Do many of these sound familiar? If so, it’s time to do something. Let me know what else you might add to this list.
- No strategic plan in place
- Poor alignment between goals and:resources, staffing, structure, budget, decision-making
- Infrequently monitoring financial results
- Relying on too few revenue sources and not nurturing new revenue streams
- Failing to recruit prospective director candidates who are a good strategic “fit” for your board
- Tolerating poor performance, lack of accountability, and weak governance on the board
- Micro-managing the CEO and staff
- Excessively focusing on “means” rather than “ends”
- Failing to periodically make capacity-building investments
- Permitting complacency and entitlement to slip into the boardroom and organization
- Avoiding annual performace reviews and periodic organizational assessments
- Permitting the CEO or board chair’s personality to become bigger than the mission
- Allowing personal agendas to trump approved goals and strategies
- Not seeking feedback on organizational performance from key partners, and others
- Not using metrics to evaluate performance and improve impact
- Not having or enforcing term limits for board members
- Ignoring the 800# gorillas in the board room
- Not making the “tough calls” when they are needed
- Failing to invest in the professional growth of your key staff
- Taking volunteers for granted
- Not focusing on how effective your programs are
- Losing focus by permitting mission creep
- Settling for status quo
- Embracing a “not invented here” attitude
- Not celebrating successes, top performance, or when people go above and beyond
What characteristics would you add? Send them to me…
Good list!
I’d add one thing but let you craft the wording if so desired. I often see non profits try to do everything in house, relying on staff or volunteers to do jobs they are not equipped for. Some common examples are: book keeping, marketing, new support/funding models, project management.
I’ve been urging one non profit to invest in their core competencies and outsource the rest.
Thanks Marty, your right. Those are important roles and they have to be handled well. There is so much talent out in the market place and I have to believe some of them would love to help nonprofits. You have cited a couple of great eexamles of how. Good catch! Thanks.
Great list, I would add:
Not being willing to change as the environment around your organization does!
Agreed. Good one, thanks David.
What a great list, Tom! Printing it out and want to review each point with my board. We’ll keep you updated on what we learn about ourselves through this review.
Thanks Christa, I hope they benefit from it…
I would add not understanding the environment that your nonprofit operates in.
Agreed, Lisa. Without a valid external environmental scan in hand, most plans may be nothing but dreams.
Thanks.