Category: Event Takeaways

Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every corner of our lives — from how we work and learn to how we participate in civic life. Yet as the technology races ahead, governance has struggled to keep pace. 

During a candid panel discussion at NationSwell Summit on October 22 hosted by David Gelles — New York Times reporter and author of Dirtbag Billionaire — Mike Kubzansky, CEO of Omidyar Network, and Miriam Vogel, CEO of EqualAI, explored how society can steer AI toward the public good. Kubzansky emphasized the urgent need for public oversight and values-based regulation that puts people, not profit, at the center of innovation, while Vogel highlighted practical steps organizations can take now — from embedding accountability in everyday workflows to cultivating ethical reflexes inside teams — to ensure AI serves all communities equitably.

A full recap of the panel’s insights can be found below.

Takeaways:

“We shouldn’t expect profit-driven companies to prioritize the public good — that’s not how capitalism works. If we want AI to serve society, we have to build the incentives and accountability to make that happen.”

  — Mike Kubzansky, CEO, Omidyar Network

• Artificial intelligence isn’t a future issue — it’s a governance crisis happening in real time. The world is deploying AI faster than it can define what “good governance” means. Most organizations use AI in some capacity, but few have internal standards, accountability systems, or a clear understanding of what responsible use looks like.
  
• Every technological revolution has had a societal reckoning — except this one. From pharmaceuticals to nuclear energy, past innovations prompted debate and regulation. In the digital era, no such collective framework exists, leaving critical decisions to private companies and market forces rather than shared values or public consent.
  
• The real gap isn’t technical — it’s institutional. There are no common definitions, standards, or liability frameworks for AI use. As a result, companies set their own rules, often inconsistently. Building shared norms and accountability mechanisms is now as urgent as any technical breakthrough.

“You cannot regulate your way out of this; governance starts inside the organization. Every company needs to know how it’s using AI, who’s accountable, and what happens when something goes wrong.”

— Miriam Vogel, President and CEO, EqualAI

• Governance begins inside organizations, not in Congress. External regulation alone can’t ensure safe or ethical AI. Companies need internal “AI hygiene”: clarity about where AI is used, who is accountable, and how issues are surfaced and resolved. Without internal governance, regulation becomes meaningless.
  
• Regulation does not stifle innovation; confusion does. Rules provide clarity, not constraint. Some of the most innovative economies operate under strong governance frameworks. Real innovation thrives in environments where safety, trust, and transparency are built in from the start.
  
• Public trust is collapsing, and AI literacy is the cure. Half of Americans report being more afraid than excited about AI. Those who understand it are more optimistic, suggesting that AI literacy — not hype or fear — is the foundation for responsible adoption and social trust.
  
• Profit-driven systems won’t self-correct. Expecting companies to prioritize ethics over revenue misunderstands capitalism’s incentives. Governance must come from a mix of policy, investor expectations, and board accountability — ensuring AI’s social license to operate.
  
• There’s still time to design responsible AI — but only if we demand it now. Responsible AI isn’t theoretical: it requires clear accountability, transparent testing, and leadership ownership. The companies that get this right will be the ones that earn both consumer trust and long-term viability.

On October 6, Nasdaq convened its Economic Opportunity Summit — a half-day of panel discussions built on the legacy of its Purpose Forum designed to bring together innovators, policy experts, and business leaders under one roof to talk about what economic prosperity really looks like in 2025 and beyond. 

Centering questions of how we can expand access, revitalize communities, and drive inclusive, purpose-led growth, the day’s agenda ranged from rethinking how we measure prosperity to reimagining regional ecosystems, integrating capital with opportunity, and amplifying authentic storytelling as a force for change.

Below are some of the key insights from the event.

The New Company Town

1. Regional revitalization depends on intentional investment in education and ecosystems. Innovation isn’t confined to Silicon Valley — it’s taking root in cities and regions across the U.S. The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s Advancing Regional Innovation Economies Report maps where inclusive innovation is thriving, using data to highlight communities effectively linking education, research, and entrepreneurship. The findings show that regions with strong R1 and R2 universities, early-stage capital networks, and coordinated civic leadership see the highest GDP and talent growth.

2. Purpose-driven business is good business. Data shows that companies with purpose-driven values outperform peers across metrics like employee retention, innovation, and return on capital. With 94% of Gen Z workers unwilling to join companies that lack a clear social purpose, aligning corporate impact with community investment has become both an ethical and financial imperative.

3. The power of “co-op-etition.” For the Dallas Economic Development Corporation, success is built on a blend of fierce competition and deep collaboration between the private sector, government, and education. From streamlined permitting processes to customized workforce training and a tax-friendly environment, Dallas has become a national model for business attraction and ease of doing business.

4. Culture is a critical driver of economic growth. Panelists emphasized that vibrant arts, culture, and community life are not extras — they’re economic infrastructure. Investments in cultural institutions, public green spaces, and livable neighborhoods attract top talent and strengthen social cohesion. 

The Power of Possibility (featuring Jenny Just, co-founder and managing partner at Peak6 Investments and Sloane Stephens, professional athlete and founder of the Sloane Stephens Foundation):

1. The power of possibility begins with saying yes. Jenny Just’s career started on the trading floor — a male-dominated world where she learned early that opportunity often hides behind uncertainty. “I never said no,” she said. That willingness to try, to pivot, and to persist built a fintech empire from an initial $1.6 million family-and-friends investment into multiple multi-billion-dollar businesses. Her message: Don’t wait for the perfect plan — just begin, stay curious, and adapt.

2. Purpose fuels perseverance. For Sloane Stephens, the power of possibility comes from passion and persistence. What began as a neighborhood tennis hobby became a global platform for impact. Through the Sloane Stephens Foundation, she now helps youth see that the world is their oyster, providing access to sports, education, and mentorship so they can imagine bigger futures for themselves.

3. Failure is not fatal — it’s formative. Both speakers reframed failure as essential training. They urged audiences to embrace iteration — failure as a rep in the gym that builds the muscle of resilience.

4. Confidence at the table changes everything. Just’s current mission — to teach one million women and girls to play poker — isn’t about cards, but about confidence. Poker, she said, teaches risk-taking, capital allocation, and negotiation — the same skills needed in the boardroom. “If we teach our daughters to play poker,” she said, “we can change the world.”

Tracking Prosperity: How do we Measure Economic Impact?

1. GDP is essential — but incomplete. Panelists agreed that GDP remains a vital benchmark for assessing economic activity, but it is a blunt instrument that fails to capture inclusion, equity, or quality of growth. Global growth projections have declined from 3.7% pre-pandemic to just above 3% today, threatening income convergence and poverty reduction. We need complementary indicators that measure sustainability, inclusion, and balance — not just output.

2. Data granularity reveals who’s thriving and who’s being left behind. Panelists emphasized the importance of individual-level, real-time data to understand how families and small businesses are faring across income, race, and gender lines, and cautioned against aggregate indicators, which mask critical disparities.

3. Inclusive growth requires better data on how opportunity actually moves through the economy. Built through a collaboration between the Schultz Family Foundation, Harvard Business School, and the Burning Glass Institute, the American Opportunity Index uses millions of real career records to measure how well large employers enable upward mobility — tracking promotions, pay growth, and internal advancement. Now in its fourth year, the Index’s findings challenge assumptions about where opportunity lives: in many cases, frontline roles at mid-sized firms outperform brand-name employers on career progress. By turning workforce data into public benchmarks, the Index gives companies a roadmap to improve mobility outcomes and helps policymakers and investors identify where inclusive growth is genuinely taking root.

4. The future of prosperity depends on inclusion and adaptability. The panel closed with concern over asymmetries in the labor market — a mismatch between where jobs are disappearing (including software roles affected by AI) and where demand is rising. Without stronger education-to-employment pipelines and retraining systems, AI and automation risk deepening inequality rather than reducing it. New research from the Schultz Family Foundation and HarrisX recently put a name to this disconnect: the broken marketplace. The call to action: design data-informed policies that help workers move, not just survive, through economic transition.

Uniting Capital with Opportunity

1. Homeownership remains central to wealth creation—but new models are needed. In 1985, a teacher’s salary was one-third the price of a home; today, it is one-tenth. Shared appreciation lending models like those being pioneered by Homium help to connect capital markets directly to first-time homebuyers and can serve as unlocks that help teachers, nurses, and first responders afford homes in the communities in which they work.

