Raleigh Barmer, COO and CFO of Kids in the Spotlight, shares how his lived experience of homelessness informs his approach to creating psychologically safe workplaces without expensive programs or consultants. In this conversation, he reveals the specific structure of community meetings that build transparency and accountability, walks through the three essential questions he uses in team check-ins to surface what really matters, and explains how nonprofit leaders can prioritize healing-centered culture even when operating on shoestring budgets. Raleigh also discusses why traditional C-suite training often misses what frontline teams actually need, how vulnerability builds trust faster than polish, and the mindset shifts required to lead authentically when resources are scarce but the mission demands excellence.
