News & Information
Especially now, ‘not for profit’ boards need to be at the top of their game.
I recently had a conversation with a staff member of a ‘not for profit’ organization here on Vancouver Island. She is in charge of fundraising for her organization and she was expressing to me the obvious challenges they’re facing trying to raise desperately needed...
Succession planning part two: Board Leadership
Succession planning means more than just ensuring a strong, healthy board membership. One important aspect of succession planning is ensuring that the leadership of the board most commonly known as the Executive or board officers, has the talent and capability...
Succession Planning: Part one – board members
Succession planning is a responsibility that receives far too little attention from most boards. Yet the future success and effectiveness of a board can be increased considerably by a well thought out succession plan. Why should we have a succession plan? The...
Getting the right people on your board.
One area of concern for many boards, especially when they are recruiting candidates for director positions is the composition the board. Some want to ensure that they have a lawyer and accountant on the board and others are totally opposed. Opinion is divided on the...
What’s the right number of board of directors?
We are frequently asked ‘How many directors do we need to have on our board’? The board only needs 3-4 directors to do the actual work of governing (setting the direction for the organization, developing policies, overseeing & monitoring organizational...
Even in a crisis, your role is to govern
The Chair’s role and responsibilities do not change during a crisis like the current pandemic. The essential role of the Chair generally, and in a crisis, is to manage the board and its work and ensure that the board continues to govern. This is a time when some board...
Pivot or double down
I hear the word “pivot” a lot lately. It seems like everyone is pivoting or they think they should consider pivoting. It seems like it’s the new business buzz word during this pandemic, but I’m not sure I completely understand what it is meant to describe. If I look...
Four attributes of great organizations
Over the past few years, I’ve had the very good fortune to work for, and consult to, some great organizations in both business and the not for profit sector. Some of these organizations are very large, global and market leading, and some are very small, local, and...
“Losing your Executive Director – your highest risk!”
When I interview directors from not for profit organizations, we discuss various risks that the organization faces. Issues related to confidentiality, reputation, fraud, cyber-attack and disaster by fire, flood or otherwise, are just a few risks that we touch on. By...