Patton’s Pick: Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing

Leadership Resources for the Philanthropic Sector

Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing: A Guide to Transformational Consulting
This week’s pick highlights Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing by Ora Grodsky, who joined me on episode #329 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. A must-read for any nonprofit leader or consultant committed to equity, this book offers a transformative approach to working inside systems — not just to fix them, but to heal them.

Here’s how Grodsky’s wisdom maps onto our Mastermind framework:

Mindset & Clarity

• Understand your own story before trying to change an organization’s.

• Complexity and contradiction are where growth happens.

Communication & Influence

• Justice work is relational, not just procedural.

• Conversations are the engine of healing — but they must be skillfully facilitated.

Systems & Strategy

• True transformation shows up in budget decisions, hiring practices, and governance norms.

• Don’t just design for equity — operationalize it.

Relationships & Networking

• Equity moves at the speed of trust.

• Cultivate networks that reflect the future you're working toward.

Productivity & Focus

• The urgent is not always the important.

• Sustainable change requires rest, reflection, and resilience.

Dr. Patton McDowell, CFRE, MBA, is the creator of the innovative PMA Mastermind Leadership Program, a unique offering designed to elevate nonprofit leaders through comprehensive training and peer collaboration. He is also the author of the best-selling book, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and host of the weekly podcast with the same name, available here. Since founding PMA Nonprofit Leadership in 2009, Patton has strategically guided over 300 nonprofit organizations to achieve their fullest potential. A Certified Fundraising Executive and Master Trainer for AFP Global, he serves as Executive in Residence at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and as Director of the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership.

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