Send us a textEver tried to juggle visionary ideas, tight budgets, and a team that spans every learning style under the sun? In this episode of The Small Nonprofit, Maria sits down with management coach and EDI powerhouse Marisa Tran (they/them) to unpack what “people-first, consent-based leadership” really looks like when you’re running a small shop. Marisa is an autistic, gender-queer, Irish-Vietnamese settler with 15 years of experience helping organizations clean up their HR, embed equity, and grow managers into actual leaders. Their superpowers: workplace harm reduction, accessibility audits, and coaching folks who were promoted for being great at their job...but never shown how to lead. Managing People – The Highlights Performance talks should be boringly routine Make goals and feedback part of every weekly or bi-weekly check-in so “the big scary review” never sneaks up on anyone. Consent in management LONG before performance reviews, work with the staffer to create a work plan and a check in cadence. Autonomy = trust. Recognition isn’t one-size-fits-all Annual raises matter, but some staff love public shout-outs while others want quiet affirmation or extra learning budgets. Ask, don’t assume. Leaders own the misses; teams own the wins When targets slip, step up and shield your crew. When they soar, hand them the mic and the credit. Diversity of thought strengthens strategy Pair big-idea generators with detail-oriented implementers and professional problem-spotters. Different brains, stronger outcomes. 3 Actionable Tips for Managing People: Bake goals into your meeting agenda Create a living doc or dashboard you revisit every check-in. Progress, blockers, next steps; nothing fancy, just visible. Run a “How do you like to be celebrated?” survey Five quick questions (think love-languages-at-work) will save you from that pizza-party flop and show staff you actually listen. Track turnover like a KPI Note tenure, role, and identities (where shared). Spikes in departures—especially among marginalized staff—are flashing red lights for culture repair. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Connect with our guest, Marisa Tran Marisa’s website Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :) Support the show

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