Stress Test? Love Fest!
A 3-5 minute read written by Joan Marie Godoy.
There’s a few common sayings in the business world that the social impact sector has started to respect, follow, and adopt:
“Leadership is lonely.”
“Cash is king.”
“Hire slow. Fire fast”.
If you have said them (to me) before, don’t feel bad as they’re oftentimes true and come from lived experience. There’s definitely historical lessons embedded in them that we can learn from and incorporate into how we run for-impact ventures.
I just happen to refuse to believe that all things that have shaped our past, will shape our future. I then bring you some recent, real-life stories and a few alternatives for you, my dear + brave + resilient + relentless change-making leaders, to consider ;).
1. COMMUNITY IS LEADERSHIP’S SOURCE OF OXYGEN.
Leadership doesn’t need to feel lonely, nor happen behind closed doors. Why does one person need to be the sole holder of information and THE decision-maker, especially in tough times? Who are we to design other people’s futures? As I’m getting ready to celebrate my 5-year leadership journey as the owner and CEO of Radical Partners, I’m reflecting back on the challenge of reshaping an organization in the middle of the 2020 pandemic. Since then, I’ve led it to grow twice its size: double the team, double the revenue, and quadrupled our now international impact. Fast forward to today, some recent political leadership decisions (no air space in here for any of them!) have impacted the direction of some of our biggest funders and clients (we miss you!) and have shaken our always-evolving-revenue-model.
A few weeks back, I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t focus on trying to find the balance between bold impact moves, smart business decisions, and a kind work culture. How did I get out of there? By opening up to my team and my closest friends. I shared information with them. In tears, I shared my feelings with them and outlined scenarios to them. THEY had ideas and sprinkles of courage I couldn’t get myself. WE made decisions together. WE will navigate the circumstances and consequences together.
They were my oxygen to get back to my center, to reconnect with my mission, and double down on ours: accelerate social impact, especially in times of crisis.
2. EVERYONE’S LIFE MATTERS AS MUCH AS YOUR CASH’S LIFE.
If cash is king but kings aren’t the ones that rule all territories anymore, shall we venerate it at all costs? Including at the cost of quality or impact? I dare to disagree. We should protect it, yes, and we should also protect queens (both figuratively and literally), peasants, all humans AND animals. Add our planet to your list please.
I’ve been advised to protect cash to protect myself and to protect this organization. But why? Is the organization more important than the people who keep it alive? Am I more important than all of them?
I suggest we find something in the middle. If your organization is impacting lives, try your best to keep it afloat by protecting some cash while also gambling a bit to innovate, to keep investing in your team, and to enjoy your leadership journey at every single stage. The success of your leadership, your team, or your organization doesn’t depend only on you. There are things we can’t control, so we might as well try to not get sick in the process and live a joyful life; most of us have chosen to live or spend it this way, so lucky us.
3. HIRE AUTHENTICALLY. CLOSE OUT WITH DIGNITY.
None of us really knows what will happen tomorrow. Some leaders and organizations have the privilege of having runways of more than 1 year and projecting accordingly. In the social impact sector, it’s the minority of us. So we might as well say it and share it from the beginning. You will want to hire the humans who understand that, the ones who are brave enough to hustle with you, and the ones who are idealistic enough to build with you.
There will be times when heroic grant-makers pause their giving, financial commitments already made aren’t happening after all, and expected payments have months of delay, just like we’ve seen and felt in the last 3 months. A real life stress test. We will all be screwed for a bit. By we, I mean all of us. Why, you ask? Because most leaders and organizations go into survival mode, tap into their competitive spirit, and most importantly, stop change-making strategically.
Radical Partners was not exempt from the delays or the changes in giving strategies. I know we’re not alone (10+ organizations have asked us for support in strategic planning) in having to shrink or shift our operations to focus on what matters most to stay true to our mission. We laid off people early and slowly to pour as many resources as possible into them and help them transition into the next stage of their careers with excitement and dignity.
In the midst of it all, we are turning this stress test into a love fest!
Four of our very own radical partners packed up their power recently and are ready to take it elsewhere. If you are, or anyone you know is, thriving and ready to hire:
Parvati Villarba, our Communications Coordinator for 3 years, is eager to take on roles in newsletter strategy, content writing, web copy, or editorial work — ideally at an intentional pace that supports accessibility and balance. They thrive in environments where communications are thoughtful and reflective, rather than high-volume or reactionary.
Kimberly Wellington, our Community Engagement Manager for 2 years, is exploring roles in experiential marketing, brand strategy, or client experience. With her heart-forward approach, she would be an incredible asset to any company building something cool.
Charlotte Erixon, our Programs Associate for 2 years, is ready to lean into UX/UI design, digital storytelling, and building tools that create connection. She brings a user-centered approach and has supported both virtual and in-person programs through beautifully designed resources and platforms.
And Sada Ortiz, my virtual assistant for 1 year, is prepared to support high functioning leaders through executive assistance or HR support, especially within collaborative teams. Her warmth and service orientation make her a great teammate.
If you made it up to here, I hope you’ve gained a thing or two, or at least feel less alone in navigating interesting times then and again. We love being your Radical Partners, and we’re going nowhere.
The universe (and the market) is asking us to rethink our priorities and get creative about how we can accelerate impact these days. You can follow along what we’ll be up to here and/or donate to us here to make my leadership journey a little bit easier ;). I’d appreciate that tremendously and hug you accordingly.
We got this, if we’re smart and together, my dear + brave + resilient + relentless change-making friends.
Onward!