A board member, who went through a traumatic founder transition, shared the story with me. In the organization’s early years, board members took on many staff roles and the ED and Board Chair were the same person. As the organization matured, the founders struggled to transition their roles. This led to personality conflicts, lack of accountability, and ultimately the resignation of both founders. Clarifying Roles Is Essential As told by a Board Member somewhere in the US I remember when our nonprofit — which focused on special needs kids — was just starting out. It was founded by a couple,… Read more
Category: Conflict of Interest
Eight Steps to Getting Your Board in Order
Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday and all are staying healthy! A new year is an opportunity to get your organization and your board organized. Here are eight items to consider. Some you will want to do every year, others periodically. 1. Create, Update, and Approve Committee Charters If you have Committee Charters, each committee should review them at the first meeting of the year. If you do not have them, ask each committee to develop a Charter that spells out responsibilities, membership, terms, leadership, and meetings. For example, responsibilities for a Board Development… Read more
Expert Advice on Conflict of Interest
In my last post, I shared a story of a school — they tried to figure out how to hire and then supervise the son of the head of school who was best qualified for a position. They had great intentions but there were too many conflicts and they ended up with a well-intended mess. Understanding conflict of interest and managing it appropriately is extremely important for boards. Not doing so can lead to legal risks. In today’s post, I interview Lorri Anne Dunsmore. Lorri Anne is an attorney with Perkins Coie, specializing in tax exempt organizations. She defines conflict,… Read more