The Six Daily Habits That Make Leadership Feel Less Heavy Leadership doesn't have to feel like a grind. But too often, nonprofit women leaders are overwhelmed, doubting themselves, and feeling like they're constantly “on.” This episode is an invitation to rethink what strong leadership actually looks like. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing things differently. Kathy and Kimberley walk us through the six core practices from Character Driven Leadership for Women. These practices help you ...
Jul 16, 2025•42 min•Ep. 116
How to lead your nonprofit with intention In this episode, Kimberley McKenzie and Kathy Archer introduce the “Infinite Leadership Loop,” which is a reflective cycle of pausing, pondering, pivoting, and proceeding. They explore how embracing that loop transforms overwhelm into flow and helps nonprofit women leaders navigate change with confidence and grace. Each time your team or role shifts, it’s not failure, it’s forward motion. Nonprofit women leaders often step into roles prematurely or with...
Jul 16, 2025•33 min•Ep. 115
Why Character Driven Leadership Matters to You as a Nonprofit Woman Leader In this warm and conversational episode, Kimberley and Kathy dig into how women nonprofit leaders often neglect defining their character, end up burned out, and feel stuck responding to crisis rather than leading with purpose. They show that character isn’t just aspirational values—it’s what others experience from you day to day. Through real stories—like the HR decision to gently notify someone ahead of a layoff—you’...
Jul 16, 2025•36 min•Ep. 114
Feeling Stretched Too Thin? This Episode Is for You If slowing down feels impossible right now, you're not alone. In this powerful conversation, Kathy and Kimberley explore why taking a pause is essential for nonprofit women leaders, and why it's so hard to actually do. You'll walk away with validation, practical tools, and a fresh mindset to help you lead with more calm, clarity, and confidence. 💬 Why This Conversation Matters for Women in Nonprofit Leadership Do you ever feel like you need to...
Jul 16, 2025•36 min•Ep. 113
Three nonprofit leadership mistakes we made | With Kimberly MacKenzie Nonprofit leaders often fall into leadership, feeling called to serve, but end up overwhelmed, burned out, and disconnected from who they truly are. In this conversation, Kathy Archer and Kimberley MacKenzie share the three mistakes they made in leadership and what actually helped them lead sustainably while staying aligned with their values and strengths. They discuss why leading like others doesn’t work, why working harder o...
Jul 11, 2025•30 min•Ep. 112
Strategies for Leading Change in Nonprofit Organizations I wanted to share a conversation I had on the Nonprofit Digital Success Podcast with David from WOW Digital about managing change effectively while maintaining a balanced, values-driven leadership approach. In this episode, we unpack why nonprofit leaders struggle with change, how to navigate the messy middle, and practical frameworks to lead with confidence without sacrificing your team’s buy-in or your own peace of mind. If you enjoy thi...
Jul 03, 2025•27 min•Ep. 111
You’ve tried all the time hacks, and they don’t work! Here’s what actually works You’ve downloaded the planners. But somehow, the overwhelm keeps coming back. Why? 🤷♀️ Because no one told you how your emotions are driving your to-do list. In this episode, you’ll hear two AI podcasters breaking down my course, The Emotions of Time Management, and why traditional systems fall short for nonprofit leaders. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why time, focus, and energy—not time alone—are your true leadership...
May 01, 2025•24 min•Ep. 110
Thinking About Leaving Your Role? Here’s How to Prepare Your Team and Board Now If you’re a nonprofit leader—even just thinking about stepping back in the next few years—this episode is for you. In this conversation I had with Mary Barroll from Charity Village for their CharityVillage Connects podcast, I talk about the real reasons we’re facing a leadership crisis in the nonprofit sector… and why so many transitions fall apart. Key take-a-ways from this episode You’ve been quietly wondering: H...
Mar 21, 2025•29 min•Ep. 109
Feeling stuck in survival mode as a nonprofit leader? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m diving deep into my new book, Character Driven Leadership for Women, sharing the transformative journey that led me to create a powerful 5-step leadership framework. What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why survival mode keeps you stuck and how to break free. ✔️ The 3 traps women leaders fall into: Pleasing, Performing, and Perfecting. ✔️ How to align your leadership style with your values to lead with integrity. ✔️ Th...
