Executive Issues

If you’re looking at a major campaign in the next few years, the time is now to ensure that your nonprofit CEO is 100% committed to its success. If you’re a CEO, it’s time for a gut check and a commitment. If you’re a board chair, or incoming chair, you need to have a serious conversation with the CEO...

It's fair to say employees of nonprofit organizations stretch themselves to the limit more than average, because they believe fiercely in the work they're doing and are striving to make a difference. While the work in a nonprofit organization can be extremely rewarding, everybody deserves to take a break occasionally...

We all have to start somewhere in our careers. When I started my career as development director at the University of Louisville, I felt unprepared. I had very little guidance from a rookie boss, and I was desperately trying to feel my way...

In previous blogs, we have been critical of the way in which nonprofits are often evaluated—their so-called “overhead ratios.” An overhead ratio compares the operating costs of the nonprofit with its income. A low-overhead ratio implies that the organization is minimizing its expenses (e.g. salaries, office rent) and, therefore, has more resources available to dedicate to its mission...

Have you ever given thought to your nonprofit’s internal communications? Every day, you communicate several times to a variety of people within your organization, using various communication methods. Are these communications effective?...

I am continually amazed at the growing number of nonprofits without an nonprofit succession planning program. This scenario applies not only to the CEO position but other key administrative positions. I am also referring to chief development officers. Running an effective nonprofit is difficult enough without having succession planning issues...

Legitimacy is based upon respect through association. It’s similar to the way a prospective employer checks an applicant’s job references. A leadership council is a group of people who effectively say through their association, “We’ve checked this group’s references, and they’re solid.”...

Having worked and consulted with multiple nonprofit organizations through the years, I have studied each nonprofit to see if they have four-star success in a variety of areas. In a perfect scenario, each major element of the nonprofit would be constantly analyzed to see if they incorporate four-star material...

In my daily interactions with nonprofit CEOs, I am struck by how quickly the expectations for the role are evolving. During my time as a nonprofit CEO, nearly 10 years ago, I was acutely aware that my duties had progressed beyond those carried out by my predecessors and involved much more complex leadership and management...

Redefining What Leadership Means to Today's Nonprofit