How To Know When Planning To Pause Is The Right Strategic Move

You raised the money. You hired the team. You hit your goals. So why does it suddenly feel harder than before? In this episode, I talk about the under-discussed but absolutely critical phase of organizational growth: the flat part—that stretch after a big win where things feel slow, messy, or unclear. I explain why this isn’t a setback—it’s a build phase, a time to stabilize, recalibrate, and reinforce your organization so it can actually hold what you’ve achieved. You’ll hear a story from one of my clients, Maya, who went from breakthrough success to burnout—and how the flat stretch became her most strategic season of leadership. If you’re in that quiet, uncomfortable space right now, this episode will help you reframe it—and lead through it with confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why growth plateaus are a normal and essential part of nonprofit leadership
• How to identify when you’re in a flat (but strategic) season
• What to do during that phase to build a stronger, more resilient organization

3 Key Takeaways

1. Growth is a step function, not a straight line—every leap forward is followed by a flat period where you stabilize and build.
2. The flat part isn’t a problem—it’s a leadership moment to reflect, redesign, and prepare for sustained impact.
3. If you skip the build phase, growth will expose cracks—not fix them.

The Strategic Build Phase: What It Actually Looks Like

This flat part isn’t downtime—it’s the moment to:

• Reflect on what worked and what broke in your last growth cycle
• Redesign roles, systems, and strategies that no longer fit
• Build infrastructure like workflows, communication plans, and financial models
• Recalibrate culture to align with a larger team or new operating rhythm

These steps are not glamorous, but they are essential for long-term, sustainable growth.

Reflection Questions for the Week

• Where in your org are you still relying on hustle when you need a redesign?
• What would shift if you saw this season as strategic instead of stalled?

Resources Mentioned

• Next Level Nonprofit -- My coaching program to help leaders redesign their orgs for sustainable growth—especially during the flat, messy middle.

Want to work together?

Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Accelerator, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations that want a smart, powerful playbook for taking their growing organization to the next level.

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