I'm the executive director of a medium-sized organization. One of my board members is keen on having a succession plan. I'm not convinced that we need to formalize the staffing process to such an extent. I'm also confused; the words...
Having worked with more than ten not-for-profit organizations as a paid staff person, and thereafter with over 50 as a consultant, I have learned valuable lessons about how to deal with difficult people (replace with members, volunteer, donors, as applicable)....
We're a mid-sized organization with 80 staff, mostly frontline workers who are out of the office most of the time. There seem to be two camps developing: those in the main office who see each other every day, and those...
Our staff have expressed interest in receiving more training in areas that are core skills for their jobs. However, when we've sent people to workshops or courses in the past, they usually haven't come back and implemented any of their...
There’s much talk these days about the impending retirement of the generation we refer to as baby boomers. Newspapers, radio talk shows and other mediums are dedicated to providing thought-provoking fodder on how this crop of soon-to-be retirees will spend...
I'm always in a quandary when it comes to writing a job description. If I keep it general, I get flooded with resumes from people who aren't qualified, and who I'm never going to hire. On the other hand, if...
I see bad people get away with stuff all the time. Those they report to look the other way, or are equally bad, or seem so gullible. Does anything bad ever happen to nonprofit staff or volunteers who behave unethically?...
Our efforts to recruit the right candidate for a position are hampered by the large number of resumes we often receive from people who clearly aren't qualified for the job. We have to scan these resumes, track them, and file...
Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you...
My recent column on 'supervisors from hell' struck a nerve with one reader, who writes: "You should replace the term 'boss from hell' with 'workplace bully'. There has been extensive research done on workplace bullying. If a child is a...
