At first glance, commercial real estate and nonprofit leadership appear to have very little in common. One industry is often associated with construction sites, development plans, and long-term investments, while the other is centered on serving people, building partnerships, and creating positive change within communities. It would be easy to assume that success in one field has little to teach the other. In reality, many of the same principles determine whether either one succeeds over the long term.
Leaders in both industries spend much of their time thinking about the future. They are constantly asking what people will need, how communities are changing, and whether the work they are doing today will still matter years from now. Those questions require patience, curiosity, and a willingness to listen before making decisions. Although the finished products may look very different, the leadership behind them often follows the same path.
One person who has experienced both worlds is Shahriar James Ekbatani, whose career has included healthcare leadership, commercial real estate development, and nonprofit leadership. While those experiences span different industries, they share a common lesson: projects create lasting value when they are designed around people rather than around the project itself.
Every Project Begins With Understanding the Community
One of the easiest mistakes leaders can make is becoming so excited about an idea that they forget to ask whether it solves the right problem. A development may look impressive on paper, and a nonprofit program may have an inspiring mission, but neither will create lasting impact unless they reflect what people actually need.
Communities rarely remain the same for very long. New families move in, businesses grow, industries evolve, and expectations change. Leaders who assume they already know the answers often discover that their plans no longer fit the realities around them. That is why successful projects usually begin with observation rather than action.
"I've learned that the most valuable conversations happen before a project ever begins," Ekbatani says. "When I walk a property or meet with people in the community, I pay attention to what they talk about naturally. Sometimes they are discussing traffic, sometimes they are talking about a lack of gathering places, and sometimes they are simply telling stories about how the neighborhood has changed. Those conversations usually tell me far more than a stack of reports."
That mindset applies just as much to nonprofit leadership as it does to commercial development. Organizations that spend time listening to the people they hope to serve are much more likely to create programs that address real challenges instead of imagined ones.
Relationships Matter More Than Plans
Every successful project begins with a plan, but plans alone rarely guarantee success. The strongest projects are usually supported by relationships that continue developing throughout the process.
A commercial development depends on cooperation between developers, architects, contractors, local officials, business owners, and future tenants. Each group brings a different perspective, and each has concerns that deserve attention. Similarly, nonprofit organizations rely on relationships with volunteers, donors, community partners, families, and the people they serve. Without trust, even the most carefully designed initiative can struggle to gain momentum.
Ekbatani believes trust is earned through consistency rather than promises.
"I've never believed that one meeting changes someone's mind," he says. "People watch whether you follow through. They remember whether you listened when they raised concerns, and they remember whether you stayed engaged after the excitement of the announcement was over. That consistency builds confidence over time."
Research from Edelman's Trust Barometer consistently shows that trust remains one of the strongest predictors of long-term organizational success. Whether the organization is a business or a nonprofit, people are more likely to support leaders who communicate openly and demonstrate reliability over time.
Success Should Be Measured Years Later
Many organizations celebrate the completion of a project as though the work has ended. Ribbon cuttings, grand openings, and launch events often receive significant attention, but they represent only the beginning of a project's life.
The true test comes months and years later.
A commercial development should still be attracting visitors, supporting local businesses, and contributing to the surrounding community long after construction has finished. Likewise, a nonprofit should continue creating meaningful outcomes for the people it serves rather than simply measuring the number of programs it has offered.
Ekbatani remembers visiting one of his development projects long after the construction crews had left.
"I wasn't looking at the buildings," he recalls. "I found myself watching families sitting outside together, people walking from one business to another, and neighbors stopping to talk to each other. At that moment, I realized the project had become something bigger than the construction itself. The buildings created the opportunity, but the people gave the place its purpose."
That experience reinforced a lesson that applies across industries. Leaders should not judge their work solely by what they complete. They should also consider what continues happening because the project exists.
Listening Often Prevents Expensive Mistakes
Experience gives leaders confidence, but confidence should never replace curiosity. One of the greatest advantages any leader can develop is the ability to continue asking questions, even after years of experience.
According to PwC's Global Consumer Insights Survey, 73 percent of consumers say that the experience an organization provides influences the decisions they make. Although this research focuses on customer behavior, the underlying message is much broader. People respond positively when they feel understood.
Ekbatani believes many costly mistakes can be avoided by slowing down long enough to gather better information.
"I've worked on projects where everyone was eager to move quickly," he says. "Then one conversation with someone who actually lived or worked in the area completely changed our thinking. They pointed out something we had overlooked because we were looking at drawings instead of daily life. That single conversation improved the project more than weeks of internal meetings."
Listening requires humility because it means accepting that valuable ideas can come from unexpected places. Leaders who remain open to those conversations often produce stronger results than those who rely solely on their own experience.
Patience Is Often the Greatest Competitive Advantage
Modern business often rewards speed. Organizations are encouraged to expand quickly, launch new initiatives rapidly, and produce immediate results. While there are certainly moments when speed matters, long-term success usually requires a different approach.
Commercial developments often take years to move from an initial concept to a finished project. During that time, markets change, community needs evolve, and unexpected challenges emerge. Nonprofit organizations experience similar realities as they learn more about the people they serve and adapt their programs accordingly.
According to the Project Management Institute, organizations with strong stakeholder engagement practices consistently achieve higher project success rates than those that focus primarily on rapid execution. Taking the time to understand people, gather feedback, and refine plans often produces stronger outcomes than rushing toward completion.
Patience should never be confused with hesitation. Instead, it reflects the discipline to make thoughtful decisions that continue creating value long after the initial excitement has passed.
Bringing the Best Ideas Together
There is another similarity between commercial real estate and nonprofit leadership that is often overlooked. Both industries succeed when they bring people together.
Commercial developments create spaces where neighbors gather, entrepreneurs open businesses, and communities grow stronger. Nonprofit organizations create opportunities for families, volunteers, educators, healthcare professionals, and community partners to work toward a shared purpose. In both cases, success depends on creating environments where people feel connected rather than isolated.
That is why leaders should spend as much time understanding people as they do reviewing budgets, schedules, and plans. Buildings eventually become part of the background. Programs eventually evolve. What remains are the relationships that were built along the way and the positive experiences people continue to associate with those projects.
Commercial real estate and nonprofit leadership may operate in different industries, but they ultimately share the same responsibility. Both seek to improve communities by solving meaningful problems, creating opportunities, and building something that continues serving people long after the work itself is finished. Leaders who remember that simple truth are far more likely to create projects that stand the test of tim