2. Expanding stock ownership can narrow the wealth gap. Disparities in stock ownership are the single largest driver of the racial wealth gap, which is why companies like Ownership Works have taken up the mantle of ensuring that all employees — from the CEO to the front line workers — are partial owners through free equity grants. In addition to generating billions in payouts, ownership also results in greater engagement, lower attrition, and tangible financial gains for workers.

3. The next five years will test whether innovation can reach the people who need it most. Panelists envisioned a future where innovation serves teachers as much as tech executives. From portable lifelong savings accounts launched at birth to scalable models of employee ownership and affordable homeownership, they argued that aligning incentives between capital and community is the key to inclusive prosperity. 

4. Transforming the language of investing is just as critical as transforming its systems. The Transforming Investor Identity Research Report — a national pilot by Commonwealth with support from the Nasdaq Foundation — is a model for shifting cultural perceptions of what it means to be an investor. By studying how individuals see themselves in relation to investing, the research surfaces both structural and psychological barriers that keep millions from building wealth. Its findings challenge institutions to expand access not just through new products, but through new narratives — ones that connect financial inclusion to agency, identity, and long-term confidence.

Seizing Your Power (featuring Tiffany Dufu, President of the Tory Burch Foundation)

1. Storytelling is a leadership superpower. Dufu emphasized that “purpose isn’t mystical — it’s a decision inspired by your lived experiences.” By rooting leadership in personal narrative, individuals can clarify their purpose and communicate it authentically to others. The stories we choose to tell — like Dufu’s story of her mother breaking cycles of poverty — shape how we lead, what we stand for, and how effectively we inspire others.

2. Authenticity must live through behavior, not branding. Authenticity isn’t found on a company’s website or in its values statement, it’s revealed through daily actions. Dufu praised leaders who “send the elevator back down,” mentoring and supporting others in tangible ways. True purpose, she said, “has to manifest and live through the behavior of people, always.”

3. Rewriting the narrative of entrepreneurship. Dufu challenged prevailing myths that entrepreneurship is “too risky” or reserved for others. She urged women to redefine entrepreneurship as an extension of their grit and problem-solving, not an unreachable identity. 

4. The Tory Burch Foundation is scaling women’s economic power. Under Dufu’s leadership, the foundation has unlocked $342 million in economic impact to date and aims to surpass $1 billion by 2030. Its decade-long Fellows Program boasts a 91% business survival rate and focuses on helping women build multi-million-dollar enterprises by providing access to mentorship, markets, and capital — not just funding but a “sisterhood of founders” who help each other scale and succeed.

The State of Create: Exploring the Economic Impact of the Influencer

1. The term “influencer” is evolving into something more entrepreneurial. Panelists agreed that while “influencer” has picked up negative connotations, it still best captures the breadth of what creators do. One panelist observed that creators are “entrepreneurs building businesses around community,” while another mused that even C-suite executives now count as creators if they’re sharing expertise and building engaged audiences.

2. Agency and authenticity are driving Gen Z’s creator ambitions. Younger generations aren’t just seeking fame — they’re seeking freedom. The ability to build a media company from your phone makes content creation deeply appealing. Gen Z and Gen Alpha see it as a path to autonomy, creative control, and purpose-driven expression.

3. Monetization is becoming more democratized and diverse. Panelists highlighted how creators now monetize earlier and through multiple streams: direct fan support, brand deals, donations, speaking engagements, and ad revenue. Twitch’s affiliate model enables creators to earn income from day one, while others use partnerships and media opportunities to sustain free, educational content.

4. AI and trust will define the next era of influence. While creators see AI as a powerful tool for efficiency and safety moderation, panelists warned of its risks, including the rise of deepfake ads that can mimic a creator’s likeness, threatening the trust that underpins their relationship with audiences. Panelists agreed that more guardrails are needed in order to protect human authenticity and connection moving forward.

Breaking Barriers, Building Opportunity: Investing in Impact

1. The women’s sports “movement” isn’t a moment, it’s a systems reset. During the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Team USA’s victory and equal pay lawsuit revealed a glaring disconnect between audience enthusiasm and industry investment. Women’s sports weren’t lacking talent or audience — they were trapped in outdated business models measured by men’s sports metrics like reach and efficiency. 

