I found the Columbus Foundation learning session this week to be especially helpful. I have been interested in leadership and succession planning for a long time. When I left my last position to return to school, I had created a “Leslie Knope-esque” binder to give to my successor that included lists of who to call if an answer could not be found in the binder. My successor later told me that she refers to my binder as “The Bible” and still uses it now, a year later. I was obsessed with leaving her in a good position not only because I had walked into many situations where the person before me did not care, but because the people I served were counting on me to make sure they were taken care of. And that is why succession planning for nonprofit organizations matters so much! Because the work we do REALLY matters.

I also loved hearing from both Elizabeth and Nicholas about their leadership styles, and the tidbits of information they were able to share about their experiences thus far in their careers. I can relate to Elizabeth’s constant pursuit of “what she wants to be when she grows up” and Nicholas’ emphasis on trusting your team and always having a servant focus on the work. But perhaps most impactful was the call from both of them to protect our own mental well-being so we can show up for others. Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles are making news for doing just that, and I think it is so important when doing meaningful (and sometimes exhausting) work. As we become leaders, knowing that we cannot pour from an empty cup, and recharging in ways that work for us, will make us great.