Meals on Wheels is Sasa’s second time as a CEO in the nonprofit space. She has also held leadership positions in the education and government sectors after being thrust into high-level management at a relatively young age.

 

Sasa’s past leadership roles gave her the skills to transform struggling companies but not all the skills needed to maintain a thriving one.

 

Sasa has held her current position as CEO longer than any she had before, never having stayed in her prior high-level positions for more than three or four years. In previous roles, Sasa was hired as a problem solver. Her focus was producing a particular outcome before moving on to the next company that needed her transformational leadership.

 

Upon arriving at Meals on Wheels, Sasa used that same skill set in the first few years of her role to make significant improvements in the company. Except for this time, she didn’t leave once she completed that part of the job. She loved the company and didn’t want to start all over again. So Sasa made the conscious decision to stay.

Soon Sasa realized that maintaining a thriving company requires skills that are much different than those she used in her get-in-get-out crisis-resolution roles.

The opportunity to obtain that help came as a blessing in disguise.

When an employee reached out to Sasa’s board with their concerns about the company, the board had to act. At that time, the board, who knew and trusted Sasa for seven successful years, offered Sasa an executive coach.

The board provided Sasa the option to select from three coaches. She interviewed them all and quickly decided Emily Golden was the one.

 

Expressing vulnerability was the key that unlocked Sasa’s empathetic strength as a leader.

Sasa worked with Emily every other week over six months, focusing on practical actions that Sasa could implement immediately.

Sasa initially thought Emily’s coaching would focus on improving and toning down certain behaviors. However, instead of focusing on the negative, they worked to develop Sasa’s overall strength as a leader.

One of Emily’s tools that provided Sasa incredible insight was the EQi 2.0, an emotional intelligence assessment. Sasa was surprised to discover that she rated very low on empathy.

As Emily explored this with Sasa, they discovered vulnerability wasn’t something Sasa had expressed in her previous leadership roles. Moving into management in male-dominated fields at a young age meant Sasa had to fight for her place constantly; showing any shred of vulnerability wasn’t an option.

To embrace her empathic nature as a leader, Sasa had to tap into the vulnerability she feared would be perceived as a weakness.

 

Sasa’s evolution as a leader means developing her staff to create a strong and long-lasting company.

 

Sasa finally feels like she doesn’t have to prove anything anymore. She gets to go along for the ride, supporting her staff and being their cheerleader. Sasa provides vision, direction, and support, but her role as a leader is ultimately about them. This new mindset has allowed her to look toward retirement, succession planning, and creating a company that will continue to grow after she’s gone.

 

Sasa's Leadership journey at GOLDEN RECOURSES

 

“I’m passionate about our mission, so I love my job. But what I really love about being a CEO of a nonprofit is that you can create positions, make changes when needed, and respond to community and staff needs. It’s just a fantastic role. I love it.”

“I did a lot of self-growth programs and certificates early on in my career, but I would say for a good 15 to 18 years, I didn’t have the opportunity to invest in my growth as a leader. If you work for a nonprofit, there aren’t always a lot of resources to put toward staff growth.”

“Once you’ve reached CEO, people expect that you already know everything.”

“Those previous companies hired me for a very specific task. I achieved the task, and then I left. That was my skill set—the one-woman show. I would get to a place, clean up, start up, whatever it was, and leave it better than when I got there but never reap the fruits of my labor.”

“Only in the last four years with this company have I had the opportunity to strengthen other skills I either didn’t realize that I had or that I needed to improve. I wanted to be a better leader. I am all about self-growth, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to develop myself and evolve as a leader for a very long time.”

“Only in the last four years with this company have I had the opportunity to strengthen other skills I either didn’t realize that I had or that I needed to improve. I wanted to be a better leader. I am all about self-growth, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to develop myself and evolve as a leader for a very long time.”

“We had some issues in the office that, while at the time seemed unfair, made me recognize I had lessons to learn and growing that I needed to do.”

“They knew who I was, so they offered me coaching. So, of course, why would I turn away an opportunity to have executive coaching and improve my leadership skills? I welcomed it. I was so grateful.”

“I couldn’t fully express my empathy in those other companies where I was going in and solving problems or launching programs, and I held on to that mindset after I transitioned into my longer-term role. I needed someone to help me evolve the skills that the company required at this time.”

“I asked Emily to be very tactical, so she gave me specific goals each time we met. I wanted to be able to focus on a deliverable every session.”

“Each session included exercises around broader issues and time for me to bring up situations with my staff. We discussed how I could take the things I was learning and implement them day to day in my role.”

“It was my own journey of self-discovery, but one that Emily directed me and supported me in. I was ready. I’m always open to learning something about myself and growing as a person. But no one had given me the opportunity to develop in this particular realm of leadership skills in a very long time.”

“Emily always made it very clear that she was there as the guide, but I had to do it. It was my work to do.”

“I consider myself a very empathetic person, but clearly, I was not coming across that way to my staff. That tool identified my specific strengths and challenges, and then Emily helped me figure out tactical ways to improve them.”

“The realization that I wasn’t expressing my empathy unlocked everything else. It really was an ‘aha’ moment because that seemed such the antithesis of not only me as a person but of the sector that I’m in. I’m in the nonprofit social service world, helping people. So how could I be missing that skill? What happened there?”

“I always pictured myself as an empathetic person. I realized that I showed my empathy intellectually, but I wasn’t really vulnerable enough as a person to those around me. I didn’t see being vulnerable as a strength or as a positive thing for my staff. Emily helped me change that perspective.”

“I would always say to my staff, ‘I’m here to support you. I’m here to make your life easier.’ But now I live that. I feel that every single day. I have the most incredible staff. Emily helped me with a lot of my ability to grow them and focus on their needs, partly by helping me become secure in my own leadership.”

“Intellectually, I’ve always known that continuity beyond myself was important, but I never felt it until now. Now I really feel what that means.”

“In just six months of coaching, Emily helped me transform my leadership and how much I now focus my efforts on my staff.”

“Emily gave me the ability to step out of myself and truly be empathetic for my employees, to understand where they are, and to see that as a strength. My development has allowed my employees to grow.”

“The time that I set aside to focus on myself and my leadership skills was so valuable that I want that for everyone. And now that I’ve worked with Emily, I want others to be able to work with her too because she’s just so wonderful.”

“In the sectors I’ve worked in, there haven’t been many opportunities to develop staff. Now, because I had the opportunity to evaluate my leadership and grow my skills, I want to do the same thing for my employees. I’m just so grateful I had that opportunity and even more thankful that it was with Emily.”

 

“Was investing in Emily worth it? Absolutely. Would I have invested in coaching myself if the company didn’t? I’m a nonprofit director. I don’t make a lot of money, so that sort of investment isn’t usually an option. But if I had known at the outset what I know now, I would have. Definitely!”

Background

 

I am a CEO of a nonprofit, an affiliate of a program called Meals on Wheels. We are Meals on Wheels of Mercer County.

 

In August, I will have been here eight years, and it's a small agency. We have five full-time employees, two part-time employees, and we served about 110,000 meals last year.  We didn't stop at all during the pandemic; we increased. The previous year, we served about 86 or 87,000. 

 

I'm passionate about our mission, so I love my job. But I really love being a CEO because being a CEO of a small nonprofit, you can create positions, make changes when you need to, and be responsive to community and staff needs. So it's just a fantastic role. I love it.

 

This role is my second time as a CEO in a nonprofit. I've worked for a university — Princeton University — and I did two stints in government; local government and county government. So education, government, and nonprofits are my background.

Quotes

 

Challenge

 

I was thrust into high-level management at 34

 

I did many self-growth programs and certificates early on in my career, but I would say for a good 15 to 18 years, I did not have the opportunity to invest in my growth as a leader. 

 

I did many self-growth programs and certificates early on in my career, but I would say for a good 15 to 18 years, I did not have the opportunity to invest in my growth as a leader. If you work in a nonprofit, there are not always a lot of resources to put towards staff growth.

 

I had lessons to learn and growth that I needed to do. 

 

Why would I turn away an opportunity to have coaching and to improve my leadership skills? I welcomed it. I was so grateful.

 

I had an opportunity to pick from three coaches, and Emily was the one that I chose. I feel so blessed that I chose her.

 

My experience with Emily has been transformative in my leadership as a CEO

 

My experience with Emily has been transformative in my leadership as a CEO, and I'm just so grateful that the board allowed me to have job coaching. It was a sacrifice and expensive for a small nonprofit but worth every single penny.

In the sectors I've worked in, there haven't been many opportunities to develop staff.

 

In the sectors I've worked in, there haven't been many opportunities to develop staff. So because I had the opportunity to evaluate my leadership and grow my skills, I want to do the same thing for my employees.

 

Because I had the opportunity to evaluate my leadership and grow my skills, I want to do the same thing for my employees. I'm just so grateful I had that opportunity and even more thankful that it was with Emily.

 

I'm just so grateful I had that opportunity and even more thankful that it was with Emily.

