressured to soften their voices✅ How self-deprecating language chips away at authority✅ Ways to communicate clearly without diminishing your value✅ Strategies for changing how you talk about yourself — and how others see youIf you’re a woman leading a team, a business, or a community, this is your reminder to own your voice, your expertise, and your presence.📌 Subscribe for more conversations on kind, courageous, and authentic leadership:https:‪@TheLeadershipWeNeedNow‬

How do you know when it’s time to quit… or when to keep pushing through?In this video, I explore one of the hardest questions leaders face: Do I double down and work harder, or is it time to pivot, pause, or let go?We’ll talk about:✔️ The balance between instinct and rational decision-making✔️ How to separate fear and outside noise from true gut instinct✔️ Why quitting isn’t failure — and sometimes is the bravest choice✔️ Practical tips for evaluating when to push harder and when to change directionLeadership isn’t always about powering through — it’s about discernment, courage, and authenticity.👉 Watch, reflect, and share your thoughts in the comments: How do YOU know when it’s time to pivot vs. push through?If you found this helpful, don’t forget to:👍 Like this video🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on compassionate and courageous leadership🌐 Visit us at https://appalachianinnovation.org/

The Leadership We Need Now is hosted by Stacie Dei - nonprofit leader, coach, and founder of the Appalachian Innovation Collective. This podcast is for the people holding it all together: nonprofit directors, middle managers, consultants, and quiet change makers navigating the messy middle of leadership.

Here, care is power, empathy is strategy, and kindness is clarity. This is compassionate leadership - not a buzzword, but a force for building strong teams, facing burnout, and leading with strength and softness.

Rooted in rural resilience, The Leadership We Need Now offers grounded, honest conversations for those working in under-resourced places with over-committed people. If you’re stuck between your team and your board, your mission and your burnout, you’re not alone. Let’s lead with heart, clarity, and courage - together.