Sometimes it feels like an endless fight…Ah tristesse…
You’re the fundraiser. You study and study and read and and … But your boss keeps telling you that you’re wrong.
That big donor (so often a wealthy white guy) wants to share some thoughts and give you advice about how to be a better CEO. “Well, Missy…”
And seeminly everyone is singing the same refrain: “If only you nonprofits would just behave more like the for profits. Then everything would be fine.”
Hmmmm….. Check out these resources.
- “What Business Execs Don’t Know – But Should – About Nonprofits” Authors: Les Silverman and Lynn Taliento, Summer 2006. Stanford Social Innovation Review.
- Good to Great and the Social Sectors, a monograph by Jim Collins
- Small Change: Why Business Won’t Change the world, Mike Edwards
Next step after your reading: Graciously anticipate that these peeps (board members, donors, business execs, etc.) are going to tell you (albeit graciously maybe) that you, the fundraiser or nonprofit exec, are wrong. Anticipate! Then pre-empt their comments by sharing research and articles and and and … So those non-experts just might stop themselves from intruding inappropriately.
By the way, check out my new resource on my website…focusing on the CEO’s role (job description) and the distinctions between governance and management. The document is called: “Just another resource tool…Focused on governance and management“.
Now get back to reading that article about what business execs don’t know – but should know – about nonprofits.
