To be an effective manager, you need both management skills and leadership qualities. These are the capabilities that make your job easier, increase employee accountability, and create a better workplace for everyone.

Many donors don't remember every annual gift they made, but they remember the moments they helped create, the scholarship awarded, the family housed, the cancer drug that worked, the loved one whose life was changed.

In the nonprofit sector, the idea of taking vacation can be further complicated by mission-driven guilt (“our clients’ needs are more important”), understaffing (“if I’m not here, who will do the work?”), a culture of sacrifice...

Leadership is too complex and too important to do alone. If you’ve ever wished for a place to think out loud, gain perspective or simply connect with others who understand the weight of the role, a peer group might be exactly what you’re ..

I contend that if we do not address the care of our teams and ourselves, we may cause future harm to a sector we are working to sustain. But where do we begin to get our “May flowers”?

We’re honored to welcome Latoya-Palmer Addy, SHRM-CP, CEO of Parent to Parent of Georgia, to the Armstrong McGuire blog — bringing her strategic HR leadership and deep commitment to strengthening nonprofit capacity and community impact.

Whether you're actively searching or preparing for your next opportunity, investing in your professional toolkit can make all the difference.

My daughter, Lucy, graduated from preschool at the end of May and will be off to kindergarten in five short weeks.

January may have felt like the longest year ever, but February to May has flown by faster than I can blink.

I am not sure I have ever been more ready for spring and sunshine in my life.

“January seems like the longest year ever.” I chuckled as my husband recounted this opening line from an acquaintance during a work meeting.

My parents recently started the arduous process of cleaning out the house they have spent the past 23 years in to prepare for an upcoming move to New Bern, NC.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of checking off another bucket list trip with my family and soaking in the beauty of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Work-life balance seems to be a common phrase since Covid as candidates seek to continue remote or hybrid positions.

When I started working at Armstrong McGuire, I was asked to submit a professional bio and answer a few questions for our website. I made the connection recently that, at the time, I noted my favorite vacation spot was New Bern, NC.

Last month, I wrote a blog about Finding Your People and this month I want to share with you a little bit about one of mine, my younger brother Danny.

I really really love chicken wings and grilling. I also love warm temperatures that allow me to go outside without freezing and participate in my favorite hobby, fishing. I love watching flowers bloom and even the thoughts of yardwork.

Thanksgiving is always a time to reflect on the people, events, and things one is thankful for. In reflecting on what I was thankful for I thought about Armstrong McGuire and my coworkers.

I had the great fortune to spend time in the beautiful country of Portugal recently. In a word, the place is magical.

Finding a job that speaks to your passion can be stressful. Some people are anxious when they realize that their passions are difficult to identify, seem ambiguous or elusive, or feel non-transferable to actual jobs.

Over the past several months, I began revisiting my life mission which is to "leave things better than I found them." Part of the exploration included my career and ultimately influenced my decision to accept the Armstrong McGuire team's

In 2020 I started painting rocks with mandala designs as an outlet for stress and mindfulness. Everyone in my family got a rock that year for Christmas.

My dog Banjo was sick recently. It came on gradually, so the signs were subtle and, individually, seemingly not a big deal. But something just didn’t seem right.

There are a lot of debates about when it is acceptable to begin playing Christmas songs. Am I right? I have certainly been around some heated conversations about this subject.

We’re living and working through some of the most difficult times of our lives.

I love hiking in Umstead State Park early in the morning. Trees shade the path, and the recent rains turn the leaves and undergrowth a deep green. Woodpeckers drum in the distance, birds sing, and squirrels scurry among the branches.

I’m going on vacation next week – YIPPEE! It’s not anywhere fancy, just the beach (though the North Carolina coast is pretty incredible), but this will be the first time I have taken off more than two continuous business days in a year.

Three weeks ago, I started meeting clients in person that I have only known virtually for the last year. I am filling my gas tank up more than usual and am recalling how to be productive while driving some distance to a meeting.

My first-grade son was recently asked to make a Venn diagram for class. I am pretty sure I did not know what a Venn diagram was until college, but I digress.

