378. Unlocking the Impact of Proximate Leadership - Tulaine Montgomery

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Overview

Meet Tulaine. She’s a social entrepreneur, educator and community organizer. She serves as Co-CEO at New Profit, a venture philanthropy org that backs social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity. She’s sharing how when we lean into proximity though proximity insight and listening, can lead to true transformation. Don’t miss Tulaine’s heartwired counsel that had us nodding along the whole conversation.

💡 Learn

The power of proximity in the social impact space
Examples of proximate leadership + insight
How busyness can be a cover for mediocrity

Today’s Guest

Tulaine Montgomery, Co-CEO, New Profit

“Most human beings, when they are at their best, will give their best.”

— Tulaine Montgomery, Co-CEO, New Profit

Episode Transcript

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Episode Highlights

Tulaine’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)

Proximity as a value (11:45)
Listening (15:00)
How the social sector can rise up to meet this moment (19:00)
Example of proximate insight + leadership: GirlTrek (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tulaine’s life (41:00)
Tulaine’s One Good Thing: The Stockdale Paradox - have unshakeable faith and an unblinking eye. (52:00)

POWERFUL QUOTES

“Community is medicine. I’m not the first person to say that, but community is medicine and we need it to be well and creative to solve the world's most pressing problems.” -Tulaine

“Whatever I have done as an adult professional has been around the idea that we ideally would all have access to everything we need to thrive. However, we define that for ourselves.” -Tulaine

“I fell in love with something that then brought me into spaces that I might not have been in otherwise.” -Tulaine

“The theme of gathering and sharing has been at the heartbeat of my entrepreneurial journey.” -Tulaine

“I’ve had an interesting journey of learning how to completely accept what is my calling and purpose.” -Tulaine

“The absence of proximity in this country is the thing that enabled such a biased and broken criminal justice system.” -Tulaine

“There is an additional step that is about the power of proximity, and it is about listening.” -Tulaine

“We’re talking about something that is miles away from charity, we’re talking about transformation.” -Tulaine

“Could we stop leaving impact on the table?” -Tulaine

“Anything I’m advising, I’m practicing.” -Tulaine

“Let’s stop ignoring the fact that as human beings, trust is the primary field that we have to move resources.” -Tulaine

“Trust is almost always what unlocks the movement of capital. Let’s get in the business of enabling trust.” -Tulaine

“All of us have the ability to be philanthropists.” -Tulaine

“Do I have the opportunity to listen to and be guided by those who I serve?” -Tulaine

“We all get pretty attached to our plans. I’ve learned that one of the biggest missteps we can make is that we plan like the most important factor is efficiency.” -Tulaine

“Business is often a cover for mediocrity.” -Tulaine

“We have to, with every touchpoint, make sure we don’t take it for granted or rush past it.” -Tulaine

“We have to make sure we aren’t brushing past it, and we are actually telling ourselves about our impact. We don’t know our impact until we listen to other people.” -Tulaine

“We have to listen to actually make change and not just be busy.” -Tulaine

“Let’s sit in the stillness and pause and take a breath.” -Becky

“The only way to know our impact is to be actively listening and be guided by what we hear.” -Tulaine

“It is easier for me to think this way because most of what I get to call work is being in the company of human beings who are choosing to do their very best for humanity.” -Tulaine

“Most human beings, when they are at their best, will give their best.” -Tulaine