161. Leadership Principles for Sparking Change – Part 2 with Jenni Field Artwork

Volunteer Nation

Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more. Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism. With over 25 years of experience working in nonprofits, public sector agencies, and grassroots campaigns Tobi is known for her modern “big hat” thinking and straight talk about what it takes to achieve success in today’s world. You will learn how to coordinate volunteers, improve the volunteer experience, recruit volunteers, appreciate volunteers, and do it all more efficiently with the right volunteer management software and digital tools. It’s a mix of interviews and solo shows you’re not going to want to miss. So, if you’re ready to ditch the stress and harness the power of people to fuel your good work, you’re in exactly the right place. Hit subscribe and let’s DO this!

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Volunteer Nation

161. Leadership Principles for Sparking Change – Part 2 with Jenni Field

May 08, 2025 • Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

In this powerful follow-up episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson continues her insightful conversation with Jenni Field, diving deeper into the leadership principles that drive meaningful change, especially for those managing volunteers.

Together, they unpack the nuanced differences between authenticity and vulnerability in leadership, highlighting how empathy, flexibility, and consistent action can earn trust and credibility with both volunteers and colleagues.

Tobi and Jenni also offer guidance on recognizing signs of credibility challenges and what to do about them. Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to volunteer management, this episode is full of practical wisdom you can use right away.

Full show notes: 161. Leadership Principles for Sparking Change – Part 2 with Jenni Field

Leadership Principles - Episode Highlights

[01:50] - Authenticity vs. Vulnerability in Leadership
[05:40] - The Importance of Being Genuine
[11:51] - Diagnosing Credibility Issues in Organizations
[14:35] - Navigating Challenges in Inclusivity and Belonging
[19:58] - Volunteer Managers: Gaining Buy-In and Credibility
[22:53] - Building Credibility and Respect
[25:02] - Strategic Planning for Volunteer Engagement
[26:43] - Addressing Challenges in Volunteer Management
[32:05] - Empathy and Flexibility in Volunteer Leadership

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Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.

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Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

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