We Talkin’ About Practice: Why Nonprofit Leaders Need to Focus on the Right Things Right Now

The Philadelphia Truth That Changed Everything

“We talkin’ about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talkin’ about practice.”

As a Philly girl, I’ll never forget watching Allen Iverson deliver that iconic press conference in 2002. The media was criticizing him for missing practice, and AI’s raw, unfiltered response revealed something profound about priorities, passion, and what really matters when everything is on the line.

But here’s what most people missed in that moment: Iverson wasn’t dismissing the importance of preparation. He was questioning whether everyone was focusing on the right things at the right time.

AI had just carried the 76ers to the NBA Finals averaging 31 points per game in the playoffs. His best friend had just been killed. He was dealing with personal trauma while performing at the highest level of his profession. And the media wanted to talk about… practice?

The man was asking: “Are we really going to focus on the routine when we should be focusing on what actually matters right now?”

That question—What should we be focusing on right now?—is the leadership lesson every nonprofit leader needs to embrace today.

The “Practice” Problem in Nonprofit Leadership

Just like AI faced criticism for missing practice while delivering when it mattered most, nonprofit leaders are constantly pressured to focus on the wrong things at the wrong time.

We’re talking about:

• Board meetings when communities are in crisis
• Strategic planning when staff are burning out
• Annual reports when funding is disappearing
• Best practices when innovation is desperately needed
• Compliance when people need immediate help

But what about the game? What about the real work? What about the actual impact that’s happening right now?

The AI Leadership Lesson

Allen Iverson understood something that many leaders miss: there’s a difference between preparation and performance, between routine and results, between what looks professional and what actually produces outcomes.

When Iverson was criticized for missing practice, he had just:

• Led his team to the Finals for the first time in 16 years
• Averaged 31.1 points in the playoffs
• Played through injuries that would sideline other players
• Carried the hopes of an entire city on his shoulders

The man was delivering results. Everything else was just… practice.

What Nonprofit Leaders Can Learn from AI’s Authenticity

Lesson 1: Passion Over Polish

AI’s Truth: His enthusiasm wasn’t manufactured for cameras or corporate sponsors. It was genuine, raw, and sometimes uncomfortable. He played with his heart on his sleeve, and Philadelphia loved him for it.

Nonprofit Application: Stop trying to be the leader you think you should be and start being the leader your mission needs. Your authentic passion for change is more powerful than any polished presentation or corporate-speak mission statement.

Real Example: The executive director who admits at board meetings that she doesn’t have all the answers but shows exactly how she’s learning and adapting—that’s AI energy. The program coordinator who gets visibly emotional talking about client successes—that’s authentic leadership.

The Focus: Channel your genuine passion into mission-critical work instead of trying to look professional according to someone else’s standards.

Lesson 2: Results Over Routine

AI’s Reality: He practiced differently than other players because his body and his game required different preparation. The traditional approach didn’t work for him, so he created his own.

Nonprofit Translation: Your organization might need different systems, different meeting structures, different funding approaches than what the “best practices” manuals suggest.

The Question AI Would Ask: “Are we following this process because it produces results, or because it’s what nonprofits are supposed to do?”

Examples of Nonprofit “Practice” vs. “Game”:

• Practice: Monthly board meetings with lengthy reports
  
• Game: Quarterly strategy sessions focused on major decisions and support needs
  
• Practice: Annual staff retreats with team-building exercises
  
• Game: Weekly check-ins that actually address workload and support needs
  
• Practice: Detailed program evaluations that satisfy funders
  
• Game: Real-time feedback loops that improve services for community members
  

Lesson 3: Intensity When It Matters

AI’s Approach: He brought maximum intensity when the stakes were highest. Playoff AI was different from regular season AI, and Finals AI was another level entirely.

Leadership Application: Know when to turn up your intensity and when to pace yourself. Not every decision requires a board meeting. Not every challenge requires a strategic planning session. But when your community is in crisis or your organization faces existential threats—that’s when you bring everything you have.

Philadelphia Intensity Applied:

• Budget crisis: All hands on deck, creative solutions, maximum effort
• Staff burnout: Immediate attention, real solutions, not just employee appreciation week
• Community emergency: Rapid response, resource mobilization, mission-focused action

Lesson 4: Authenticity Over Approval

AI’s Gift to Philadelphia: He never tried to be someone he wasn’t to gain approval from critics or league officials. He was himself—completely, unapologetically—and that authenticity created a connection with fans that transcended basketball.

Nonprofit Leadership Parallel: Stop trying to gain approval from every stakeholder and focus on serving your mission authentically. Some funders won’t like your approach. Some board members won’t understand your decisions. Some community members will prefer different methods.

That’s okay. Be yourself. Do the work. Focus on impact.

The Right Things to Focus on Right Now

1. Your People’s Real Needs (Not Their Polite Requests)

AI knew his teammates. He understood what they needed from him—leadership, scoring, drawing defensive attention—not what they politely requested in team meetings.

