Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhonda Magee.
Hi Rhonda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began my career in Accounting and Financial Management, working in the private sector. I lived in Colorado for a “few” decades. Denver, Colorado was a wonderful place to raise a family, my career was very fulfilling, and we thrived.
At a certain point I was offered a position at a Nonprofit—one focused on Prevention of Childhood Neglect and Abuse. That was a pivotal time, because I became deeply curious and attached to the Nonprofit model. I found it highly complex, and I love complexity! I was also fascinated by the ways people bring their passion to the mission-driven work. That passion can provide good fuel for impact achievement and it can also bring all kinds of dysfunction and toxicity to the organizational culture. I wanted to delve into all of that.
I had actually been involved intensely in volunteer work since high school, and my management accounting jobs had required a lot of people management skills, which I found I was good at and loved. Eventually a new path became clear: A speciality in the Nonprofit sector, with a focus on the people behind the numbers.
I now have a consulting firm, Garden Hill Consulting, focused on helping Social Sector organizations to develop their long term capacity and their teams, and I provide leadership development and coaching for leaders in these spaces. A lot of my work is grounded in the Enneagram, which I use in team development, executive coaching and even in the development of decision making models.
My work is informed from so many engagements with organizations in many charitable arenas, my MS degree in Nonprofit Management and my 30 years experience (with certification) in Enneagram Teaching and mentorship. It all aligns to be the sweet spot for me so I can meet the needs of my clients in ways that truly make a difference.
The other sweet spot is living here in Lawrence. We never dreamed we would give up Colorado for Kansas, but the pandemic had other ideas, here we are, and it is the best thing to happen to my husband and me. We love Kansas City and Lawrence.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No it has not always been easy.
The recession of 2009 threw a wrench in the careers of both my husband and my own. It was a significant crisis. My long term Director of Accounting position at a global technology company ended when the company was acquired by an Israeli entity, and the subsequent nonprofit job ended quickly when a State Grant was cancelled. (The State of Colorado experienced a huge budgetary deficit during that period and many grants were cancelled.) At the same time, the housing and construction industries were in crisis (in Colorado and in other places too), so my husband’s work as an Architect was impacted. Being over the age of 50 at the time was just another depressing layer.
It was our ability to slowly develop our solo consulting practices that allowed us to restore our fiscal lives and our self-respect. We took a break from Colorado, a very youth-oriented state to experience the Pacific Northwest for 3 years. My work with a global nonprofit there restored my foothold in the sector and my positive outlook, and the PNW was life-giving overall.
It has also been difficult to pivot my work focus from Accounting and CFO work towards a more Organizational development and Strategy orientation, while also relocating and becoming connected here in Kansas. I am now developing new networks and establishing myself within the community, and I am finding that I enjoy meeting so many new people. I am so impressed by the people I meet here in Lawrence and beyond, and enjoying new clients and new friendships. There is a lot of innovation here and energy to for new approaches.
There is also nothing easy right now in the Third Sectors and federal funding levels continue to decline across the board. I know the sector will survive and communities will continue to be well served, in spite of ongoing and new challenges. I hope to be a part of not only the survival but the flourishing as well—for a long time to come.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Garden Hill Consulting?
Garden Hill Consulting is founded on proven approaches that overcome the nonprofit assumption of “Scarcity as the Norm” , replacing that with “Thrivery as the Norm”. We offer Thrivery for People and Organizations, through:
-Dynamic and Responsive Strategic Planning
-Optimizing Operational alignment
-Data driven solutions to social problems and Transparent reporting
-Developing Happy, successful team members and culture
-Coaching at all Levels
What sets me apart:
-Strong collaborations with partners in all spaces, such as Nature Therapists who bring stress management strategies and Equine Practitioners bringing unique team building and leadership workshops. I always bring in the best Fund Development professionals as that is one thing I do not offer myself.
-The application of Enneagram theory and practice into almost everything. I have found this tool to by uniquely powerful, but I know it needs to be applied appropriately and in targeted ways. I have found it to be profoundly helpful many times.
-My background in Accounting and Finance allows me to see the nuts and bolts of financial realities for my clients. I can balance the people dynamics with the realities of resource management.
I am proud of the brand position in terms of the concept of Thrivery…(soon to be trademarked by GHC). So much of the model of Third Sector is based on the idea of Scarcity. Social Purpose organizations are addressing some of the world’s most critical problems, while working with extremely limited resources. This is a challenge that is met with courage by many, but also one that eventually causes breakdown and failure to meet objectives. The idea of Thrivery is to balance that out so there is realistic optimism and systems that work smoothly, ironing out frustration. It also addresses how optimizing and improving the role as an employer or an organizer of volunteers can function in ways that sustain and uplift the workforce.
My Vision for my professional practice is:
A world where leaders feel
capable, competent, resourced and rested.
Where their efforts manifest in all the best and most profound ways.
Anyone working to serve the Social Good or other beings deserves to Thrive, and flourish. however they define that for themselves.
My Mission is:
To create and expand the positive experience of work in nonprofit, service/care professions and social-change spaces while increasing the Impact from the efforts.
To support those on the front lines of leadership and social change so that they can Thrive and flourish in deeply meaningful and sustaining ways, personally and professionally.
To build Emotional Intelligence and raise
Consciousness of change-makers so that
Empathy is manifested in all corners.
What matters most to you? Why?
The uplifting of people everywhere, particularly those who face unique challenges or who are marginalized in communities and societies. Everyone, regardless of race, social class or any other determinate deserves to reach their full potential and have meaningful, satisfying lives.
These are often the people served by my clients, and I love to see my clients serve better, more widely and with more profound impact.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gardenhillconsulting.com/
- Instagram: gardenhill_consulting
- Facebook: Garden Hill Consulting
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondamageemnm
