Howard Consulting, LLC

07/01/2026

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

🥵 ☀️ And if you're in the central or eastern US, you already know it's been a scorcher: temperatures are locked into a heat dome, expected to top 100ºF for the next three days, with a heat index between 105º and 111º.

💧 🚰 As you celebrate the nation's birthday this weekend, stock up on water and stay hydrated.

- Check on your neighbors, friends, and family who are most vulnerable to this heat.

- Checking on the people who are easy to overlook isn't just a heat safety habit. It's a leadership habit, too.

02/19/2026

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁?

Culture often develops simply by accident, as our organizations change and grow, whether we realize it or not.

Here are five questions to ask yourself and your staff to see how aligned your organization really is.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

𝟭) 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗶st (𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲)?

𝟮) 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀?
- These are the values that should be driving decisions and behavior, not just hanging on a wall.

𝟯)𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿?
- Look at what gets praised in meetings and what gets ignored. Those signals shape behavior just as much as formal recognition.
- Notice whether the same behaviors are rewarded for some people and penalized for others. That inconsistency is its own culture signal.

𝟰) 𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀?
- Pay attention to patterns, not just individual incidents.

5) What are the top priorities driving decisions right now?
- These are the priorities that determine where time, money, and attention actually go.
- Not what is on the strategic plan, but what is visibly driving choices day to day.

When the answers to these questions vary significantly across teams, it is very likely that the culture you think you have is not the culture that individuals are experiencing.

How aligned do you think your teams are around these questions? Especially your leaders?
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P.S. If you're a leader who suspects your team would have very different answers to these questions and you want to do something about it, send me a DM.
♻️ Repost if you think someone in your network would benefit from these questions.

12/19/2025

Time to take a break.

Wishing you a joyful season filled with warmth, inspiration, and celebration. Thank you for being part of the incredible impact we've made together this year.

Looking forward to possibilities in 2026!🌟

11/14/2025

📑 NEW REPORT - 2025 U.S. Nonprofit Culture Pulse Report

Our new 2025 U.S. Nonprofit Culture Pulse Report captures what leaders are noticing beneath the surface and what it means for the future of their mission-driven work.

After listening to nonprofit leaders across the U.S., I’ve seen a clear pattern emerge. Many are operating in what I think of as culture at capacity mode—where passion for the mission runs high, but the systems and relationships that support it are stretched thin.

The real test of culture shows up when purpose meets pressure.

This report is both a reflection and a call to action for nonprofits ready to take an honest look at how culture fuels (or limits) their impact.

👉 Download your report: https://howardconsultingllc.com/nonprofit-culture-pulse-report-2025

And if what you read resonates, let’s talk. I help organizations build stronger cultures designed for connection, sustainability, and impact.

This report is a companion to the U.S. Culture Pulse report, part of Fearless Culture's Global Culture Pulse study conducted across 12 countries, including the United States, Sweden, Australia (APAC), Finland, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

In this U.S. Nonprofit Culture Pulse companion report, we've zoomed in on nonprofits, specifically: what's going on with culture inside these organizations, what's actually working, where it’s under strain, and how leaders can adapt.

Discover how culture drives nonprofit collaboration, trust, and impact. Download the 2025 US Nonprofit Culture Pulse Report for fresh insights and trends.