Let’s do this together: Leading with Compassion in the Social Impact Sector
“We are the angel with the falling halo. We have work to do, work that is achievable … and worth doing.”
If you’ve worked in the nonprofit, charitable, or social profit sector for any amount of time, you’ve likely encountered a disorienting contradiction: an organization with a noble mission — and a culture that doesn’t match it. When I wrote Tarnished, it wasn’t out of bitterness. It was born from deep love and decades of devotion to a sector I believe in — but one that also caused me harm. I’ve been fired from jobs I adored. I’ve had my voice silenced. I’ve watched talented colleagues walk away, not because the mission failed them, but because leadership did.
Yet, this isn’t a story of despair. This is a story of what’s possible.
The Cost of Compassion Fatigue
The social impact sector is filled with some of the most values-driven people you’ll ever meet. But even those with the best of intentions can perpetuate harm — through toxic leadership, unchecked power, or cultures that prioritize output over wellbeing.
The pandemic only accelerated this reckoning. High turnover, burnout, and disillusionment aren’t just symptoms — they’re signals. And it’s time we listen.
What If We Led Differently?
What if we redefined leadership — not as authority, but as stewardship and co-creation?
What if leadership meant:
- Creating cultures of psychological safety
- Modeling emotional agility
- Listening deeply, especially to the voices we rarely hear
- Centering equity and access not just as goals, but as ways of being
- Values based, heartfelt, soulful leadership
In Tarnished, I share stories, mine, and those entrusted to me, of people who loved their work, but left their workplaces.
I also share stories of what works:
– workplaces where empathy is the default, not the exception
– Teams where collaboration thrives
– Boards and CEOs who lead with humility, not hubris.
These aren’t utopias. They’re possible. And increasingly, they’re necessary.
Culture Is a Leadership Choice
The health of your organization isn’t measured just by how much you raise — but how well you care for your people. Culture isn’t soft. It’s strategic. It starts with small, consistent actions:
- Asking your team how they’re really doing
- Acknowledging harm — and committing to repair
- Replacing judgment with curiosity
- Prioritizing leadership development as a retention tool, not an afterthought
Leading Forward
Tarnished was written as a love letter to this sector. But it’s also a challenge. A call-in. An invitation to do the hard but beautiful work of co-creating a sector that reflects the justice for which we fight.
We don’t need to be perfect. We just need to be willing. We need to heal.
So, to the leaders reading this, current and emerging, let’s do this work together. Let’s build workplaces where people don’t just stay but thrive. Let’s be the kind of leaders our missions and our people deserve
Leadership Initiative: Leading with heart, soul & authenticity.
Over forty years in this sector, I’ve seen both the best and the worst of what leadership can be.
I’ve been excluded, overlooked, and underestimated — for my gender, my age, my neurodivergence. I’ve been harassed and harmed in places that claimed to value dignity and inclusion. But I’ve also had the immense privilege of working alongside some of the most values-driven, heart-led people you could ever meet. The kind of people who remind you why this work matters. Who lead not with ego, but with empathy.
And here’s what I’ve learned: we can’t build healthy organizations without investing in the people who lead them.
We need more than technical training. We need space for reflection, healing, and growth. We need communities of practice where leadership is not defined by control, but by care.
That’s why I’m turning my focus to mentorship and leadership development — especially for women, who make up over 70% of this sector in Canada, yet remain underrepresented in senior roles. This isn’t about exclusion; it’s about right-sizing opportunity. When women lead well, systems shift. Cultures change. Entire teams breathe easier.
This is an invitation.
– To funders: support leadership learning the way you fund program delivery.
– To boards: make leadership development part of your strategic plan.
– To sector leaders: create room for courageous conversations.
– To emerging leaders: seek out spaces that nourish your growth.
And yes, if you’re looking for a place to begin, I’ve created a five-week leadership development series designed for women in the sector — one that’s time-sensitive, values-rooted, and built around real talk, not performance. But more than that, I’m building community. A place where we tell the truth, challenge harmful norms, and co-create new ones.
Because leadership isn’t just a title. It’s a daily practice. It’s how we show up for ourselves, for each other, and for the missions we claim to serve.
Let’s make it count. Let’s do this — together.
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Maryann Kerr is the author of Tarnished: Let’s Rethink, Reimagine and Co-Create a New Social Impact Sector. With 40 years in the charitable sector, Maryann is a leadership coach, organizational culture and social impact consultant who is lovingly critical about the sector she calls home. She leads with heart, soul and authenticity and encourages you to do the same.
📚 Buy Tarnished: https://www.tarnished.ca
💬 Connect with Maryann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryannkerr/