Socratic Leadership, Part 2: What Nonprofit Leaders Can Learn from Ted, Mirabel, and Gandalf
And, we’re back! But this time, you’ve got me, Sarah. John has been a bit *~bUsY~* lately, earning Doctorates and tending to our amazing clients, so I’m here to fill the gap and keep the content rolling.
In part one, we explored how Socratic leadership means asking questions instead of providing answers. Now let's see what this actually looks like in the wild.
Socrates had a fancy name for his approach: maieutics, or the "midwifery of ideas." Basically, just like a midwife doesn't create the baby but helps bring it into the world, Socrates believed his job wasn't to download ideas into people's brains - it was to help them discover what was already brewing up there. The truth, the insight, the "aha!" moment? It was inside his students the whole time.
This same approach can totally transform nonprofit leadership. Instead of walking into every meeting with your color-coded agenda and all the answers pre-loaded, what if you trusted your team enough to ask: What are you seeing that I might be missing? Instead of micromanaging every outcome, you create space for people to make real discoveries and grow into their potential.
Still sound a bit abstract? Let's make it concrete with some examples you'll definitely recognize!
Jamie Tartt Wins an ESPY
Let's go back to Ted Lasso, specifically Jamie Tartt. (Doo doo doo doo do do - yes, that Jamie Tartt). In Season 1, Jamie is all ego. He wants all the goals, the credit, the fame, the spotlight. But eventually, something shifts. During a match with their rival, Manchester, Jamie fakes an over-the-top celebration like he’s just won an ESPY, just to draw defenders away so Dani Rojas (football is life!) can score.
You can watch the scene here. It’s hilarious and brilliant. (We could also write an entire blog post about Ted using Nate’s play and how symbolic it is of inclusive leadership, signaling to Nate that his ideas matter too, even as a lowly kit man, but we’ll have to table that for now!)
So here’s what matters: Jamie didn’t change because Ted lectured him. He changed because Ted believed in him. He asked questions. He stayed curious. (👀 part one!) And he created an environment where Jamie could begin to see for himself the kind of teammate, and person, he wanted to become.
That’s Socratic midwifery in action!
Ted made space for Jamie to become the kind of player who would choose the assist over the spotlight. And sometimes the assist is the bigger win.
We Don't Talk About Bruno, but We Can Talk About Mirabel
A similar dynamic shows up in Encanto. (“Drawers! Floors! Doors! Let’s go!”) Everyone in the Madrigal family has a magical gift, except Mirabel. She’s the only one who doesn’t have a “superpower,” and yet she’s the one who helps the whole family heal.
Not by solving things. But by asking questions. By noticing what others overlook. By inviting people to name their own truths.
She helps Luisa realize she’s more than her strength. She helps Isabela imagine a life beyond perfection. She helps Abuela see how fear has been running the show.
Mirabel’s “magic” is midwifery: creating the kind of safe, curious, reflective space where people can reconnect with who they are and who they want to become.
Fly, You Fools!
You know who else was a pro at Socratic Midwifery? None other than Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.
There’s a powerful moment in the Mines of Moria when Frodo, overwhelmed by the weight of the ring, says, “I wish the Ring had never come to me.” ( 🥹)
And instead of trying to fix things, or minimize Frodo’s feelings, Gandalf simply says:
“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
(And then we all cry big ugly tears together.)
It’s not a command or even a pep talk. It’s a gentle reframing that allows Frodo to claim the journey as his own. Gandalf allows Frodo to discover his potential and true purpose, by providing not just wisdom, but also compassion. “...you were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.”
These examples might seem lighthearted, but they demonstrate serious leadership principles that translate directly to nonprofit work.
You’ve likely had your own “Jamie” or “Mirabel” or “Gandalf” moments in nonprofit leadership - times when you didn’t drive the change directly, but you created the space for someone else to step into it. Your job isn’t to deliver the idea. It’s to ask the kind of question that helps them deliver it. By opening the door and creating space, you’re allowing people to birth something new from within themselves. And just like Jamie Tartt, your assist could make all the difference!
Socratic Questions That Can Transform a Team
Here are a few questions that align with the midwifery mindset:
“What would it look like for this campaign to feel deeply meaningful, not just successful?”
“What did you notice in that meeting that felt off?”
“What are we not saying that we probably should?”
“What would help rebuild trust, not just fix the issue?”
“Where have you felt the most energized lately?”
“What are you seeing that we might be missing?”
“What are the strengths and weaknesses of XYZ?”
“What inspires you most about this project?”
“Can you share your thought process behind XYZ?”
“How would you approach this scenario?”
These questions aren’t soft. They’re strategic. They invite reflection, courage, and insight. And they foster the kind of team culture where the best ideas don’t just come from the top - they’re drawn out from everyone.
Socratic leaders don’t force transformation. They make room for it.
So next time you’re tempted to solve the problem yourself, pause. Ask the question. Wait for what’s already there to emerge.