 

Once you have reached that level of management and that CEO, people expect that you're a CEO and you know everything, and you will perform at that level. 

 

I only stayed three to four years in those previous roles because those companies hired me for a very specific task, I achieved the task, and then I left. That was my skill set—the one-woman show. Go in, clean up, start-up, whatever that was, and then I'd leave. 

 

That was my skill set—the one-woman show. Go in, clean up, start-up, whatever that was, and then I'd leave. 

 

I would get to a place, clean it up, leave it better than when I got there, but never reap the fruits of my labor. So this company, I thought, "You know what? I'm going to do that now. I've got a pretty good gig here. Why am I going to bang my head against the wall and start all over again?". So I made the conscious decision to stay.

 

I would get to a place, clean it up, leave it better than when I got there, but never reap the fruits of my labor.

 

It was only in the last four years that I've had the opportunity to strengthen other skills I either didn't realize that I had or that I needed to improve.

 

Solution

 

Emily helped me not by focusing on the minutia but by supporting me to grow as a leader overall. It was my own journey of self-discovery. But Emily directed me and supported me.

 

It was my own journey of self-discovery. But Emily directed me and supported me.

 

Emily does an EQi 2.0 kind of evaluation, and that was very enlightening to me because it came out that my empathy rated very low. So I was like, "What is this?!" First of all, I consider myself a very empathetic person, but clearly, I am not coming across that way to my staff. 

 

That tool identified specific strengths and challenges, then Emily helped me figure out tactical ways to improve and implement. Because I told her from day one that I need a tactical approach and specific exercises, and she did.

 

Emily helped me figure out tactical ways to improve and implement. Because I told her from day one that I need a tactical approach and specific exercises, and she did.

 

That was not even a year ago, and I don't respond that way anymore to anyone. 

 

Emily gave me everything that I needed when I needed it. Suppose I needed to express empathy in my personal life or my professional life and make that tangible for myself; she could guide me. 

 

As a leader, as a CEO, it's very lonely at the top. Very lonely. I'm comfortable in that space, but I'm not comfortable with being alone all the time. Emily validated me in every session; I needed that. 

 

In just six months of coaching, I can't believe how she helped me transform my leadership and how much I have now refocused my efforts on my staff. 

 

I would always say to my staff, "I'm here to support you. I'm here to make your life easier." But now I live that. I feel that every single day with my staff. I have the most incredible staff. Growing them and focusing on their needs, Emily helped me with a lot of that. I think part of it is becoming secure in your own leadership, and she validated many of my strengths.

 

I would always say to my staff, "I'm here to support you. I'm here to make your life easier." But now I live that. I feel that every single day with my staff. I have the most incredible staff. Growing them and focusing on their needs.

 

I would always say to my staff, "I'm here to support you. I'm here to make your life easier." But now I live that. I feel that every single day with my staff.

 

I couldn't fully express my empathy in those three and a half years where I was going in and solving problems or launching companies, and I kept that skillset and mindset after I made that transition. So Emily helped me evolve the skills that I needed for the agency at this time.

 

Results

 

Emily helped me evolve the skills that I needed for the agency at this time.

 

I wanted to be a better leader. I am all about self-growth, but I hadn't been given that opportunity to develop myself and evolve as a leader for a very long time, and I love that stuff. I want to be better. I want to be better for my staff. I want to be better for my agency. 

 

I wanted to be a better leader. I am all about self-growth, but I hadn't been given that opportunity to develop myself and evolve as a leader for a very long time.

 

I want to be better. I want to be better for my staff. I want to be better for my agency. 

 

I was ready. I mean, I'm just that type of person. I'm always open to that, to learn something about myself and grow as a person. But in this particular realm of leadership skills, no one had given me that opportunity to develop that in a very long time.

 

The realization that I wasn't expressing my empathy has unlocked, for me, everything else. It really was an aha moment because that seemed such the antithesis of not only me as a person but of the sector that I'm in. I'm in the nonprofit social service world, helping people. So how could I be missing that skill? What happened there?

 

The realization that I wasn't expressing my empathy has unlocked, for me, everything else.

 

Emily and I would talk a lot about vulnerability and being vulnerable. That was definitely not something I was used to being. Not by intention, but I started in management at a young age. The first management position was in an organization not only dominated by men but dominated by men and the clergy. It was a religiously based social service organization. I had to fight as one of the few women in their management team for everything at a young age. I was vice president of all their community service programs at the time statewide, so I couldn't show a shred of vulnerability.

