The end of the year brings with it an endless array of “to do” items, holiday festivities, and downright chaos. Add to this planning for 2023. Besides feeling overwhelmed with a never-ending “to do” list, I’m guessing you’ve also run into “idea” overload, having so many ideas yet knowing you don’t have enough time to […]

Beyond your donors, which stakeholders are you thanking? ThanksGIVING. When you see this word, what is the first thing that pops into your head besides food coma? If you have any role in fundraising, I’m guessing a close second to food coma would be donor giving and giving thanks to donors. And who could blame […]

You work long, tireless days and most weekends. It’s fundraising event season, and your workload continues to pile up while year-end deadlines stare you in the face. You feel alone with nobody to vent to because, if we’re being honest, all of your friends work for nonprofits and are in the same boat as you, […]

Ever wondered how the Labor Day holiday came about? Here’s a bite-sized history lesson: Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many […]

There’s an old joke that a CEO’s chief complaint is “my board is disengaged” and that this is tied with another complaint, “my board is engaged.” If this rings true for you or gave you a chuckle, you’re not alone. Last month we focused on the causes of micromanagement by nonprofit boards. So, what are […]

In the nonprofit boardroom, this one thing is considered a cardinal sin, and unfortunately, it’s one that happens all too often. Any guesses on what it might be? If your mind is like mine, you probably went straight to worst case scenario—having an affair with your Executive Director. The good thing is that no, it’s […]

Five years ago I challenged myself to apply for the altMBA, an intensive four week online leadership course that challenges its students to level up through new skills while also pro viding an opportunity for people to share experiences in an engaging cohort format. After being accepted, a stack of what felt like 20 books […]

The Secret Sauce: 3 Ingredients of a strong Board/ED partnership Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. Sadly, this statistic might even be higher in the nonprofit sector if you consider the relationship between a board and the executive director (ED) to be a partnership akin to marriage. “It’s not you, it’s me” has […]

Do you have a predominantly positive or negative effect on others? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself this question? And I don’t mean how you think others perceive you. I mean, do you have a positive or negative influence on others? Are you lifting people up or tearing them down? Are you helping them to recharge, […]

In Seth Godin’s blog “In control,” he asks, “Do you know anyone who has managed to gain control over things outside of their grasp?” He then uses the example of honking at traffic as an expression of the need to control the uncontrollable. I wish I could say I weren’t guilty of this, but lo […]