The Fear Every Charity Leader Has But Won't Say Out Loud

There's a conversation that happens in charity circles, usually in the quiet moments between trusted colleagues. It's about the leaders who've stayed too long. The ones who've lost their spark, going through the motions, hanging on until retirement while everyone around them wishes they'd move on. 

It's a fear that lurks in the back of many charity leaders minds: What if that becomes me? 

You've seen it happen. We all have. In fact, we referred to the lifers in a charity I previously worked for. 

Maybe it's the CEO who's been in post for twenty years, no longer driving innovation while the operations director quietly shapes the real strategy. Or the leader who speaks passionately about the mission but feels disconnected from the day-to-day energy that once excited them. They're not coasting (they're working hard) but something fundamental has shifted. 

The tragedy isn't that they've stopped caring. It's that they can't see themselves stagnating in their role. 

When You Become the Charity 

What I've noticed working with charity leaders is the same qualities that make you effective (your deep commitment to the mission, loyalty to the cause, willingness to sacrifice for something bigger than yourself) can become the very things that trap you. 

You start identifying so strongly with the organisation that the very idea of leaving feels like you’re abandoning them. The charity becomes not just your job, but your identity. And without regular appraisals or conversations about your career development, you keep your head down and keep going. The mission matters too much to step back and assess how you're feeling about the work, or what you're actually achieving. 

But the uncomfortable truth is when you become the charity, you've stopped being able to see it clearly & objectively. Innovation stagnates. Fresh thinking disappears. The organisation needs new ideas to move forward, but you've run out of them. 

The Cost of Staying Too Long 

I spoke with someone recently whose organisation had just changed CEO. The outgoing leader had the wisdom to say, I've done my time here. I have no new ideas for this organisation; it’s time for someone new. That level of self-awareness is rare and admirable. 

But what if that recognition comes too late? When leaders stay beyond their natural tenure, the costs compound. You become even more burnt out. Life outside work shrinks. The organisation suffers from lack of vision and direction. Teams become frustrated, and your impact diminishes. 

Your dedication to the mission actually starts undermining the mission itself. 

A Different Way to Think About Leadership  

What if, from the moment you accepted your leadership role, you started planning for the day you'd leave? Not because you don't care, but precisely because you do. 

This isn't about setting rigid timelines. It's about being intentional rather than accidental in your leadership journey. What do you want to achieve in this role? How does it fit with your broader life goals? What do you want your next chapter to look like, and what do you need to learn to get there? 

When you approach leadership this way, something interesting happens. You start building the team capability that will outlast your tenure. You invest in developing others because you know the organisation's success can't depend on you forever. You stay connected to your identity beyond work because you know that matters for your long-term effectiveness. 

Most importantly, you give yourself permission to change. What worked five years ago might not be right for you now. That's not failure (it's growth). And recognising it early enough to make conscious choices about your future is a gift to both yourself and your organisation. 

The Permission to Grow 

The charity sector's culture of sacrifice often makes leaders feel guilty for wanting something different. But being intentional about your career journey doesn't make you less committed to the mission; it makes you more effective while you're there, and it ensures the organisation builds the resilience to thrive without you. 

Your future self, and your charity, will thank you for having the courage to plan for change before change is forced upon you. 

Because the alternative (staying until you're embittered, exhausted, and holding the organisation back) serves no one, least of all the people you're there to help. 

 If you’re at crossroads and want to explore wheat could be next. book a free call to find out how I can help.