Stop Carrying It Alone: Making Financial Leadership a Shared Responsibility

If you’re an Executive Director, there’s a good chance you’ve carried the financial side of your organization like a private weight.

You might have a bookkeeper, a finance staff member, maybe even a board treasurer, yet somehow, it still feels like you’re the only one holding the full picture. The one connecting dots between programs, cash flow, budgets, and what’s actually happening day to day.

As you think about resetting your financial leadership this year, one of the most powerful shifts you can make has nothing to do with software.

It’s about inviting other people into the work, clearly and intentionally.

Here are a few places to start.

Give your bookkeeper a leadership brief, not just tasks

Instead of only sending questions and to‑dos, share the bigger picture behind them.

• What’s your organization focused on this year?

• Where is funding uncertain?

• Which board concerns keep bubbling up?

A bookkeeper who understands your priorities can shape reports and spot issues in ways that actually help you lead, not just keep the books.

Clarify what you want your board to own

Boards often sit too far away from the financial reality — or too close to individual line items.

Decide what kind of ownership you really want from them: pattern recognition, risk awareness, and support for key decisions.

Then tailor your reports and meeting time to that level (not every detail). That’s part of resetting leadership, not just reporting.

Bring at least one key staff member into the conversation

If you’re the only one who understands how programs connect to the numbers, your leadership will always feel heavy.

Choose one staff member to grow into this with you. Invite them into monthly financial reviews. Encourage questions.

Over time, they become a bridge, connecting day‑to‑day program work with the bigger financial picture.

Create one shared rhythm

Set a steady rhythm where your finance partners overlap:

• A monthly check‑in with your bookkeeper and that key staff member.

• A consistent board report and short financial discussion every meeting.

The goal isn’t to turn everyone into a finance expert (oh, the horror!). The goal is to stop carrying the leadership load alone.

You don’t have to rebuild your systems to reset how you lead.

Sometimes the biggest change is shifting from “I’m the only one who sees this” to “We’re learning to steward this together.”