Rick Lochner is the President and CEO of RPC Leadership Associates, a leadership and business consultancy that helps develop entrepreneurs, executives, nonprofit board members, and professionals. He honed his skills while serving 11 years in the military, leading soldiers in challenging environments worldwide. Upon leaving the Army, Rick spent the next 18 years in corporate leadership, ranging from frontline management to senior executive management. He successfully led organizations in Fortune 100 corporations and privately held entrepreneurial ventures in various industries.

Many nonprofit leaders find themselves consumed by day-to-day operations, focusing heavily on programs and tactical work while losing sight of their organization’s core mission. As federal funding landscapes shift and competition for resources intensifies, the gap between daily tasks and long-term strategic goals widens. How can leadership teams ensure their work remains aligned with the mission to drive true, sustainable impact?

Rick Lochner, an expert in leadership and strategic thinking, emphasizes that senior nonprofit leaders must prioritize connecting their work to their organization’s mission. He suggests moving beyond measuring outputs and focusing on creating measurable impact through strategic thinking and mission-driven initiatives. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of fostering independence among those served, encouraging partnerships with other organizations, and building leadership teams capable of operating at a strategic level. Rick also stresses the importance of diversifying funding sources and maintaining a human-centric culture, even amid policy shifts like reduced federal DEI funding.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith interviews Rick Lochner, President and CEO of RPC Leadership Associates, about aligning nonprofit work with mission-driven impact. Rick explores the dangers of focusing solely on programs, the need for strategic leadership, and the importance of fostering independence. He also discusses funding diversification, the impact of DEI policy changes, and the value of coaching for nonprofit leaders.