Governance Inspection
Explore the structures, roles, culture and practices guiding your association.
Inspect Your GovernanceAuthor: Jim Thompson
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Over the last few weeks, I have been talking about the role of the interim in a nonprofit organization. I have broken down what an interim does, and does not do. I have talked about the costs, not just to the bottom line, of not having an interim. And I have touched on why a…
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When an organization experiences the loss of its CEO, whether by retirement, death, resignation, or termination, it is not only an operational issue. It is emotional as well. The board may feel pressure to project stability, protect the organization’s reputation, reassure staff, keep members calm, and move quickly. In that moment, hiring an outside interim…
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Ever since I have been in the association business, I have had a corporate credit card and have been responsible for budget items, both small and large. I have always prided myself on the fact that I treat an organization’s money as if it were my own. And if you know me well, you know…
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In the last 20 years, I’ve had the chance to guide several nonprofit organizations. During that time, I’ve seen transitions handled well, handled quickly, handled internally, and handled under pressure. Each situation has taught me that the real cost of transition is not always visible on the balance sheet. The following are not stories about…
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It’s hard to believe that at nearly 55 years old, I am in the best shape of my life. Just making that statement seems strange. But it didn’t happen by accident. It started when I lost a lot of weight between 2017 and 2018. You can read about that here. But losing weight was only…
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Often, when board members or other nonprofit leaders hear the term “interim,” they immediately think of a placeholder. And that’s not surprising. It’s not unusual for a board, upon hearing they are losing their CEO, to make a knee-jerk reaction and appoint a past board chair or an internal staff member as the interim. While…
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Several years ago, one of my staff members asked me a very odd question. She said, “Do you eat the same meal for breakfast and lunch every day?” As I thought about the question, I became a little self-conscious because I knew the answer immediately. I thought to myself, Gosh, I am really boring and…
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There are times in life when something new gets added to your story and you immediately realize it was not really new at all. It was just another piece of the puzzle finally finding its place. Recently, I was officially certified as an interim executive through Armstrong McGuire’s Interim Management Institute. After sharing the update…
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This year, I will make my fourth annual pilgrimage to Key West. What is it that’s so special about this place? It’s not the white sandy beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast or the clear blue-green waters of the Caribbean. No, Key West is something unique. My very first trip to the Keys was to celebrate…
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“A car is not just a machine; it is a story. It is a collection of memories, a witness to our lives, and a reflection of our souls.” — Enzo Ferrari Spring in North Carolina always produces beautiful flowering plants and trees. However, with that beauty comes the persistence of that crazy yellow substance that…