World Class Boards Blog
For-Profit Leaders can Learn from Non-Profit Leaders
There’s a perception among some that association/non-profit CEOs are less sophisticated than their corporate sector counterparts because they aren’t as highly paid. The belief is rooted in the idea that the true rock stars only go for the big bucks. I believe...
Don’t Attend the Old School of Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is a standard exercise at many, if not most, associations/nonprofit organizations. So much so that many smart people mindlessly use it as a prescription for all organizational ills: "Having problems, eh? Do you have a strategic plan? If you do, when...
Transforming a Challenging Board/Staff Relationship
Challenges in board/staff relationship generally arise from three types of board engagement: disengaged, over-engaged, or engaged in the wrong way. Let’s look at each area, then explore key strategies for overcoming the challenges presented. Disengaged Staff with a...
Lead from the Widest Circle First
I am going out on a limb, as I'm delving into a leadership topic that, outside of religious or spiritually-centered leadership, is generally avoided: namely, love. Certainly it's nothing new from a human resources perspective to state that sincere praise, recognition,...
Carrying Strategy from the Boardroom to the Receptionist’s Desk
Perhaps the greatest strategic challenge most association/nonprofit organizational leaders face is translating strategy from the boardroom to the receptionist's desk (or to the committee chair’s agenda). That is, extending strategy mind share throughout the...
Why Is Association Governance Restructure So Hard? Here’s Why It Shouldn’t Be.
There are great books on governance that tell big boards to downsize; shift to competency-based, rather than constituency or geography-based selection system; be nimble, responsive and strategic; and select the best people for the job, not just those who “worked their...
