Enhancing Board Performance A high-performing board of directors can be an organization’s most valuable asset. From the moment they cross the starting line, board members must protect the institution they serve. Governance efforts in support of this critical, core duty should be purposefully conceived to drive the board’s collective capability and build valuable fiduciary competency.…
Summer is an amazing season for countless fun activities. For most people, including my soon-to-be 6th grade son, mandatory summer reading is not high on that list. But I’ve really enjoyed following along in recent weeks as he’s grudgingly cranked through five or six assigned books. And, with my own abbreviated summer break only a…
Like sailboat captains trying to turn ocean liners, certain nonprofit board members aim to drive innovation while boards themselves tend to move more slowly. To that point, any board still debating the importance of social media in its nonprofit has missed the boat. In almost no time, social media swiftly infiltrated not only communications and…
Last week, at the AHCAP (Association of Health Care Administrative Professionals) conference, we had a great discussion about tactical strategies administrators can use to have an impact on their board engagement – and help to build a healthy board culture. For those who were unable to attend the conference, the slide deck is posted below.…
Much of the recent news around nonprofit boards relates to a situation with lessons for all of us, so how could we resist reference to the Sweet Briar College saga and how it relates to nonprofit governance? Despite the board’s decision to close Sweet Briar College, the 100+ year-old, private, women’s liberal arts school in…
Who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to guarantee a great legacy? Most of us want to be remembered for the impact we’ve had on something that matters. Ironically, nonprofit boards often cringe at what can – and should – be among their defining legacies: executive succession. According to a recent study by Leadership New England…
Board diversity, of all things, might be the catalyst for an unexpected parity between nonprofit and corporate boards. Research shows both venues need – and slowly seek – new perspective in the form of millennials. NPR recently reported that millennials comprise the largest workforce ever in the US. In fact, according to an article in…
Over the last two decades, governance — the work performed by boards of directors – has become a more challenging endeavor than ever before. Overwhelmingly, resources are scarcer, requiring organizations to do more with less. Scandals in the corporate, public and nonprofit sectors have resulted in increased pressure and scrutiny on boards of directors from…
In the absence of time, we err toward an abundance of information. Quoting a French philosopher who said, “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter,” a recent article in Associations Now illustrates the irony of packing all available information into a report and hoping its readers have the capacity to…
Nonprofit doesn’t mean non-business. Since the “non” part of profit simply refers to where profit goes (back into the organization, not to shareholders), a nonprofit is otherwise a mission-driven business, complete with business processes, revenue, P&L, employees, etc. Almost. Perhaps the key difference between nonprofit and for-profit businesses lies in perception — society’s AND their…
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