Be Clear About Roles, But Ask Questions and Respond Respectfully

Categories: Best Nonprofit Practices · Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board PracticesTags: · · · · Leave a comment

In this post, an experienced board member and ED reflects on a situation he encountered on his very first board as a young man. Back then, he admired the way a strong ED drew a firm line between board responsibilities and management responsibilities. That clarity made an impression. But with the benefit of experience—and a little wisdom that comes with age—he now recognizes the value of a gentler approach, both in the way board members ask questions and in the way a nonprofit leader responds. Making Demands Evokes Defensive Responses As told by a Board Member and ED somewhere in… Read more

Sometimes You Have to Do Something Unpopular – Because It Is the Right Thing to Do 

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A reader asked if he could share a story that was about his Homeowner’s Association. “It is not a nonprofit like most of the stories you share,” he told me. “But my story has a universal message – about doing something hard because it is the right thing to do.” I agree. So, I will share his story here. A Great Candidate, with a Catch As told by an HOA President somewhere in the US I was president of our HOA—Homeowners’ Association—and board elections were coming up. We had some financial challenges ahead, and I knew we needed someone with… Read more

Boards Need to Center the Mission

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I spoke to a board member of a large organization that hosted a big event every few years. The event was cancelled during COVID. Board members had given extra restricted donations because of the event. When asked if they wanted the money back, the board member remembered why she joined the board in the first place. She and her fellow board members centered on the mission. As told by a board member somewhere in the USA. The Event That Never Happened I serve on the Foundation Board for a large national organization. This is the fundraising board—not the governing board—so… Read more

Be Comfortable with Culture Before Joining a Board

Categories: Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board MembersTags: Leave a comment

In this post, I share a story of a board member who was skeptical about joining a board because of its reputation as risk averse and mostly white male. But after she did some research and asked many questions, she realized the organization’s reputation was outdated. The story is a positive one. After joining, she discovers a thoughtful and well-functioning board. Consider an Invitation to Join a Board As told by a Board Member somewhere in the United States. I was invited to join the board of a fairly large and prominent nonprofit working in the education space. The board… Read more

Navigating Uncertainty: Lead with Strategy and Compassion, Not Fear

Categories: Best Nonprofit Practices · Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · LeadershipTags: · Leave a comment

In this post, I focus on how nonprofits can remain resilient and impactful in uncertain times by addressing both sides of the financial equation: revenue and expenses. In my last post, I wrote about on Risk Management, in the one before on Financial Fraud, and the one before that on Managing Critical Business Accounts.  All these areas are important to ensure your organization can face challenges due to external factors such as the economy and internal ones due to staffing changes. Focus on Both Revenue and Expenses Nonprofits are being squeezed from both sides. Government and foundation funding are declining,… Read more