Category: Leadership
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Creating a “Time” Budget
As a consultant, one thing I often observe is that clients routinely have staff who are working far more hours than is sustainable. Â Moreover, they often have little idea where…
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Thoughts on developing a culture of philanthropy
Beyond the nuts and bolts of fundraising, one topic that often emerges when I work with clients is how to imbue the organization with a culture that supports fundraising growth.…
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Tips for “Virtual” Meetings
This blog was originally drafted in 2016. A lot has changed on the virtual meeting front since them, although many fundamentals remain the same. I periodically update it to reflect…
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Should your nonprofit use a Resource Council?
A Resource Council. A Council of Leaders. These are two names I’ve experienced as alternatives to an “Advisory Board,” which is more common in the nonprofit world. What I like…
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Preparing for an Executive Director Transition
Often times Executive Director transitions are abrupt, taking place within a 1-2 month period when an E.D. moves onto another professional opportunity. Â Rarely, they are even more abrupt after a…
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To follow your dreams, learn to say no
Learning to say no is one of the most important skiils for any organizatonal leader or organization. Oliver Bremerton recently wrote and illustrated a compelling explanation for how this plays…
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Why you Lead Matters
I recently came across a study published in Harvard Business Review that crystallized some of my own thinking about how to motivate leadership. The article outlines the results of a…
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A riddle about 5 frogs – updated
About 15 months ago I created a blog entry: 5 frogs sitting on a log. Here’s an updated version. The riddle: Five frogs are sitting on a log. One decides…
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Guest blog: Grantwriting as a Team-building exercise
Guest blog by Sami Fournier of Element Exercise. Faced with the prospect of submitting a grant proposal, consider what a great opportunity you have before you. Beyond being a challenge…
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Learning to let things go “wrong.”
One of the trickier challenges facing a nonprofit Executive Director with supervisory responsibilities is leaning to let things go “wrong.” If you are to empower your staff to have areas…