When everything felt like it might fall apart—cash flow crises, public firestorms, uncharted leadership moments—it wasn’t just my staff or instincts that saved me. It was my board. When engaged strategically and treated like true partners, your board can be your greatest source of strength, insight, and support. Here’s how to activate your board like the future depends on it.
I’ve spent over a decade nurturing a meaningful friendship with Beth Kanter, entirely through electronic communication, proving that authentic connections can thrive in the digital world. In this piece, I share strategies for building and sustaining impactful relationships electronically, with humor, intention, and a touch of creativity.
Through planning and communication, any nonprofit leader can ensure that staff members feel included and valued during board meetings. In this blog post, I offer strategies to avoid creating conditions where staff members are unintentionally marginalized so nonprofit leaders can foster stronger partnerships and a sense of belonging within the organization.
It is a misnomer. There is nothing ‘micro’ about microaggression. What is the real meaning of microaggression, what should it truly be called, and how can a leader recognize and take action to tackle it? Dr. Tiffany Jana shares her insights, why she has stopped using the word ‘crazy’, and what organizations can do to create a culture of awareness.
OK, you can only pick one. I’ll give you two hints. (1) It’s not the financial statement. (2) It’s not a rock star executive director. Thinking caps on?
As you read this, there are two things to keep in mind. 1) Great boards often screw up a leadership transition. 2) Mediocre boards always do.
Are you a board member and you don’t know where to begin? I offer you a recipe for an effective, and very simple Executive Director performance review.
Think about your last board retreat. You’ve invested all this time and money. Your board members gave up a Friday night and full day on Saturday. And yet, just months later, they can barely even remember the agenda, much less any outcomes. Wow. This is NOT OK! Here’s how to do a whole lot better.
Let me break it down for you: The roles and responsibilities of the Executive Director, the board chair, and the grey area where you need to work together.
Boards needs to know what to ask candidates. Prospective executive directors need to know how to prepare for their interviews. Here’s some advice for both.
Here’s what the best non-profit organizations are doing right. How does yours stack up?
Ice breakers are the worst, right? So when I facilitate a retreat, I always promise “NO ICE BREAKERS!” Confession time. I do use an ice breaker, and it’s…