Mid-Career Development: The Hidden Gold Execs. Are Overlooking

If you’ve been working in a nonprofit for 5+ years, you’re a rare breed.

You’ve weathered shifting funding cycles, burnout, leadership turnover, and countless “urgent” problems—and you’re still here. That kind of commitment is worth its weight in gold.

But here’s the thing: too often, dependable, mid-stage leaders are overlooked.

Executive teams assume, they’ve got it covered. So no one asks:

• How’s their mental health?

• Who’s supporting them when the chaos doesn’t stop?

• What aspirations of theirs have been put on hold?

No shade to executive leaders—it’s not intentional neglect. It’s the result of survival mode.

Unfortunately, survival mode has a cost. We’ve seen what happens when mid-stage leaders go unrecognized, unsupported, and under-invested. Their resilience wears thin. Their growth stalls. And, worst of all, they quietly leave—taking their institutional knowledge, relationships, and contributions with them.

The Hidden Cost of Overlooking Career Development

At The Collaborative Collective, we’ve had the privilege of working with these incredible mid-stage leaders through our Aspire Leadership Cohorts. We know that when organizations stop treating them like the ones who will "always get it done" and start investing in their career development and personal growth, amazing things happen.

Consider the impact we’ve seen:

• A 147% improvement in mental health ratings

• 156% growth in feeling supported by a professional community

• 75% of participants promoted or transitioning into new leadership roles during the program itself

These aren’t just statistics—they represent transformation.

When leaders feel supported, they stop operating from a place of burnout and survival. They gain the confidence to step up, advocate for new ideas, and lead with renewed purpose.

Why Investing in Mid-Stage Leaders Matters

When executive leaders focus solely on crisis management and immediate organizational needs, they unintentionally deprive their teams of long-term sustainability. But here’s the good news: creating space for growth, peer support, and leadership reflection doesn’t require overhauling the entire organization. It just requires intentionality.

Enter the Aspire Leadership Cohort.

Our cohorts are designed specifically for leaders who are stuck in the middle—not new to leadership but not yet at the top. We provide:

• Peer support to break down isolation

• Vulnerability-safe spaces to unpack emotional and mental challenges

• Constructive feedback that leaders can actually use to grow

• Focused leadership development with measurable outcomes

The Results Speak for Themselves

Here’s what past cohort members have told us:

“I finally had a space where I could vent, regroup, and reflect without judgment. It changed the way I see myself as a leader.”

“I wasn’t planning on seeking a promotion this year, but during the cohort, I realized I had more to offer.”

This is why we do what we do—to help nonprofits thrive by empowering the very people who make that possible.

Don’t Let Your Best Leaders Leave Unnoticed

It’s time to take a beat. Let’s recognize the steady, mid-stage leaders who have been holding it all together. Let’s support their mental health, professional growth, and aspirations.

Because when we do, they don’t just stay—they thrive.

If you’re a nonprofit leader looking to invest in your team’s long-term success, explore our Aspire Leadership Cohorts. 

Let’s build stronger, healthier, and more impactful leadership together.