nonprofit management

Energize Your Board Meetings

Too many times one hears about dissatisfaction with board meetings.  “Oh no, not again?  So soon?” is the refrain when the next meeting is announced.

And yet it is the board meeting where the most meaningful work of the board is done.  It is the time for status updates as well as the exchange of viewpoints, collaboration, networking, and visualizing the mission of the agency.  This is the board chair’s opportunity to build upon the commitment of current members to accomplish the work of the board and to build a culture of trust within the boardroom.

Retaining Your Board of Directors

What are the steps to accomplish keeping the attention and interest of this diverse, and dedicated group of people on your Board of Directors?  How does one build the trust and camaraderie needed to forge relationships that will underpin the work of the Board? My advice is keep it simple!

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Your Nonprofit is Accountable to Who?

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Boards change; they grow; they evolve. Whether it is a founding board or a multimillion-dollar institutional board, throughout this evolution every board is accountable for its action to its owners. So, who are their owners?

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The Dynamics of a Toxic Board Chair

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Have you seen this in your career path: a Board chair that is overwhelmingly difficult. Not just personality difficulties; but instances of excessive micromanaging, changing details of assignments in mid-stream without notifying you, and/or speaking critically of your performance in front of the board or staff, frequently without you present.

I label this type of behavior by the Board Chair as Toxic Board Chair Syndrome. It can cause ongoing difficulties and in many cases severely impact the effectiveness of the organization.

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A Coach or Consultant, Part II. The Process to make It Work

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Your agency is in a kerfuffle over internal issues and you, as Executive Director, have considered bringing in outside support to work with you to resolve the issues. You’ve read Part I on this subject, “A Consultant or a Coach? Which do you need? And have decided to move forward with the hire. In either case, consultant or coach, the next steps in the process are the very similar.

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A Consultant or Coach? Which is best for you? - Part One

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A Consultant or Coach? Which is best for you? - Part One

To borrow from William Shakespeare and King Henry IV, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” The line signifies the difficulties of being the leader, the person that carries the burdens of responsibility of running their organization, be it a Kingdom, a corporation, or a nonprofit organization.

So, where do you look for support?