What Happens When Your CEO Shifts Focus?

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

A former Board Chair recounted how an innovative program garnered national recognition and sparked demand for their visionary CEO to speak at conferences and consult with other organizations. Unfortunately, this meant the CEO began to neglect their own organization. The Board Chair described how the Board learned about and addressed the challenges.  Innovative Program Creates Demand for Visionary CEO’s Insights As told by a Board Chair somewhere in the US. I served on the board, and later as Board Chair, of a state-wide direct service organization that had developed a groundbreaking and effective program. The CEO, a respected innovator with… Read more

Changing Board Culture

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board PracticesTags: · · 1 Comment

A colleague shared a story about how she transformed a lax, weak board into a more responsible and engaged one. She notes that changing culture takes agreement, transparency, patience – and some ingenuity. Lack of Oversight Could Be Negligence As told by a Board Chair somewhere in the US. I served on the board of a nonprofit that had been around for decades and that had a very strong CEO. I joined because of the reputation of the CEO and the organization and because I was very passionate about the mission. I should say that I have also served on… Read more

Unclear Roles Lead to Conflict and Chaos

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Conflict of Interest · Founder Transitions · Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEO · LeadershipTags: Leave a comment

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

Maintaining a Relationship with Former Board Members

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I was chatting with a colleague who dedicated herself passionately to organizations as a board member. For many, she had served nine years – three, three-year terms. She volunteered in countless ways for these organizations, introduced them to donors, brought on additional board members, helped with strategy, and much more. After investing so much time and creativity, she knew it would be a letdown to leave the board. But she also understood that it is good to bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives.  So, when her terms were up, she graciously stepped down, continuing to be a donor. To… Read more

Keeping Your Board Engaged Post Pandemic

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During the pandemic, many boards naturally and organically became more involved as members helped navigate the crisis. At one level, boards simply monitored finances more carefully. At the other extreme, board members took on operating roles when staff were ill or caring for family. And the pandemic impacted different organizations differently. For some, demand for services increased; for others (think arts organizations) usage plummeted or stopped altogether. In all situations, board members appropriately leaned in to help the organizations they loved survive. For several years, board members got used to being pretty hands-on.   But what happens now as we… Read more