About three months ago, I became executive director for a little nonprofit called Voices for Earth Justice. After four years of contract project management for big nonprofits, I was eager to get back to the kind of high-impact local work a small nonprofit can do. Voices for Earth Justice formed in 2002 when two Catholic women, Patty and Sister Janet, saw that nobody was helping the faith community engage in environmental issues. Over the next 15 years, Patty and Sister Janet

What are the most common complaints of small nonprofit leaders? I bet they are: Not enough energy Not enough money Not enough time All three of those are bullshit. Now, for the bullshitter, the best kind of bullshit is the believable kind. Since most people you know likely have a problem with energy, money, or time, they are likely to sympathize with your own struggles. This sets up a perfect situation for making excuses. I speak from experience. In my 20 years leading commun