Power in the Boardroom: Aligning Your Nonprofit Board for Increased Trust and Impact

Episode notes

WORKSHOP ALERT: Join Nic, Laura and Jeff for "The Aligned Board", a hands-on 2-part virtual workshop designed to help board members step into their power with wisdom and skill. Learn more here (spring and fall 2026 dates available). In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Nic Etheridge Calder and Laura Istead to explore one of the most critical (and often overlooked) dynamics in the social impact sector: the relationship between boards and executive teams. Drawing on their lived experience as board members, executive leaders, and advisors, Nic and Laura unpack what gets in the way of alignment, why even well-intentioned boards struggle, and what it takes to build trust, clarity, and shared purpose at the top of an organization. This conversation moves beyond governance models and into the real, human dynamics that shape board effectiveness - power, communication, expectations, and culture. From disengaging meetings and unclear roles to overfunctioning board members and under-supported executive directors, we explore the patterns that quietly undermine impact, and the practical ways leaders can begin to shift them.

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