Building Unity: Leading a Non-Profit from Spark to Succession

Build an organization that is growth-minded, values-based, and innovative using the six steps to “responsible impact.”

At age 16, Michael ‘Piecez’ Prosserman, a professional b-boy (breakdancer), completed a school project that would grow to become a hip-hop-inspired mental health charity with global reach. Through a process of continuous discovery and reflection, Prosserman and his team grew UNITY to the point where it benefitted over a quarter of a million young people. In Building Unity, Prosserman breaks down the six steps to discovering “responsible impact” and building an organization that is growth-minded, values-based, and reflective of the needs of its community. Using stories of his own evolution, learning, and growth as a leader over 15 years, Prosserman parallels the creativity found in breakdancing with the innovation needed to build a sustainable non-profit.

Six steps to discovering “responsible impact”:
• Spark is the inspiration, the big “why,” the motivation to wake up and do something.
• Build is the testing ground to clarify ideas, understand community needs, and challenge assumptions.
• Trust involves building the culture of your organization, leading by example, and hiring people with dreams. Trust sets the stage for growth by empowering awesome people.
• Grow is about finding the right size for your organization to create a responsible impact.
• Evolve is knowing when to step back so others can step forward by building a succession plan that leaves your organization in good hands.
• Re-Ignite is building from past experience and lighting the next spark within yourself.