Sharpening Organizational Process

This month we will look at group dynamics and group process in nonprofit management. It’s a broad topic with many nuances. In my experience, nonprofit organizations are often so driven by their purpose and mission that they don’t take the time to work on themselves. As Stephen R. Covey so aptly put it in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, time spent “Sharpening the Saw” can make a huge difference. Effective organizations look inward and invest in improvement.

This article on the 501 Commons, Management & Culture | 501 Commons, offers a valuable list of reflections for nonprofit leaders, boards, and staff. These questions can spark meaningful discussions and serve as the basis for long-term organizational benchmarks.

I particularly like this phrase, “cultivating disagreement without leaning on the most dire mechanisms,” found in How to Repair a Toxic Board | Associations Now. As we strive to embrace equity and diversity in our work, it is critical that we also embrace diverse opinions and perspectives. It’s through disagreement that we grow and change. This article about a report from the National Association of Corporate Directors tackles this head-on.

Sherry Jennings with SoundGovernance does a really nice job of explaining the most critical relationship in a nonprofit organization in The Relationship between the Executive Director and Board Chair Affects Organizational Success | 501 Commons. Not only does she explain why this relationship is so important, she makes it clear that building and maintaining a healthy relationship takes time and energy. She makes a great case for the executive director and the board chair to attend focused training together. Next week, I will share information on just such training.

This article was written with the help of ChatGPT.