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Scrum for Nonprofits with Sarah Olivieri [Episode #395]
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Episode Description
If your strategic plan looks great on paper but falls apart in execution… this episode will help you understand why.
Because in complex environments (which nonprofits absolutely are), you can’t predict everything in advance. But you can design a system that adapts as you learn.
In this solo episode of Inspired Nonprofit Leadership, Sarah Olivieri breaks down Scrum, one of the most widely used Agile frameworks, and explains why it works so well in nonprofit organizations.
Originally developed in the software world, Scrum offers a smarter way to move complex work forward without overplanning, spinning your wheels, or burning out your team. Sarah walks through the core concepts—iterative work, self-organizing teams, sprints, and retrospectives—and translates them into real nonprofit applications.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn
What Scrum actually is (and why it’s not just for tech companies)
The difference between waterfall planning and iterative planning
How “sprints” keep projects focused and moving
Why self-organizing teams outperform micromanaged ones
How retrospectives reduce waste and prevent burnout
What an “emergent plan” is—and why it works better in complex environments
Who This Episode Is For
Executive directors managing complex initiatives
Nonprofit leaders frustrated by plans that don’t hold up
Teams implementing new programs, systems, or fundraising strategies
Organizations that want better results without pushing harder
About Your Host, Sarah Olivieri
Bold, strategic, and refreshingly human…
Sarah Olivieri is the go-to expert for conversations on aligned leadership, outcome delegation, and sustainable growth.
She brings wit, warmth, and real-world wisdom to mission-driven founders, visionary CEOs, and change-makers who want more clarity, more joy, and more results.
Most leaders hit a wall when success depends on them holding it all together.
Sarah helps them change that by redefining leadership around outcomes instead of activity, empowering teams to own results that scale and freeing leaders to focus on the vision that drives them.
A former director of three nonprofits and founder of five businesses, she has a rare ability to spot opportunity where others see chaos, shift stuck patterns, and build organizations that support both legacy and life.
Sarah leads with the same mindset that made her an award-winning sailor: iterate on what works, stay focused in the storm, and never forget the joy of the journey.
Links
Website: saraholivieri.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarah-olivieri
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