Effective Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations: How Executive Directors and Boards Work Together

(Paperback)

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Managing a nonprofit organization has many challenges. One key to success is building a strong relationship between the executive director and the board of trustees. This book is a treasure trove of information for navigating the personal, political, and legal minefields that cause so many nonprofits to fail. Dozens of case studies illuminate the key issues that often impede the progress of nonprofit organizations. Each chapter also contains a set of questions that enable leaders to reflect on the health of their own organization and also evaluate other nonprofits, as well as to create sustainable, effective business practices and productive working relationships. Topics discussed here include:

Communication between managerial parties Sharing powers and responsibilities Fund-raising Financial oversight and boundaries Planning programs Hiring and firing Developing partnerships Assessing business practices * Building productive working relationships * And much more

Whether you are an executive director, a board member, or someone contemplating either important role, Effective Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations is an excellent resource for understanding the dynamics of nonprofits and creating a strong organization.

Reviews

Through thoughtfully crafted case studies and stories, Dr. Wolf offers executive directors and boards an opportunity to gain the insights and wisdom of years of trial and error, all within one powerful read. Anne Wallestad, president & CEO, BoardSource

With his clear thinking, abundant real-world examples, and a welcome wit, Thomas Wolf explores the subtle, sometimes baffling dynamics of the boardexecutive director relationship, pointing the way toward a partnership that will serve well a nonprofits chief executive, board members, and, most important, their shared mission. William P. Ryan, coauthor of Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards

Thomas Wolfs Effective Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations offers an accessible and insightful framework for nonprofit leaders to build generative partnerships within their organizations. This much-needed work . . . [offers] executive directors and trustees practical tools for collaboratively addressing the fundamental challenges of leadership in the nonprofit sector. Aviva Luz Argote, executive director, Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations, Harvard University

Thomas Wolf provides an invaluable resource for executive directors and board members as they navigate the tricky terrain of working together in pursuit of a mission. Wolf offers essential guidance on thorny issues like fundraising, succession planning, finance, and strategic planning. I recommend this book as orientation reading for every new board member and executive director as well as professional development for those with more experience. Phil Buchanan, president, The Center for Effective Philanthropy

Author Bio

Dr. Thomas Wolfhas spent over four decades working in the nonprofit world, serving as both executive director and a trustee for several organizations. He is the author of a popular textbook, Managing a Nonprofit Organization (now in a fourth, updated twenty-first-century edition), and has also written How to Connect with Donors and Double the Money You Raise, among many other books. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.