Ever tried to juggle visionary ideas, tight budgets, and a team that spans every learning style under the sun? In this episode of The Small Nonprofit, Maria sits down with management coach and EDI powerhouse Marisa Tran (they/them) to unpack what “people-first, consent-based leadership” really looks like when you’re running a small shop. Marisa is an autistic, gender-queer, Irish-Vietnamese settler with 15 years of experience helping organizations clean up their HR, embed equity, and grow managers into actual leaders. Their superpowers: workplace harm reduction, accessibility audits, and coaching folks who were promoted for being great at their job...but never shown how to lead. Managing People – The Highlights <ul><li>Performance talks should be boringly routine  Make goals and feedback part of every weekly or bi-weekly check-in so “the big scary review” never sneaks up on anyone. </li><li>Consent in management  LONG before performance reviews, work with the staffer to create a work plan and a check in cadence. Autonomy = trust. </li><li>Recognition isn’t one-size-fits-all  Annual raises matter, but some staff love public shout-outs while others want quiet affirmation or extra learning budgets. Ask, don’t assume. </li><li>Leaders own the misses; teams own the wins  When targets slip, step up and shield your crew. When they soar, hand them the mic and the credit. </li><li>Diversity of thought strengthens strategy  Pair big-idea generators with detail-oriented implementers and professional problem-spotters. Different brains, stronger outcomes. </li></ul>3 Actionable Tips for Managing People: <ul><li>Bake goals into your meeting agenda  Create a living doc or dashboard you revisit every check-in. Progress, blockers, next steps; nothing fancy, just visible. </li><li>Run a “How do you like to be celebrated?” survey  Five quick questions (think love-languages-at-work) will save you from that pizza-party flop and show staff you actually listen. </li><li>Track turnover like a KPI  Note tenure, role, and identities (where shared). Spikes in departures—especially among marginalized staff—are flashing red lights for culture repair. </li></ul>Resources and Links <ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariario/'>Connect with our host, Maria Rio</a> </li><li><a href='http://linkedin.com/in/marisatran'>Connect with our guest, Marisa Tran</a> </li><li><a href='http://www.marisamitchelltran.com/'>Marisa’s website</a> </li><li><a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/208666/supporters/new'>Support our show. We are fully self-funded!</a> </li><li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@gofurtherwithme/videos'>Watch this episode on YouTube</a> </li><li><a href='https://calendly.com/furthertogether/30min'>Need help with your fundraising?</a> </li><li><a href='https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/208666/open_sms'>Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)</a> </li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/208666/open_sms">Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/208666/support">Support the show</a>

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