2. Athletes must have a seat at the business table. Sue Bird — WNBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and Hall of Famer  — joined Deep Blue to bridge the gap between athletes and advertisers, bringing firsthand perspective to boardrooms often devoid of lived experience. Their collaboration ensures that partnerships are authentic, relevant, and reflective of real athletic culture — not filtered through outdated creative briefs.

3. Authenticity and engagement matter more than reach. Bird emphasized that the women’s sports community thrives on depth of connection rather than scale. This authenticity gives brands higher long-term value, transforming athletes into trusted cultural partners rather than traditional endorsers.

4. Purposeful partnerships drive cultural and economic returns. Deep Blue’s “Stay Ready” campaign with MassMutual spotlighted three athletes at different career stages, connecting financial readiness with empowerment and longevity. Rather than restricting it to “women’s sports” media, the campaign ran across March Madness, NBA Finals, and business networks — proving that women’s sports stories can outperform when told universally.

Although AI is poised to change and reshape many contours of our economy and lived experience, few among us express confidence in putting it to use in our day-to-day work.

That’s why, on September 16, NationSwell convened a group of peer leaders for a virtual roundtable focused on immediate, practical applications for AI on impact teams. From day to day low-lift use cases to opportunities for mission delivery, attendees explored how leaders are using generative AI – and increasingly agentic AI – to increase speed, clarity, and capacity in core workflows.

Some of the key takeaways from the event appear below:

Key takeaways:

Recognize that adoption is widely happening in the impact sector. The majority of social sector staff are experimenting with generative AI tools in their work, even if they don’t consider themselves advanced users or have streamlined guidance in the workplace. This signals opportunity and a responsibility to provide structure and support.

Democratize access to AI. Smaller nonprofits often lack the capital to experiment and funders can be discouraged to invest without tech experience. However, investing in organizational capacity through AI training, tools, or peer learning communities ensures that nonprofits can participate fully in the AI era.

Navigate the shared learning curve together. Nonprofit leaders and funders are all learning together—often unsure what to budget, request, or approve. This affirms the importance of shared guidance, education, and implementing standards that are critical for progress.

Establish governance and guidelines that protect your organization and its data. Large corporations can rely on private licensing and built-in governance systems to safeguard data shared with AI models. Nonprofits, by contrast, often depend on public tools, underscoring the need for risk management.

Start AI integration incrementally, not exponentially. For non-tech affluent organizations, beginning with small, incremental applications of AI—such as using off-the-shelf tools for efficiency—is more effective than jumping immediately to large-scale projects. The most practical applications are those that strengthen existing processes like fundraising, program design, or communications.

Build AI strategies into organizational roadmaps. Organizations can create customized AI roadmaps that reflect their priorities and capabilities, ensuring alignment with mission. For example, a nonprofit has an upcoming fundraising cycle that includes 5 key phases. For each of those phases, the nonprofit identifies incremental steps to integrate AI to enhance efficiency. 

Shift from individual to collective AI use. While many staff are experimenting with AI on their own, organizations unlock far greater value when they standardize usage. Meta-prompts and custom GPTs help move beyond scattered adoption and enable teams to work in alignment, share best practices, and ensure outputs reflect organizational priorities.

Scale responsibly with trusted principles. Growth in AI adoption should not outpace organizational values. Embedding equity, transparency, and bias prevention from the outset establishes a foundation of trust with staff, partners, and communities. By treating responsible AI use as a living framework—one that adapts as technologies and risks evolve—organizations can scale confidently while safeguarding.

As the global economy undergoes rapid transformation driven by digital innovation and artificial intelligence, the future of work demands a new approach—one that centers inclusion, equity, and adaptability.

During a virtual Leader Roundtable hosted on September 10, NationSwell members unpacked how integrating digital fluency into skilled trades training, advancing skills-based hiring, and designing accessible learning pathways that center future-ready skills can help build a more inclusive and representative workforce.