 

Emily and I would talk a lot about vulnerability and being vulnerable. That was definitely not something I was used to being.

 

I couldn't show a shred of vulnerability.

 

That's where I cut my teeth in management, and I could not show one iota of vulnerability. Plus, the times. Women were trying to break the glass ceiling and all of that. So that was not a word that we talked about ever, and I think tapping into empathy taps into your vulnerabilities.  

 

I always pictured myself as an empathetic person. I realized that I showed my empathy intellectually, but I wasn't really vulnerable enough as a person to those around me. I didn't see that as a strength or as a positive thing for my staff to see. Emily helped me change that perspective.

 

I always pictured myself as an empathetic person. I realized that I showed my empathy intellectually, but I wasn't really vulnerable enough as a person to those around me.

 

I worked with Emily myself for six months every other week, and I brought her into my agency to do training with my staff. I also will be bringing her back to do the EQi scale with my staff. 

 

I asked Emily to be very tactical, so she gave me specific exercises for every session, which I needed. I needed to be able to focus on something, a deliverable every session. That helped me a lot. 

 

The time that I set aside to focus on myself and my leadership skills was so valuable that I want that for everybody. And now I've worked with Emily; I want it to be her because she's just so wonderful. 

 

Towards the end of our time together, I applied for a national leadership program that develops C-suite female leaders. The program gave me a coach, a facilitator, and all I can say is at least now I have a basis of comparison. And I know I want Emily. Emily is extraordinary. I want a growth experience for my employees, and I want it to be Emily. So the next thing that she will do for us is the EQ scale, and I hope it's just as eye-opening for my employees as it was for me.

 

Emily is extraordinary. I want a growth experience for my employees, and I want it to be Emily.

 

Emily is extraordinary.

  

I'm putting a lot less stress I put on myself. I would like to say that I'm more confident. I've always been confident, but the way that it manifests itself is different than before. 

 

The other thing that Emily helped me realize is that I didn't need to be in the weeds. Before, I was always in the weeds, and there were things that I couldn't let go of.

 

What Emily gave me was the ability to step out of myself and truly be empathetic for my employees, to understand where they are. My development has allowed my employees to grow as well.

 

What Emily gave me was the ability to step out of myself and truly be empathetic for my employees, to understand where they are

 

My development has allowed my employees to grow as well.

 

This is now allowing me to look towards retirement. When I was in jobs for three to four years, I had a particular end goal in mind, a goal that I would rebuild this organization or start it from scratch and get it to a specific place. There was a task. I completed it. 

 

Now, I'm not out to prove anything anymore. I am going along for the ride, and what I've realized is I am there to be the cherry on top, be my staff's cheerleader, and support them. It's about them. I'm just there to give vision, direction, and support. I look at it differently now, with a very different mindset. I feel very satisfied.

 

When I started a program many years ago — which is still going 30 years later — and I left that program as founder, I said to myself, "If this program ends, then I didn't do the job, I didn't do it right." So intellectually, I knew that continuity beyond myself was important, but I never felt it, and now I feel what that means.

 

Was investing in Emily worth it? Absolutely. Would I have invested in coaching myself if the company didn't? I'm a nonprofit director. I don't make a lot of money. But if I had known what I do know now at the outset, I would have, definitely.

 

Emily's one of the most empathetic people that I've ever met. She's just genuine, and she makes a point to validate your feelings and whatever you've been going through at the end of every session. When she gives you that validation, it's genuine. 

 

Emily is also an amazing listener. She's intuitive. You don't have to say a lot for her to get it. 

 

About Emily

 

I think about what she has been through in her life, what she lives every day and her struggles. Not struggles in a negative way, but her children with special needs and her life journey, which I didn't know until I read her book about her, the physical issues she had growing up. I think all of that has made her very unique.

 

Emily's just, what can I say? Thank you, Lord, for bringing her to me. 

 

Like with anything, you have to be ready. You have to want to do this.

 

I am like a sponge. Emily validated that about me. I mean, I was ready. I soaked up absolutely everything. I want to develop myself. I always have done that. 

 

It was my desire to better myself, which I've always had, but Emily always made it very clear that she was there as the guide. It was me that had to do it. It was my work to do, and I always understood that from day one. 

 

There was magic between us.

 

Emily means a lot to me. 

 

Emily's a very special person, and she's helped me transform my leadership in ways I never thought possible. 

 

I think from Emily's perspective; it was gratifying as well because I was ready to make that change. So it wasn't a heavy lift in that sense for her. I looked forward to every session with her, and I was ready. I feel it was mutually beneficial for both of us.