by Tom Okarma | May 7, 2014 | Blog, Board Development, Governance, Leadership
Absolutely, a board of directors is necessary. But, it shouldn’t just be comprised of a collection of well-intended directors. Legally, you’re probably required to have one anyway, but in addition, the value derived from the “right” board is...
by Tom Okarma | May 1, 2014 | Blog, Board Development, Governance, Leadership
I suspect many executive directors have asked themselves this question at one time or another, and probably with good reason. Unless you have a well-thought out New Director Orientation Program you may be suffering through a board that has no clear purpose. It will...
by Tom Okarma | Mar 18, 2014 | Blog, Board Development, Leadership
If you’ve struggled to increase board meeting attendance, raise the energy level in your meetings, develop a clearer focus on your mission, or instill a fiery passion back into your boardroom, I have an answer. It is quite simple, costs nothing, and you can do it at...
by Tom Okarma | Feb 13, 2014 | Board Development, Leadership
I love the desert, not just because that is where spring training of my beloved losers-The Chicago Cubs- practice but because of its unique vegetation. Cacti come in many different styles. Some say there are over 2,000 species of these complex living creations. One...
by Tom Okarma | Dec 2, 2013 | Board Development, Governance, Leadership
There must have been a full moon out recently. I had back-to-back meetings two weeks ago with two different nonprofits and thoughtI had entered the Twilight Zone. At my first meeting, members of a nonprofit board were complaining about their CEO’s not doing what...
by Tom Okarma | Nov 7, 2013 | Blog, Board Development, Leadership
Probably the most frequent problem Executive Directors and Development Directors face are directors that do not help with fundraising. This complaint is always number 1 or 2 when I ask leaders about their most serious board problems. The other problem is directors who...