Key takeaways:

• Design training programs in close partnership with employers. Employer-informed curricula and training ensure learners are trained for actual demand, not theoretical needs. Models like customized training tracks for data center technicians show how alignment with industry can lead to placement rates above 80% and help close gaps in fast-evolving fields.
• Build agility into workforce initiatives. Instead of long planning cycles, programs can adopt short pilots, rapid iteration, and feedback loops to adapt quickly. This allows leaders to experiment, take risks, and scale what works — an approach critical in a labor market reshaped by AI and automation.
• Pair technical training with wraparound supports. Barriers like childcare, transportation, housing, or career navigation often determine whether someone can complete training. Embedding these supports — sometimes through cross-sector partnerships — translates access into real outcomes, especially for women, parents, and workers from historically excluded groups.
• Strengthen social capital alongside skills. Networks matter as much as technical ability in securing jobs. Programs that cultivate alumni pipelines, peer mentorship, and hiring networks replicate the advantages of traditional social capital and help level the playing field in an era where AI screening increases applicant volume.
• Break down silos in education and training. Cross-disciplinary programs that cut across engineering, data science, environmental science, and business better prepare students for the complex, blended challenges industries face. Universities that shift from teaching “departments” to solving cross-disciplinary “problems” are modeling the future of workforce education.
• Engage communities where new industries take root. Data centers, renewable energy hubs, and advanced manufacturing facilities are creating jobs in rural areas, but also raising concerns around land use, environmental impact, and neighborliness. Leaders who pair workforce investment with intentional community dialogue and benefit-sharing will unlock more durable opportunities.
• Invest in real-time labor market intelligence. Traditional labor data lags six to nine months, often missing critical inflection points. By collecting live input from job seekers, students, and employers — and analyzing it with AI — leaders can spot emerging trends earlier, respond faster, and avoid over- or under-investing in certain skills.
• Reframe high-demand industries to attract the next generation. Manufacturing and skilled trades are increasingly automated, tech-driven, and well-paid, but remain plagued by outdated perceptions. Recasting these jobs as high-tech, sustainable, and future-focused is essential to inspire young people and address looming talent shortages.
• Expose young people to career pathways early and often. Many students simply don’t know what opportunities exist or how their skills connect to them. Career awareness programs, mentorship at the high school level, and early exposure to applied training help bridge the gap between education and the jobs of tomorrow.
• Expand inclusive on-ramps for nontraditional learners. Talent often sits outside four-year institutions. Short-term credentials, apprenticeships, and alternative pipelines — combined with recognition of prior learning — allow individuals from varied backgrounds to enter high-demand fields and build economic mobility.

Explore how NationSwell’s Workforce Innovation Collaborative is charting a more inclusive path forward to ensure the future of work works for everyone.

During the time of year when many impact leaders are preparing their 2026 budgets – and making their case for sustained or increased funding — NationSwell convened a virtual Leader Roundtable dedicated to providing a space for our community to connect on best practices, talking points, and novel approaches for making the case for investment, accessing adjacent budgets through deeper business alignment, and navigating stakeholder dynamics with confidence.

Some of the key takeaways from the discussion appear below:

Key takeaways

Advance multi-channel resourcing strategies. Organizations can adapt to flat or reduced budgets by creatively aligning with discretionary funds, cross-departmental resources, and pro bono assets. Embedding impact priorities into broader business strategies supports continued relevance and resilience in constrained financial environments.

Elevate holistic definitions of corporate giving. Leaders are moving beyond foundation dollars to account for the “totality of giving,” including volunteerism, product donations, and operational investments. Tracking and celebrating these broader contributions helps unlock hidden value and provides a fuller picture of corporate impact to key stakeholders.

Benchmark against peers while embracing discretion. Companies are increasingly willing to share impact data in aggregate but hesitant to disclose specifics, reflecting reputational sensitivities. Collective benchmarking can guide strategic planning while respecting privacy, and offers opportunities to highlight product-based and in-kind giving models as complements to cash philanthropy.

Embed executive sponsorship in impact initiatives. Executive champions can unlock access to budgets, headcount, and expertise across the enterprise. Formal sponsorship programs and structured “away models” for employee participation provide scalable ways to extend impact teams without new headcount.

Balance visibility and employee engagement in shifting climates. With many corporations opting for quieter public-facing stances, there is a growing emphasis on internal employee engagement. Nonprofits can adapt and embrace this momentum by providing safe  and risk-aware opportunities to corporate partners. 