Mar 01, 2025•9 min•Ep. 108
The Leadership Trap That’s Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode Ever feel like leadership just doesn’t feel right? Like you’re playing a role that isn’t really you? You’re not alone. Many women leaders feel off because they’ve been taught to lead in a way that doesn’t align with who they truly are. In this episode, I’m sharing a powerful framework from my newest book, Character Driven Leadership for Women , to help you lead authentically, tap into your strengths, and break free from leadership tha...
Feb 12, 2025•4 min•Ep. 107
Nonprofit Leadership Goals That Stick: Avoid These 10 Common Mistakes Are your leadership goals setting you up for success or frustration? In this episode, I break down the 10 most common mistakes nonprofit leaders make when setting their goals and, more importantly, how to fix them. Whether you're struggling to balance personal and professional goals, feeling stuck on how to create an actionable plan, or unsure how to celebrate progress, this episode is packed with strategies to help you thrive...
Jan 09, 2025•24 min•Ep. 106
Goal Setting Magic: How to Create Leadership Goals That Work Do you set leadership goals but struggle to make them actionable or find the time to achieve them? In this episode of Surviving to Thriving , we dive into the art of goal setting and uncover strategies to help you achieve meaningful progress in your leadership journey. Discover how short-term, actionable goals can transform your leadership skills, create focus, and help you feel more confident and composed. Whether it’s improving team ...
Dec 30, 2024•19 min•Ep. 105
If you're a nonprofit leader wanting to grow, lead confidently, and make an impact, a year-end review is a step you can’t afford to skip! In this episode, I walk you through why reviewing the past year is the key to unlocking your leadership potential. You’ll learn how to reflect strategically, recognize your growth, and set the foundation for success in the new year. Grab the free worksheet I mentioned below to guide your reflection process, and join me on January 8th to develop your Leadership...
Dec 17, 2024•24 min•Ep. 104
How I Found My Leadership Voice in the Nonprofit World In this episode of the Surviving to Thriving Podcast, I continue my personal journey of becoming a confident leader while aligning my work with my values and finding work-life balance. This is the second part of my conversation with David from Career Conversations. I discuss the tools and training I used to navigate two leadership lows and learn to lead effectively. I address common struggles for women leaders in non-profits, such as lack of...
Nov 19, 2024•26 min•Ep. 103
How I Survived—and Thrived—in Nonprofit Leadership: A Guide for Women Leaders Have you ever felt overwhelmed stepping into a nonprofit leadership role without specific training to support the transition? I did! And It was hard. Hi, I’m Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer, and in this first part of a two-part series, I’ll share my personal journey from leaving home to college, frontline work, then transition into nonprofit leadership, I’ll be highlighting the challenges I faced and how she ...
Nov 06, 2024•26 min•Ep. 102
Hey, Nonprofit leaders.... Have you ever sat in a room full of confident leaders and wondered, ' "What am I even doing here?” That feeling of not measuring up? It’s called imposter syndrome—and it’s more common than you think. This episode is for you if you’ve ever doubted your leadership abilities. In this episode, I open up about my own struggles with self-doubt, the moment I realized I wasn’t alone, and how I discovered that leading authentically is far more powerful than trying to fit a moul...
Oct 19, 2024•9 min•Ep. 101
Handling difficult discussions with your staff can feel overwhelming and stressful, whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to management. But what if you could turn these corrective conversations into opportunities for growth? In this episode, Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer shares a three-step framework designed to help you navigate corrective conversations confidently. You will shift from dreading an awkward conversation to fostering your employee development, Follow the three-step ...
Oct 04, 2024•15 min•Ep. 100
Catching Up: New Book, Leadership Insights, and Life Updates In this episode, I update you on my recent activities, including my work on a new book, "Character Driven Leadership for Women," due in March 2025. This book is for nonprofit women leaders who want to lead authentically. Here's a little summary of the book: Reputation, integrity, character: this guide will show women leaders how to lead with confidence, build trust with your team, take ownership of your behaviour, grow your strengths, ...
Sep 18, 2024•10 min•Ep. 99
Unlocking Effective Leadership: Moving Beyond Training to Character-Driven Leadership Are you a woman leader in the nonprofit sector feeling overwhelmed and grappling with imposter syndrome? Learn why traditional nonprofit training falls short Discover how to elevate your leadership effectiveness Get excited about a transformative path to character-driven leadership. Highlights from the episode: The Flaw in Nonprofit Leadership Training You're not alone if you've attended leadership training but...
