Leaders Should Stop Managing!
My People,
As we approach June, a season of reflection and reset begins for many social impact leaders—especially in nonprofits and education spaces where the new program year often kicks off in July. In my recent conversations, one theme continues to rise to the surface: the importance of building a team.
Most of us stepped into this work because we wanted to make a difference. But once inside, it becomes clear that meaningful impact can’t be carried alone. The truth is—none of us can do this work in isolation.
At the same time, many social impact leaders I meet have little interest in becoming managers. And here's the shift I offer: what if you didn’t have to manage in the traditional sense? What if your role wasn’t to control, but to cultivate?
Coaching gives you that option. It allows you to move from managing tasks to growing people. When you lead with a coaching mindset, your focus becomes helping others step into their leadership—sometimes even stepping into roles you currently hold.
When you grow leaders on your team, here’s what happens:
You retain more aligned, committed team members
Accountability becomes shared, not imposed
Your mission goes deeper and further
You save on the cost of constant turnover and retraining
This is the season to reset—and to reimagine leadership not as something you do alone, but as something you grow in others.
Let’s chat about what that look like for you and your team. Click here to schedule a conversation with me.
You can also view some of our programming that would allow you to integrate coaching into your leadership approach.
Grow Through It: Coaching Approaches for Everyday Leadership
A free 1-hour interactive coaching clinic for social impact leaders
📅 Tuesday, June 24th | 🕛 12:00 PM EST | 📍 Via Zoom
What if leadership was about growing your team members—rather than managing them?
Join us for Grow Through It, a 1-hour coaching clinic for social impact leaders who want to lead with more intention, curiosity, and care. This session introduces the Messy Roots Coaching Framework, with an emphasis on our Narrative Coaching Approach—a method grounded in storytelling, deep listening, and cultural humility.
Influenced by the wisdom of leaders like Audre Lorde, this approach centers identity, power, and presence as core leadership capacities. Instead of giving all the answers, you’ll learn to guide powerful questions that help your team grow, build trust, and lead themselves.
You’ll walk away with:
A clear understanding of the difference between managing and coaching
Practical tools to integrate coaching into your daily leadership
Narrative-based strategies to unlock team growth and accountability
A space to reflect and reconnect with your purpose as a leader
This session is free and open to leaders across sectors.
Come ready to explore what it means to grow through the work—not just push through it.
Are you a social impact leader ready to launch your coaching business?
The Messy Roots Coaching Academy is designed to equip you with the tools to become a powerful and effective coach.
Cohort 6 begins July 2nd and offers a virtual, values-driven certification experience focused on healing, equity, and real-world impact.
Program highlights:
Registered Coaching Training Provider
100% Virtual and Accessible
Flexible Payment Options
Centered on Equity and Healing
Small, Supportive Cohort Sizes
Led by Founder and Coaching Facilitator Mario Jovan
Sessions are held Wednesdays, 5:30–7:45 PM EST.
Learn more and apply at: messyroots.org/coachingschool