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 21, 2014 | Blog, Leadership
Military experts say once a battle begins the battle plan goes out the window. I am seeing evidence this also happening on nonprofit boards. In a couple of cases I’ve seen terrible damage done to otherwise well-running nonprofits. Yet, due to strife, however caused,...
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 | Jan 28, 2014 | Blog, Leadership
Leading a nonprofit is not easy. There are many interests to balance, many balls to juggle, many personalities to assuage, many clients to serve. It’s been likened to herding carts. So, in order to do the very best job you and your agency can do, you need...
by Tom Okarma | Jan 3, 2014 | Blog, Leadership
One of a leader’s primary duties is to grow and develop others. Just recently I began wrestling with a related question posed by a long-time friend of mine-Dave-who is in ministry.…Am I a leader worth reproducing? How about you? Are you a (fill in the blank) board...