Promote cross-sector collaboration to meet systemic challenges. Leaders are eager for truth-seeking and collective momentum in a moment where organizations are largely working in silos. Building integrated approaches that link corporate assets, nonprofit expertise, and public funding streams can build shared resilience in the face of economic, environmental, and compliance pressures.

Leverage AI and technology responsibly for capacity-building. With fundraising and impact teams already stretched, enterprise AI tools can provide efficiencies – but must be deployed with clear guardrails to ensure ethical use, compliance, and trust. 

The most Successful impact teams reflect an optimal blend of passion, evolving skillsets, drive, and resilience.

On August 21, NationSwell hosted a virtual Leader Roundtable dedicated to exploring the tools and talent strategies that are helping organizations fuel innovation, foster agility, and cultivate the next generation of leaders from within.

Some of the key takeaways from the discussion appear below:

Key Takeaways:
AI literacy is becoming a mission-critical skillset. Teams are committing to universal adoption of AI tools, supported by training, shared use cases, and responsible governance frameworks. This not only boosts efficiency but also frees employees to focus on higher-order strategic and creative work.

Resilience and decision-making under uncertainty are essential leadership capabilities. With rapid change and rising complexity, leaders must strengthen their ability to make clear, values-driven choices amid ambiguity. Anchoring decisions to a “North Star” focus helps organizations stay disciplined, prune non-essential efforts, and move forward with confidence.

Cross-functional skills are critical for team adaptability. Rather than siloing capabilities, every team member should be comfortable interpreting data, telling stories, and applying new tools. This democratization of skills builds flexibility and helps teams pivot more effectively during times of change.

Storytelling is a powerful tool for building coalitions. In an era of skepticism toward public health, science, and social progress, compelling storytelling helps organizations mobilize stakeholders, strengthen coalitions, and sustain movements. Narratives that connect impact to human experience can bridge divides and inspire action.

Ruthless prioritization ensures resources drive maximum impact. With finite budgets and capacity, organizations must sharpen their ability to allocate resources where they matter most. Prioritization helps avoid burnout, clarifies tradeoffs, and maximizes the return on both social and financial investments.

Mentorship, shadowing, and sponsorship accelerate growth of soft skills. Formal and informal programs that pair employees with mentors, sponsors, or shadowing opportunities help individuals build confidence, broaden perspectives, and advance their careers. These practices also embed a culture of advocacy and leadership development within organizations.

Coaching creates organizational capacity for growth. Embedding coaching into leadership KPIs and encouraging leaders to “learn, do, and teach” creates a multiplier effect. As senior leaders coach others who then pass knowledge forward, organizations build a sustainable culture of professional development.

Connection and culture are as important as technical skills. In remote or high-change environments, intentional practices such as personal “user manuals” and dedicated time for relationship-building can strengthen trust and cohesion. This human connection supports teams in navigating turbulence with resilience and empathy.

Measuring what matters is critical for long-term credibility. Without strong metrics, social impact efforts risk being deprioritized during budget cuts. Building robust measurement systems and demonstrating “value on investment” ensures initiatives are recognized as integral to the organization’s strategy, not peripheral.

Purpose-driven alignment strengthens both impact and sustainability. Impact teams that tie their work to the organization’s core business strategy — and prove the social rate of return alongside financial outcomes — are better positioned to sustain funding and demonstrate long-term value. Showing that “doing good is good for business” helps win over skeptical stakeholders and ensures continued support.

Threats facing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) accelerated dramatically in early 2025 as new Executive Orders exerted significant pressure on companies, funders, and nonprofits to retreat from their DEI practices. The EOs and surrounding political scrutiny have led some organizations to walk back their commitments and decrease their investments. Others – propelled forward by their investors, employees, and organizational goals – are finding new ways to sustain momentum while remaining in compliance with relevant laws.

On August 5, NationSwell hosted a virtual Leader Roundtable dedicated to taking stock of the latest developments shaping the future of DEI and surfacing the practices, models, and pivots that are helping organizations navigate challenges, protect gains, and create more inclusive, equitable workplaces and communities.

Some of the key takeaways from the discussion appear below:

Insights:

1. Flexibility is a strength — but values must remain non-negotiable. Organizations are adapting language, public messaging, and branding in response to political pressures, but those with the most clarity and confidence are grounding decisions in their mission, legal frameworks, and long-held values. This internal consistency and moral clarity helps to ensure that external adjustments don’t dilute internal commitments.