I love spring in North Carolina. The cold of winter has (for the most part) receded, making way for longer days, fresh tree growth, and a dazzling display of spring flowers. The season brings a special energy and sense of renewal.

Well, this year has definitely started with a bang!Prior to the events of last week, 2021 was our promise of a respite from the calamity of 2020.

With the holidays upon us, I’ve been reflecting on giving and receiving gifts. Due to the pandemic, there are barriers to the traditional hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Greek has many different words for love. In my professional life, I am blessed to see beautiful examples of phila (brotherly love) every day through our nonprofit partners. But today, I want to talk about agape—unconditional love.

I do not like writing. My story is “I am not good at writing. I am not clear enough. I have too much to say.

We all thought things would be back to normal by now but, instead, our numbers are increasing daily. Keeping anxiety at bay is important to ensure productivity, especially when most of us are working remotely.

I suspect a lot will be different this summer. Even the weather in the Triangle this week has not been typical.When I entered the nonprofit sector in 1993, summer was considered a downtime—a slower pace.

As my grandmother would say, “These are trying times.”Nearly every person I have engaged with recently acknowledges that their emotions have been all over the place in the last few months.

Stress and anxiety are running rampant during this time of quarantine. In normal times we experience stress, but the last few weeks have pushed us to a new level. The new stressors come from different sectors.

Fred Rogers often told this story about when he was a boy and would see scary things on the news: “My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.

Over the holidays a friend, my mom, and I started working on a 2,000-piece puzzle. The conversation was flowing, and all was right in the world.

I love this line from the old Steve Miller song. July is here, and time continues her march at an incredible pace whether we are having fun or not. July is the reminder, we are more than halfway through the year!

Last week I had the opportunity to meet Katherine Ngaruiya (Kat). We had a video call scheduled, but technology was not my friend, so it turned into a phone call.

Today I attended a funeral for a special man. The Reverend Joseph G. Vetter, better known to his friends as Father Joe, passed away on May 7, 2018.

One week from today, Jeff and I will pick up our oldest son from his first year at college. Turns out, you were right. He has had a great year and life for the rest of the family went on—mostly without feeling all that different.

At the end of a long day of meetings, I stood at the stove crafting homemade Gouda Mac and Cheese with my laptop strategically placed on the island. In between stirring my butter, milk, and flour mixture I busily responded to emails.

Another scholarship season and another year where I get so much more, than the few hours I give reviewing applications for the Robert Franklin Black Scholarship.

We recently completed our 11th season of summer swim team. The final one for Devin as a swimmer, and his first year as a coach.As a family, we have always enjoyed swim team.

As the clock approached midnight Saturday, I was home watching Mariah Carey’s production snafu on television. Now don’t judge me!

In our fast-paced, always connected world, it is refreshing to engage in an old-fashioned experience every once in a while.

About a week ago my generally healthy Dad was rushed to the ER. On the very same day, one of our teenaged sons faced a challenging life lesson of his own that he never saw coming.

During our time away at Lake Gaston this summer one afternoon I tore myself off the boat and into the car to return to Raleigh for a meeting.

I am fortunate to be surrounded in both my professional and personal life by people and organizations who are focused on doing good and helping others.

It was ordinary, yet extraordinary Saturday afternoon! It was just one of those typical days at the beach that we all hope for - sunny, cool, and absolutely nothing to do but enjoy the relaxation of vacation.

It’s spring. Temperatures are already uncomfortably warm, school is wrapping up and dreams of the sound of crashing waves or the sensation of a cool breeze through mountain trees dance in our heads

I am hard wired as a night person. During the transition from college student to employee the rewiring process started completely against my will.

A recent NPR TED Radio Hour touched on, among other things, the importance of play in human experience.

The snow and ice of February has faded into a distant memory—at least in Raleigh (sorry friends further north). In North Carolina we are bracing for our next ground covering—pollen!

The season of gift giving is upon us. Presents are being wrapped and finding their places under Christmas trees all over the world.

As I have recently come back from vacation with my family and am working to dig out, I have been pondering the question: Is vacation a blessing or a curse? I have decided that it is what you make it.