What Makes the Nonprofit Sector so Toxic Part 2: Harm Starts at the Top

A couple of weeks ago, we dove into one critical layer of why mission-driven organizations are so toxic, kicking off with the Jillian Michaels problem, or how many White women are thrust into roles of authority without an authentic connection to the work, and harm those working around them by upholding White Supremacy Culture. 

The Jillian Michaels problem reflects a larger challenge in the sector that we’ll see explore this week: how harm starts from the top down. 

Power is Concentrated at the Top

Many nonprofit leaders (across race), are offended by any form of valid criticism or constructive feedback that would dare to challenge their authority or ego. Many also would point the finger to their staff who just don’t get it, or whom they believe are incompetent. But these same leaders also create a culture and practice which requires that they be involved in every single dealing of the organization’s work (even the mundane). 

So how, then, can teams be defiant or just not getting it when they’re taking direction from one source? How can no work product or outcome live up to standards when those same products can’t advance without an executive director‘s say? 

Leadership, especially at mission-driven organizations, is a heavy burden. But when power is concentrated at the top and the top only, it denies employees the autonomy and dignity of doing their best work without the gaze of authority dictating their every move. 

This spirals into a culture that lacks trust, and without trust, morale and creativity can’t flourish. The nonprofit leaders who can successfully implement their visions and not demoralize staff in the process are those who are unafraid to share their power and check their egos at the door. 

And speaking of egos…

Egos Cloud Judgement and Stall Progress 

Ego-driven leadership is one of the fastest ways to guarantee that a mission-driven organization will become a difficult place to work. Too many nonprofit executives believe they alone have the clearest vision of what’s “best.” That posture doesn’t just stall progress — it causes harm and translates into a culture that’s centered more on the principal than purpose.

When ego is prioritized over accountability, staff become expendable. Talented employees are pushed out for daring to tell the truth, and those who stay often do so in silence, shrinking their brilliance just to survive. Staff learn quickly that protecting the leader’s ego is more important than serving the mission, and the organization becomes a shell of the values it claims to hold.

Harm That Goes Unchecked

Toxicity isn’t only about what a leader does — it’s also about what they allow. Too many executives let harmful behavior go unchecked when it comes from other senior leaders, long-time staff, or board members. They’ll protect a toxic deputy director because “they’ve been here forever” or turn a blind eye when a donor or board chair acts out of alignment with organizational values.

That selective accountability reveals the truth: culture flows from the top. If a leader is willing to ignore harm for the sake of their own comfort, relationships, or fundraising goals, then the organization is complicit in that harm. 

Leadership is Hard — but Pressure is No Excuse

I don’t underestimate how hard leadership is. Running an organization with limited resources, shifting priorities, and endless community needs is no easy task. But difficulty does not absolve leaders from responsibility. Choosing leadership means choosing accountability. Choosing leadership means refusing to replicate the very oppressive systems you claim to be fighting against.

When leaders fail to own that responsibility, staff absorb the consequences. They burn out. They leave the sector altogether. Communities are left with organizations that preach equity but are actively harming the people who make them go every day. 

A Different Way Forward

The leaders who break this cycle are not perfect, but they are willing to be vulnerable. They create space for feedback without retaliation. They recognize that accountability is love, not attack. They understand that culture is not shaped by mission statements — it is shaped by how they show up every day, in every decision, and in every relationship.

The nonprofit sector cannot afford leaders who are unwilling to confront their own egos or call out harm among their peers. Our communities deserve organizations where values aren’t just slogans on a website, but living practices that shape how people are treated inside the workplace.