2. Internal alignment and transparent communication are essential. Clear messaging to staff — especially during times of change — helps maintain trust and cohesion. Leaders are prioritizing employee engagement, addressing concerns proactively, and reinforcing shared purpose in order to sustain morale and minimize confusion. Internal stakeholders and employees need to understand that the mission hasn’t shifted — just the framing.

3. Crisis response teams and task forces are becoming essential infrastructure. Organizations are formalizing cross-functional groups to navigate fast-moving political, legal, and reputational risks. These teams — which often include legal, HR, communications, and policy stakeholders — enable coordinated responses and reduce the burden on DEI leaders to go it alone.

4. Fear and confusion among leadership requires intentional re-grounding. Allies who once championed DEI work are now hesitant, unsure of legal limits or public repercussions. Supporting leaders to revisit their “why,” and equipping them with clear, values-driven language, helps prevent unnecessary retreats and builds back courage.

5. Staff engagement and inclusion remain top priorities. Changes to DEI language or visibility can be felt deeply by internal teams. Organizations are leaning into listening sessions, transparent rationales, and co-created strategies to ensure staff feel included and aligned — even when choices are tough.

6. DEI work is becoming more decentralized — but must remain coherent. In large or distributed organizations, responses to the current climate can vary across regions, teams, or departments. While local nuance matters, leaders are working to ensure that the organization’s equity efforts remain coherent, consistent, and strategically aligned.

7. A shared learning and support ecosystem is crucial for leadership stamina. This work is emotionally and politically taxing. Leaders are finding strength in peer networks, cross-sector convenings, and informal “circles of care” that offer solidarity, shared tools, and a place to strategize in real time.

8. Courage is contagious—and still required. Amid a climate of uncertainty, principled leadership remains essential. Whether through bold public statements or quiet consistency, organizations can lead by example — affirming that even strategic compromise can be paired with moral clarity.

amidst challenging leadership moments and an ever-shifting political landscape, it is more important than ever that leaders continue to prioritize their mental and physical wellness.

On July 24, NationSwell convened a virtual conversation designed to surface some of the most effective and compassionate ways leaders are pausing to prioritize their own well-being as they continue to prioritize the wellbeing of their constituents. Below are some of the key takeaways from the discussion:

Insights:

Success needs a new definition – one that includes well-being. Too often, we tie success to output, speed, and sacrifice. But working harder can come at a high cost. Leaders, organizations, and ultimately society must reframe success to include rest, healing, and sustainability. Consider building rest directly into your calendar as you would any strategic priority.

Rest is leadership, not luxury. Pausing isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a signal of trust in your team, your systems, and yourself. Leaders who design their schedules with space to breathe are often the ones who perform more consistently and inspire more deeply.

Well-being must be designed into the system. You can’t expect wellness without infrastructure. That means clear organizational values around self-care, adequate time off, accessible benefits, and consistent tools like anonymous feedback surveys and employee pulse checks – all backed by leadership commitment. Build cross-functional teams to own wellbeing, use data to identify pain points, and report progress transparently. 

Cultures of care require both help-seeking and help-giving. Mental health isn’t just an individual responsibility. Teams need to be trained not just to ask for help, but to proactively offer it by checking in when something seems off and having clear protocols for stepping in and covering for one another.

Vulnerability is a leadership skill. When leaders name their own limits, they give others permission to do the same. Modeling moments like “I’m not okay today” or “I need to step back” signals to your team that care isn’t conditional.

Psychological safety has to be intentional. People won’t take emotional risks in environments that punish uncertainty. Leaders must codify psychological safety into how meetings run, how feedback is given, and how mistakes are handled.

Curiosity is an underused superpower. Real leadership starts with self-inquiry. Asking “What am I not trusting?” or “What story am I telling myself that might no longer serve me?” helps unlock authenticity and opens space for honest team communication. External culture shifts only stick when leaders have done the inner work. That means questioning outdated self-identities, naming your own fears, and leading from alignment.

Manager training is critical, not optional. You can’t build a healthy culture if the people managing day-to-day interactions aren’t equipped to handle hard conversations with care. Invest in developing emotional fluency, conflict navigation, and compassion-based leadership at every level.