Replacing an executive director is very hard to do. It can be traumatizing to the board, the staff and the community being served. But sometimes it needs to be done and doing it right is critical to the overall health of your organization. I write this post from the...
Last week at the National Speakers Association conference, I was able to hear Kindra Hall teach on storytelling. As a producer of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, I have heard a lot of people speak on storytelling. Kindra is one of the best. Normal, Explosion,...
We leaders are busy people facing multiple demands. Although we know the saying, “leaders are readers,” too often, reading dropped from our schedules. It feels like a luxury we can’t afford. Especially reading fiction. But fiction may be just what...
Years ago, I was the only male on a fundraising team. In a staff meeting, we were talking about hiring a new position. The staff kept calling the prospective person “her.” So, being an advocate of gender equality, I playfully inserted, “Or...
Being a nonprofit CEO or executive director can be one of the most overwhelming positions. Not only do you have the normal audiences of staff and clients to serve, you have your board and even donors. Your plate is filled with tasks and to-do’s! Yet often, it...
Marc had the privilege of being a guest on Rob Harter’s Nonprofit Leadership Podcast. Some of Marc’s quotes from the conversation include: “When you start a nonprofit you give it up to the community and the board, and it’s no longer...
In our recent study of nonprofit leadership, nonprofit leaders told us that “creating a compelling vision” was one of their top three priorities. But 62% said they didn’t even know where to start in creating one. Are you one of the 62%? If so,...
Whether you are starting your fiscal year or not, you are half way through the calendar year. Halfway points are great times for leaders to pause. To review their goals. To measure progress and, possibly, map mid-course corrections. My friend Jon Swanson shared a...
Last month, I was able to sit down and talk with Shelley Milne for her Nonprofit Strategic Success Summit. Shelly is generously letting me share that interview here. If you want to see all three days of talks, check it out at...
Talk with a nonprofit leader for any amount of time and you will likely hear them say, “It feels like we are building the bridge as we are crossing it.” The latest data backs this sentiment. This is particularly troubling in the sector with the third...
