On today’s episode of the McCoy Leadership Podcast, we heard from Larry O'nan—a seasoned leader with over sixty years of experience in management, nonprofits, and fund development. Larry shared how his unexpected “left turns” in life became powerful opportunities for growth, and why embracing failure is essential to strong leadership. We also dived into the heart of intentional living and stewardship, discovering that true success comes from serving others and managing our resources with purpose. If you’re ready to lead with intention and find your “true north,” don’t miss this insightful conversation.
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Download your free episode guide here!
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00:00 Unplanned Career Shifts and Growth
05:39 Embracing Unexpected Opportunities
07:56 Unexpected Career Shift
10:11 Embrace Flexibility and Adaptability
16:37 Charity Motivation and Emotional Appeal
17:56 Stewardship Key to Fundraising Success
21:40 The Power of Giving and Asking
27:02 "Principles of Lifestyle Stewardship"
28:18 Degrees of Truth and Deception
31:37 "Life Isn't Disneyland"
35:19 "The Giver Needs to Give"
38:14 AI: A Blessing and a Curse
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Here are 3 key takeaways that resonated with me:
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Embrace Unexpected Turns: Larry’s story is a powerful reminder that career paths are rarely linear. Many of our biggest growth moments come from those “left turns” in life—unexpected challenges that become opportunities for leadership and reinvention.
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Intentional Living & Stewardship: True stewardship is about managing resources—skills, time, money—on behalf of something bigger than ourselves. Larry emphasizes that intentionality, rather than just technique, is what drives lasting impact in both leadership and fund development.
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The Importance of Flexibility & Team Ownership: As leaders, fostering adaptability and empowering your team to take ownership creates environments where both people and projects thrive. Larry’s approach of “managing by wandering around” shows that being present and attentive to your team’s real-time experiences fosters stronger results.
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Want to learn more about McCoy Leadership? Check out our website, https://www.mccoyleadership.com/ and don't forget to subscribe to receive all the latest podcast episode.
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Links
Larry's Website
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