Note to Staff: We’re a Team, Not a Family

From the NY Times:

“This interview with Linda Lausell Bryant, executive director of Inwood House in New York, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant. Inwood House focuses on teenagers’ health issues.  “Our culture reflected our work, which is to create a sense of family for our teens. So our staff would say: “We’re a family. We’re a family.” And I’ve actually said directly to everyone in all-staff meetings: “We’re not a family, because in a family you never can fire somebody like your Uncle Joe. You just can’t. You have to put up with him because he’s family. In an organization, if someone is taking the organization down, we can’t accept that because the organization is bigger than any one of us.” “

Click here to read full interview – over multiple pages

Measurement as Learning

From The Bridgespan Group

“Measurement is a hot topic these days in the social sector, as increasing numbers of funders want to know exactly how their money is being used, and as nonprofits undertake rigorous evaluations to prove their programs work and attract funding for growth. But one of the most important uses of measurement is too often overlooked, and that is measurement for the purpose of learning and improving performance, or performance measurement.

The benefits of performance measurement can be substantial. Among the upsides: Organizations that measure to learn often find that they’re able to do more for their beneficiaries with less money; they’re better able to adapt their programs to changing circumstances faster and more effectively; they also make better resource allocation decisions. The problem is that the idea of actually doing performance measurement scares many social sector leaders. The process seems daunting, the rewards distant and unclear.”

Click here to read full article and download papers in pdf

Four Ways to Remove a Board Member

From Blue Avocado:

“Occasionally, a board member needs to be removed from the board. In some cases, a conflict of interest or unethical behavior may be grounds to remove an individual from the board. In other cases, the behavior of a board member may become so obstructive that the board is prevented from functioning effectively.”

Click here to read full post