The bottom line is that the most effective nonprofits I know, do not hesitate to invest in planning and thinking strategically. Conversely, those nonprofits with an uncertain future choose to focus on the immediate rather than the long view. The future is coming and inaction is not an option. It is up to the leadership of nonprofits to Shape, Adapt, or Reserve. The choice is yours.
We create a level playing field by deconstructing the myth the nonprofit leaders are not entrepreneurial. Instead of an adversarial approach where the business leader (or consultant) is chiding the nonprofit leader to be more “businesslike” the nonprofit leader’s business skills, and thinking are recognized and a meaningful partnership for leading and growing the organization can be formed.
I will be blunt on this point. Leaving a nonprofit to flounder without a plan when there is a leadership transition is not only poor leadership and governance but I feel that it borders on malpractice.
I am convinced that nonprofit organizational transitions are clear opportunity points to think strategically. In this article, I want suggest how a nonprofit board and executive leaders can fill the “white space” created in an organizational chart when a development director resigns.
These four characteristics of a vanity nonprofit conspire to create a nonprofit that, at its best, produces a mediocre social return related to the time, money and human capital investments in the agency….
the busking lessons I have learned apply to nonprofit leaders too. There is power in starting, persisting (even when rain forces you under an awning), being open to abundance, and embracing the network that develops around you.
I mentioned in my last article that the increasingly performance driven nonprofit environment demands leaders capable of thinking and acting courageously. In this article, I extend the argument that such leadership also a core function of a nonprofit board. Passion/dispassion, risk-taking, support, self-reflection, and leadership are core traits needed now. Developing each will increase the potential that your organization will move forward with confidence towards success.
Four Nonprofit Leadership Traits Needed Now The more I work with nonprofit leaders the more I am convinced that the central difference between successful nonprofits and nonprofits that are leaders in their practice is found in the alchemy between the Executive Director, the Board, and a clear strategy. Taken together, these three ingredients are the […]
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Nonprofit Network of Southwest Washington’s Nonprofit Excellence Awards presentation. The event recognized local nonprofit agencies and community partners for excellence. I always welcome the opportunity to attend such events because I believe such gatherings give insight into the heart and soul of the local nonprofit community. As […]
This blog post is a mild risk because it focuses on leadership deficits rather than strengths. Innately, we don’t like to acknowledge our weaknesses. Yet, at this moment in time, when resources continue to decline and social needs continue to grow, nonprofit leaders must be driven by evidence and not self-deception. I offer these five principles, hoping that the as a reader that you will invert them into the positive practices. Forward thinking organizations are
