Allison Fine Answers Readers’ Questions on Careers, Management, Leadership, and More

Allison Fine, an author, consultant, and expert on nonprofit leadership and strategy, answers questions from readers on a range of topics including nonprofit leadership, managing employees, career goals, grant seeking.

We’ve gathered her advice here in one spot, so you can read up on the topics that interest you most. Do you have a question for Allison? Ask her using this form.

Career Advice

How Students Can Prepare for a Nonprofit Career

In her latest advice column, nonprofit expert Allison Fine answers a reader’s question about students who want to go right from college into work that benefits others. In a quandary about your career? Need tips on leadership?

How Not to Lose Ground in Your Career While You Raise Kids

Advice on balancing advancement opportunities and family priorities.

My Boss Doesn’t Listen to Me: Should I Quit?

Tips for seeking feedback about your performance.

Knowing When It’s Time to Seek a Job in Leadership

How to develop skills and knowledge on the job while helping other young leaders.

How to Be a Boss When You’re Supervising Your Friends

What to do when your promotion puts you in charge of your former peers on staff.

How to Get a Charity Job if You Have No Nonprofit Experience

Advice for a reader who’s having trouble breaking into charity work despite a strong academic background and work experience.

On Managing Employees

Tips for Jointly Managing a Fundraising Team

How to Manage Conflicting Work Styles in the Office

What to Do About People Using Phones During Meetings

Organizational Leadership

How Nonprofits Can Survive Setbacks

Tips for helping your organization get stronger, healthier, and smarter internally.

A Leader in a New Job Finds Old Ways of Communicating Fall Short

How to navigate within a new team and culture.

How to Start a New Nonprofit — and Why You Probably Shouldn’t

Allison walks through the steps to start a nonprofit, but cautions against doing so because raising money and managing all of the operational functions of an organization is daunting.

How to Measure Leadership Skills

Leadership is about more than producing a lot of stuff. How we work is as important as what we produce, and both can be measured.

How Charities Can Communicate With the People They Serve

How to use social media to have two-way conversations with your supporters.

Grant Seeking

How to Open Doors at Foundations

Pointers for identifying and approaching foundations.