7 Warning Signs That Something May Not Be Right in Your Nonprofit

A really effective executive can make a nonprofit successful. But, a really ineffective or even incompetent executive (e.g., rising to your highest level of incompetence but a really good practitioner) can destroy a nonprofit. And, while there is a modicum of literature about what makes a great executive, there is little literature that describes the institutional changes that should call a board to action when there are signs that change is necessary. Neither is there literature about what these signs might be.

This article is based on lessons from my consulting practice focused on helping nonprofit boards determine when and how to address one of the biggest institutional changes a nonprofit’s board can experience: deciding if the executive is the right person for the current life of the nonprofit.