From Opposition to Opportunity: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Show Up Today

In the aftermath of the 2024 US election, which has reverberations across the globe, nonprofit leaders still face the same core responsibilities of serving their missions. In this work, both day-to-day service work on the ground floor and long-term vision work from the rooftop need attention.

Faced with unprecedented, unparalleled challenges, what do nonprofit leaders do when they don’t know what to do? It is easy to feel overwhelmed, to let the weight of uncertainty paralyze us. But leaders don’t have the luxury of standing still. The stakes are too high, and the people we serve depend on us to move forward, even when the path isn’t clear. So, what can we do?

I spoke with a colleague of mine and the inaugural CEO of Partners In Democracy, Jerren Chang, about this very question to gain his insights on ways to move beyond opposition and bridge divides in communities. Based in Massachusetts, the nonprofit has a systemic change mission but is focused locally and intends to leverage a network of partnerships to “drive democracy renovation efforts forward in states around the country.”

Below are a few key themes from our conversations and my subsequent reflections on our role as leaders in this time.

Build Broad Coalitions

As an old proverb reminds us: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. What good is individual progress without collective movement? We know that people and organizations are stronger together and that coalitions can amplify voices, pool resources, and create a united front.

This work begins with seeking allies who share your mission, even if their methods or perspectives differ. Collaboration doesn’t require uniformity; it only requires unity of purpose. Together, we can achieve what none of us can accomplish alone.

As Chang puts it, the task in the present moment is to “build an affirmative set of values around a supermajority coalition”—what he calls a “supermajority coalition for democracy.” Chang adds that this supermajority, in his opinion, “comprises 70 to 80 percent of the population.”

As leaders, we don’t have the luxury of standing still. The stakes are too high.

The heart of this coalition, for Chang, would have a broad appreciation for “the basic tenets and rights and responsibilities we think we have for ourselves and to each other.” In other words, a common respect for the need for collaboration and democratic principles.

Focus on Systemic Repair and Positive Alternatives

In times of tumult like these, it’s easy to lose sight of the “why” behind our work. When the noise becomes deafening, pause and reconnect with your mission. Remember the lives you’re fighting for, the communities you’re serving, and the vision you’re working toward. Opposition, even when confronting the most menacing kind of threat, is temporary. The impact of your work can last generations. Let your purpose guide you, and let it remind you that the fight is worth it.

As Chang puts it, “What we need to do is build a more positive alternative. And I think that every social-impact, public-good-focused leader right now needs to be thinking, ‘How do I show up to mitigate and repair the harms that I’m seeing? How do I help create a system of governance, a responsive and healthy democracy?’”

Chang adds, “I don’t really see any other alternative. What we have is systemic breakdown, and what we need is systemic repair. And if that’s not a lens of all our work, we’re going to perpetuate the harm and the duration of the harm that we have to endure.”

Embrace Paradox

Too often, opposition is anchored in dogma. In our conversation, Chang noted the irony of efforts to flatten diversity into a single definition: “It’s ironically comical, right? Oh, we can’t have diverse understandings of diversity.”

When beliefs on opposite sides of an issue are not balanced with recognition or appreciation of nuance, perspective is lost, and compromise becomes elusive. Many issues, even the most polarizing, have gray spaces. While there are certainly calls for “either/or” decisions, progress often lies in recognizing the “both/ands.” Complexity is not the enemy. It’s the reality. By embracing paradox, we can find common ground and create solutions that honor the multifaceted nature of our challenges.

“What we have is systemic breakdown, and what we need is systemic repair.”

As Chang points out, the current political situation in the United States (including the rise of the “MAGA movement”) stems from “a deep frustration, a pervasively held deep frustration, that the government is not working for us, and that somewhere along the line this kind of generally understood social contract has been failing. That’s not just an attitude or feeling. There’s something real in that feeling…in that lived experience.”

For Chang, building a broad coalition to defend democracy is not just about winning elections for “our side” but rather developing the collective capacity to “confront the tough questions.”

As Chang notes, “How do you make decisions in such a big coalition? We’re not going to agree on everything. You’re not going to have ideological purity….With [coalitions] you’re going to have a plurality of views, and that is what can make us more collectively intelligent and lead to a better, more thoughtful systems policymaking mindset.”

When in Doubt, Remember What Matters

We cannot control how others respond to challenges, but we can control how we show up. Leadership is not about waiting for others to act. It’s about taking responsibility for the role that we play. Even when the odds seem insurmountable, even when the opposition feels unyielding, we must remember that our actions matter. Change starts with us. So, take the first step, even if it’s a small one. Momentum builds when we lead by example.

I am reminded, too, that the world is vast, and so are the perspectives within it. Too often, we operate in echo chambers, surrounded by people who think, look, and act like us.

But growth happens at the edges of our comfort zones: Travel to new places—geographically, culturally, and ideologically; talk to people whose experiences differ from your own; listen deeply—not to respond but to understand. Repeat this process often. The more we engage with the world, the more we realize that conflict is often born from misunderstanding. We can begin to bridge the gaps, one conversation at a time.

[Defending] democracy is not just about winning elections for “our side,” but rather developing the collective capacity to “confront the tough questions.”

As leaders with missions that often serve the most marginalized—and tasked with solving the most complex humanitarian issues on the globe—we need solutions. We need strategies for this moment in time and every moment that follows. We need grounding. We need encouragement. We need inspiration. We need each other. And we need empathy.

As Chang puts it, “People are people, and they’re complicated. And they’re different. They’re shaped by different things, and there are different meritorious ideologies of how to live your life. It’s not just a journey that people are on to eventually agree with us. It’s likely that a lot of people will not ultimately agree with us. And that’s okay. I still think we can build community in that context, but it requires us to have that expectation.”

This is not to say that leadership does not involve standing up to power and saying no. Doing so is often essential. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Rather, It can be the beginning of something greater—a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and growth.

As leaders, we have the power to reframe challenges as opportunities, to turn fear into action, and to build a future that reflects the values we hold dear. So, let’s get to work. The world is waiting.