transitions
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Three Commitments for 2020
Let's be honest. New Year Resolutions are overrated. First, they rarely last, and second, they usually try to fix something about the past rather than focusing on strengthening the future. Image by skeeze from Pixabay What if instead of resolving to"do better" we commit to "add value" to our careers and our organizations? Let's not call them resolutions either. Commitment is a much better description, don't you think? These three commitments are a great start for a better 2020. Commit to developing stronger relationships in 2020. Most of us really hate networking and avoid it when we can. Just admit that you hate it, but commit do it anyway -…
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The top ten reasons you may need a consultant
All leaders - nonprofit or business, government or education - need to constantly improve their own skills to improve their organization's outcomes. All too often, leaders think they can do it all on their own. Just like a lawyer shouldn’t represent himself in court, leaders need to admit they don't know everything about managing people, processes, boards, or finances. To take your organization and its people to the next level it is often a wise decision to call in a Management Consultant. Here are the top ten reasons to hire a consultant. You need expertise you do not have within your organization. IT consulting is a perfect example of this.…
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The tainted star
We’ve all met them. Many of us have worked with them. And sometimes we have had to fire them. The “them” I am talking about are those star performers who also have issues relating to those around them. If you give this star an assignment they can perform independently, they excel. But once you pair them with others, the trouble begins. You often don’t recognize the signs quickly either. In my experience, these stars tend to be self-starters. they have great skills in project management, research, and follow through. On the one hand, you appreciate how well they perform the tasks and projects you assign them. But conversely they tend…
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Why is succession planning so hard?
Today’s nonprofit organizations are facing a brain drain that is unprecedented in modern society. Curtis R. Welling and John H. Vogel Jr. note that “for small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations, the average term for an executive director or CEO is about six years.” (The Nonprofit Quarterly, May 21, 2017) A 2006 CompassPoint/Meyer Foundation study concluded that 10% to 15% of nonprofit organizations hire a new executive every year and that between 60% to 75% of nonprofit executive directors had a plan to leave their position within the next five years. It may surprise you to learn that a six month gap between an executive director leaving and a new leader…
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Organizations at a Crossroads
When an organization is facing a leadership change, it is at a crossroads. Down one path is a successful future. Down the other dangers lurk. An organization at this juncture can either excel as the staff and board embrace change and work toward a bright new future or falter when the new leader struggles to get his or her stride. As nonprofit boards respond to a leadership change, they need time to find the right candidate. The problem is, most nonprofit boards are composed of successful - and busy - volunteers who do not have the time the organization truly needs for this succession process. Staff need time to grieve and…