What Nonprofits Taught Me

Nonprofits often run on a hidden curriculum. The official mission statements will talk about impact, education, or community. But the real lessons happen behind the scenes. You learn how to make decisions with incomplete information, how to do more with less, how to lead people who are not there for a paycheck. Those lessons might be hidden, but they are some of the most transferable skills in leadership.

When I think back on my own time volunteering and working alongside nonprofits, the most valuable lessons were not the ones in any handbook. They came in the moments that forced me to improvise, to adapt, or to step up in ways I was not expecting. Nonprofits stretch you, not because they are trying to, but because the work itself is often urgent, the resources are limited, and the stakes are very high.

One of the most formative experiences for me was starting a small nonprofit that donated books to students in underserved schools. It made me more grateful than ever for the access to reading I’ve always had, and it opened my eyes to just how uneven that access can be. I learned quickly that getting books into classrooms is not just about logistics, it is about equity and about creating conditions for kids to see themselves as lifelong learners. That experience reshaped how I think about education. And the responsibility we all share to make it accessible.

Here are a few pieces of that hidden curriculum that still shape how I work today:

1. The discipline of priorities.
Nonprofits rarely have the luxury of everything being important. You’re forced to decide, sometimes daily, what truly matters. And what can (or has to) wait. That ability to prioritize under pressure is a leadership skill that transfers directly into any boardroom or project plan.

2. Leading without authority.
Volunteers do not show up for a paycheck. They show up for purpose, for connection, for the chance to make a difference, or for reasons you may never know. Inspiring and organizing people who do not owe you their time teaches you how to motivate through vision and trust, not for titles or hierarchy.

3. Risk tolerance in real time.
Most nonprofits operate under uncertainty with unpredictable funding, shifting community needs, and sudden crises. You learn to weigh options quickly and take calculated risks. You learn to accept that perfect information almost never exists.

4. The quiet power of empathy.
Whether you are serving clients, calming a team, or simply recognizing the human side of difficult work, empathy is not optional in nonprofits. It is what makes everything else possible.

These lessons are just as relevant outside the nonprofit world. If you are leading a team or navigating projects, try borrowing from the nonprofit playbook:

• Instead of tackling everything at once, ask what is truly essential today and what can wait.
• Challenge yourself to lead as if your team were volunteers. Would your vision and trust be enough to keep them with you?
• Get comfortable making decisions with incomplete data. And build in room to adapt.
• Start conversations by naming the human impact before moving to logistics. It shifts tone and builds trust.
• After each challenge, reflect on what you learned that was not in any manual. That is your hidden curriculum.

And it is worth saying that volunteering does not always look like showing up in person. My time with Crisis Text Line has been some of the most challenging and rewarding work I have done. Virtual volunteering means you are often on the frontlines of someone’s hardest moment, without ever meeting them face to face. But the training and support they provide makes it possible to show up fully for strangers who just need someone to listen. It is not easy, but it is a powerful reminder that leadership also looks like empathy in action. (If you’re thinking about volunteering with them and have questions about the experience, please feel free to reach out.)

The truth is, nonprofits teach lessons we do not always see until we have lived them. They remind us that leadership is less about control and more about clarity, trust, and care. On National Nonprofit Day, it is worth noticing the quiet ways that these organizations shape not just the communities they serve, but the people who lead within them.