The individuals who govern a nonprofit organization are, by their very nature, very passionate about their cause, but their business management experience doesn't always match their passion.

These individuals, who may be spectacular in getting the organization off the ground, will often find themselves faltering as their nonprofit reaches the next level. A common response is to hire an executive director to take care of day-to-day business activities so the board members can remain focused on the advocacy activities that drew them into the organization in the first place.

The danger in allowing an executive director free reign is, of course, a lack of accountability. And should the executive director turn out to be unscrupulous, the board members find themselves in a worse situation than they had before!

The foundation of any business or organization is establishing a framework of rules and practices that allows them to achieve accountability, fairness, and transparency in their relationship with their stakeholders (funding sources, customers, management, employees, and the community).

Using a customized approach, we help clients establish the structure they need to run a successful business.

This framework involves

• Distributing responsibilities, rights, and rewards
• Defining procedures for accommodating stakeholder interests and their duties, privileges, and roles
• Establishing a system of checks-and-balances that includes supervision, control, and information-flow

How can Board Governance training help

• Evolve working processes, practices, policies, and competencies
• Identify and develop plans to improve organizational roles and responsibilities
• Help the board directors become strategic partners with their executive management
• Develop organizational assets to the highest level of organizational competency

Whether it is a long-standing stable business or one that is in the process of growing, an effective team is essential to the business structure.

We have all heard the phrase "there is no "I" in team". Has this phrase become nothing but an old cliché in your business? Does your team need a jump-start to affect positive change in your work environment?

As a team leader, you will want to incorporate the five elements of team effectiveness:

• Leadership
• Strategy
• Role definition
• Communication
• Team flexibility

This training is structured to provide your staff with the skills required to work proficiently as a collaborative unit toward a common goal. This training focuses on team building and how teamwork can affect positive growth.

As a team leader, it is crucial to understand the personality structure that makes up an organization. An organization is like a "stew" of personalities; the ingredients for a fine stew are there. Your role as a team leader is to blend them together, in a fashion that allows each ingredient to enhance the entire pot. Through our experience with teams, we have found that personality plays a key role in team member relationships. It plays a critical role in disagreement, friction, conflict, and ultimately, performance.