Mar 23, 2024•10 min•Ep. 98
How to create your own leadership personal and professional curriculum Effective leaders create their own personal and professional development curriculum. They do not wait for their organization to do it for them or for their boss to tell them how. They do it themselves. They take their development into their own hands. To excel in leadership, you must make personal and professional development a priority. You do that by investing time, energy, money, and focus into developing yourself and also...
Dec 21, 2023•12 min•Ep. 97
3 tips for managing priorities for nonprofit leaders This episode is crafted to help you, the busy nonprofit leader, enhance your leadership skills by refining your approach to tasks, focus and priorities to foster a productive organizational culture. In this episode, Kathy highlights the importance of understanding your emotions, values, and beliefs and how these factors impact your approach to time management, particularly in leadership roles and especially in the nonprofit and social profit s...
Dec 12, 2023•18 min•Ep. 96
Navigating Team Management: Essentials for Leadership Excellence In this episode, you will learn the crucial aspects of managing your nonprofit team effectively. This is the third video in the Invest in Your Leadership Excellence series. We discuss the significance of investing your time, energy, and focus into learning to manage yourself, your team and your priorities. 🖥 In this video, you’ll learn the three key focus areas that are essential for managing your team: 1️⃣ Care about them 2️⃣ Giv...
Nov 29, 2023•13 min•Ep. 95
It is extremely important to manage yourself to be an effective nonprofit leader. This podcast shares three pillars of self-leadership * Manage your Essence * Manage your Emotions * Manage your Energy - You’ll learn the importance of authenticity and aligning personal values with leadership styles - You’ll discover the role of personal and professional development in leadership excellence - You’ll get tips on how to manage your energy and emotions. The resources and exercises provided aim to hel...
Nov 15, 2023•14 min•Ep. 94
The Importance of Personal and Professional Development for Women Leading in Nonprofits The Surviving to Thriving Podcast # 93 Welcome to the INVESTING IN YOUR LEADERSHIP SERIES, where you are going to learn the 3 pillars of development that you, as a nonprofit woman leader, need to invest in that will help you: 👉 Build your CONFIDENCE 👉 Learn how to maintain your COMPOSURE 👉 Lead with your strength of CHARACTER In this episode, you will learn what survival mode is and why it’s harming your a...
Nov 01, 2023•12 min•Ep. 93
Are you tired of constantly feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? I totally get it. 🙋♀️I’ve got a new resource for you Learn more in this episode of the Surviving to Thriving Podcast *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library Membership Site. Learn more here *-*-*-*-*-* ABOUT Kathy *-*-*-*-*-* Hi, I am Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer. I help women lea...
Jun 23, 2023•4 min•Ep. 92
Do you want to lead with purpose and integrity? Then you need to prioritize your values, ethics, and morals in your leadership journey. When you align your beliefs with your actions, you can positively and ethically impact your organization and inspire others to do the same. *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library Membership Site. Learn more here COURSE: Values Verification: ...
Jun 02, 2023•19 min•Ep. 91
Can't divide your time equally? That's okay! Embrace the ebb and flow of life and give yourself permission to lean into what matters most at different times *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library Membership Site. Learn more here *-*-*-*-*-* ABOUT Kathy *-*-*-*-*-* Hi, I am Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer. I help women leaders ditch survival mode and enjoy impactful...
May 19, 2023•15 min•Ep. 90
Leadership isn't only about outward success. It starts from within. In this episode of the Surviving to Thriving Podcast, you will learn the importance of personal development work in leadership, the four building blocks of the Intentional Leadership Model, and how to apply them to lead your nonprofit with confidence and authenticity. *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library...
May 05, 2023•25 min•Ep. 89
Don't settle for a workplace culture that doesn't inspire and engage you and your team. Learn Tune in to discover a continuum of workplace cultures, from toxic to magnetic, and learn how to become a thriving leader who creates a magnetic workplace! *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library Membership Site Episode # 17- Ditch Survival Mode! Learn how to thrive in both leadership...
Apr 20, 2023•13 min•Ep. 88
Nonprofit leaders, in this episode, you will discover valuable tips to improve productivity, manage distractions, and get done what matters most on your to-do list! *-*-*-*-*-* LINKS Mentioned *-*-*-*-*-* 🔗 MEMBERSHIP: Imagine getting the leadership training you need when you need it! You can when you join The Training Library Membership Site. Learn more here https://www.kathyarcher.com/library.html *-*-*-*-*-* ABOUT Kathy *-*-*-*-*-* 🙋♀️ Hi, I am Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer. I ...
Mar 30, 2023•14 min•Ep. 87
