Category: Leadership
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Strategic Planning and the board-ED relationship
I recently wrote an article for Blue Avocado on the board-Executive Director relationship. When I talk to nonprofit leaders about strategic planning, they often voice some of the obvious benefits…
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Holding up the wall
As a nonprofit Executive Director, do you ever feel like if you walk away, things will crumble? I felt this occasionally as an Executive Director, particularly in my first few…
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Pick up the frickin’ phone
I was recently talking with a fellow consultant about disengaged boards and, in particular, Executive Directors complaining about disengaged boards. We quickly agreed on one point in particular: many Executive…
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Planning and Management Amidst a Pandemic
I’ve worked with quite a few clients over the last few years developing strategic plans. A few have called me and asked: what now in light of the pandemic? I…
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Does your nonprofit pass the marshmallow test?
One of the most famous social-science studies was the marshmallow test. Put a marshmallow in front of a preschool aged child and tell the child they can have a second…
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Relentlessly Focus on Relationships
This is a republication of Chapter 1 of Why Organizations Thrive.  Organizations that thrive relentlessly focus on relationships.  This must begin with the Executive Director and the Executive Director’s relationships.…
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Pros and Cons of ED Transition Processes
I was recently asked to write up some pros and cons for an organization when it comes to different hiring approaches to take for an upcoming Executive Director transition. Here’s…
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Another technique for being strategic
I recently blogged about the importance of being strategic as an organization and one technique for being so modeled after Paul Covey’s insight about effective people focusing on important tasks…
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One technique for being more strategic
I’ve recently been thinking about the concept of organizations being strategic. Being strategic is a choice made by successful nonprofits. There are a lot of ways nonprofits fail to be…
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Why Volunteers and a Spiderman Theory
Why Volunteers and a Spiderman Theory of Volunteer Responsibility Most organizations with whom I consult make some effort to involve volunteers. Some are wildly successful. Others are not. There are…