civil discourse

Nonprofit Board Discourse: a Meeting of the Minds??

id-100147926Free Digital Photo

Nonprofit Board Discourse: a Meeting of the Minds??

By: Eugene Fram            Free Digital Image

Several years ago, a nonprofit director complained to me that there was too little “conflict” at board meetings. Too few hands were raised to challenge or simply question the efficacy of certain important agenda items. Having participated in hundreds of nonprofit meetings, I can vehemently report that this laissez-faire response still typifies the majority of director attitudes, especially for items that deserve vigorous discussion. Why is that? And why is the term conflict perceived as an asset to an organization that is determined to move forward? Below are some answers based on my own experience in the nonprofit environment. (more…)

Dysfunctional Levels in Nonprofit Boards & Organizations.

Dysfunctional Levels in Nonprofit Boards & Organizations.

By: Eugene Fram

Article and studies from a Google search on “ Dysfunctions in Nonprofit Boards & Organizations,” yields 445,000 items in .32 of a second. These items show dysfunctions on charter school boards, church boards, healthcare boards, trade associations, etc.

Rick Moyers, a well-known nonprofit commentator and nonprofit researcher, concluded:

A decade’s worth of research suggests that board performance is at best uneven and at worst highly dysfunctional. ….. The experiences of serving on a board—unless it is high functioning, superbly led, supported by a skilled staff and working in a true partnership with the executive – is quite the opposite of engaging. (more…)

Civil and Honest Discourse Needed for Nonprofit Boards

Civil and Honest Discourse Needed for Nonprofit Boards
Huffington Post Impact Section – Posted: 01/03/2014 9:31 pm http://huff.to/1lIWFNM

By:Eugene Fram

In recent years, I have noted some nonprofit board meeting environments have been developing into two distinctly different types: (1) a board consensus resulting from directors’ desires not to develop conflicts with peers, or (2) uncivil discourses based on political beliefs, especially when the CEO and board chair subscribe to different political parties. (more…)