Your Team Reality Check:

• What they might say: “We’re fine, just need better work-life balance”
• What they might actually need: Clear priorities, decision-making authority, or resources to do their jobs effectively

The AI Approach: Pay attention to what people actually need to perform at their best, not what they think they’re supposed to ask for.

2. Mission-Critical Impact (Not Impressive Activities)

AI measured success in wins and losses, not practice attendance or media approval ratings.

Your Organization’s Scoreboard:

• Activities: Number of programs, clients served, events held
• Impact: Lives actually changed, problems actually solved, communities actually improved

The Focus Question: “If we stopped doing this tomorrow, would our community notice the absence of the actual change we create, or just the absence of our activity?”

3. Sustainable Systems (Not Heroic Efforts)

Even AI couldn’t carry the team forever. He needed systems, teammates, and sustainable approaches to create lasting success.

Nonprofit Sustainability Reality:

• Heroic Effort: Working 70-hour weeks to keep programs running
• Sustainable System: Building processes and teams that deliver consistent results without burnout

The Long Game: Focus on building organizational capacity that can deliver impact without depending on individual heroics.

4. Community Voice (Not Expert Opinion)

AI played for Philadelphia because he understood the city’s heart. He connected with the community in ways that more “professional” players never could.

Community-Centered Leadership:

• Expert Opinion: “Research shows this approach works best”
• Community Voice: “Here’s what people actually need and want”

The Balance: Use both expertise and community input, but when they conflict, trust the people you’re serving to know their own needs.

The Philadelphia Leadership Style: Gritty, Authentic, Relentless

Gritty: Focus on What’s Hard But Necessary

Philadelphia doesn’t quit. AI didn’t quit. Your nonprofit can’t quit either.

Gritty Leadership Means:

• Having difficult conversations with underperforming board members
• Making tough budget decisions that serve long-term sustainability
• Addressing systemic issues even when incremental changes would be easier
• Persisting through funding challenges without compromising mission

Authentic: Lead with Your Real Self

AI never tried to be Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. He was Allen Iverson—completely, powerfully, authentically.

Authentic Leadership Means:

• Bringing your whole self to the work, including your passion and personality
• Admitting when you don’t know something instead of pretending expertise
• Leading from your values even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular
• Connecting with people as a human being, not just as a professional role

Relentless: Keep Going When Others Stop

AI played through injuries, criticism, and personal trauma because the game mattered more than the pain.

Relentless Leadership Means:

• Continuing to pursue mission goals despite setbacks and obstacles
• Maintaining hope and vision when others lose faith
• Adapting strategies without abandoning core purposes
• Showing up consistently for your team and community

Right Now: What Deserves Your AI-Level Intensity?

Crisis Response Over Routine Meetings

If your community is facing:

• Economic hardship
• Health emergencies
• Housing instability
• Educational disruption
• Safety concerns

Then your focus should be on rapid, effective response—not whether you’re following standard operating procedures.

Team Support Over Performance Reviews

If your staff is experiencing:

• Burnout from increased demand
• Uncertainty about organizational stability
• Frustration with resource limitations
• Confusion about priorities

Then your focus should be on immediate support and clarity—not annual evaluation processes.

Innovation Over Best Practices

If your approaches aren’t working:

• Community needs are changing faster than your programs
• Traditional funding sources are disappearing
• Existing methods aren’t producing desired outcomes
• New challenges require new solutions

Then your focus should be on creative problem-solving—not replicating what other organizations do.

The AI Question Every Nonprofit Leader Should Ask

“Are we talking about practice, or are we talking about the game?”

Applied to your leadership:

• Are we focused on looking professional, or being effective?
• Are we following procedures, or solving problems?
• Are we managing perception, or creating impact?
• Are we maintaining systems, or serving mission?

The Philadelphia Standard: Results matter more than process. Impact matters more than image. Authenticity matters more than approval.

Your AI Moment: Leading with Philadelphia Heart

Allen Iverson’s legacy isn’t just about basketball statistics. It’s about showing up authentically, playing with passion, and focusing on what actually matters when everything is on the line.

Your nonprofit needs that same energy:

• Show up as yourself and lead from your authentic passion for change
• Focus intensely on what produces real community impact
• Fight through obstacles with the relentless determination that defines Philadelphia
• Connect authentically with the people you serve and the people you lead

The practice will always be there. Board meetings, strategic plans, compliance reports, funding proposals—those are the routine parts of nonprofit leadership.

But the game—the real work of creating change, serving communities, and building better futures—that’s happening right now.

We talkin’ about the game. Not practice. The game.

What game are you playing? What community are you serving? What change are you creating?

That’s what deserves your AI-level intensity. That’s what deserves your Philadelphia heart.

Everything else is just… practice.

What “practice” activities are taking time away from your “game” of creating real change? How can you bring more authentic passion and focus to the work that actually matters? Share your thoughts about leading with Philadelphia intensity in nonprofit work.