5 Crucial Considerations for Exceptional Organizations

Collectively, not-for-profits represent solutions to societal problems. Yet the potential for impact depends on many factors. Here are five that research suggests you need to consider.

Dedication to mission, foresightful leadership, effective decision making, and adaptability to change all come to mind, as does being at the table to inform critical decision making about issues that affect society.

But there are five other crucial considerations.

What follows comes from the ASAE Research Foundation World Café, to yield insights into how associations specifically will need to comport themselves to be exceptional in a complex, fast, and changing environment. But they apply to all of our organizations. These are summarized by Keith Skillman of the ASAE.

Five Factors You Need to Consider

Here is a quick take on five crucial considerations for exceptional associations—especially as viewed through a future-focused lens.

These insights are thought-provoking:

1. Engage fit-for-purpose boards

Governance—and board culture—must be built and cultivated to eschew ego in favor of effective stewardship, embrace continuous learning and foresight, and encourage innovation. An over-reliance on structure is the enemy of thoughtful adaptation and expeditious decision making.

2. Exhibit speed and agility

The close cousin to acting with speed and agility is comfort with ambiguity and the capacity to navigate it. While clear-eyed observation of the truth is still essential, increasingly, enlightened leadership will require the ability to see the glow of potential on the horizon, before all facts are known, and take the calculated risk to go there.

3. Engender a trusted-knowledge-source reputation

You are the cultivators and keepers of trusted knowledge. Does the world know it? Evolving science, technology, globalization, and other changes demand that you sharpen that reputation and consistently claim your place in shaping societal good. Building relationships well beyond traditional lines will be crucial.

4. Embrace the industry leadership role

“Member driven” is an antiquated notion. To be impactful, you must be member informed, but the organization has an equally important responsibility to shape the industry or sector. This means CEOs and Eds will take a greater role in helping board leaders understand evolving industry impactors and what they need to know to be effective stewards.

5. Measure impact

Making differences in people’s lives requires crystal clarity of purpose and dogged determination to measure impact, not only the outcomes.

And how do you measure up?

And what are your main “pain points” dealing with becoming truly exceptional?

What advice would be most helpful to you?

And we always assume that you are asking for a friend!

We’ll address your questions and concerns directly or in an upcoming post.

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This Week’s Additional Resources

Included with your paid subscription to Governance as Leadership. Only $5 a month, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

• Annual Board Actions

  Have Confidence in Your Calendar. There are several annual actions your board should take so that you are in legal and financial compliance and to help evaluate your organization’s performance. From tax forms to participating in performance reviews, explore this resource to better understand the frequency and timing of necessary board activities as you plan the rest of your year.

• Nonprofit Networks: what they are, how they work and commonly held challenges

  Nonprofit networks are groups of organizations that are independent, but united under the same mission: think Habitat for Humanity, United Way...

  In a nonprofit network, there are typically members, affiliates or partners that share the same (or similar) brand and mission. Learning about the benefits and challenges of the structure can bring clarity to your role and how you support the mission. Read on to learn about:

  • Nonprofit Networks

  • Why operate as a nonprofit network?

  • What does the national organization do as part of a nonprofit network?

  • Local autonomy versus centralized control

  • Commonly held challenges of nonprofit networks

  • Evidence-based versus outcomes-based nonprofit network models

🔗Links to the above resources (for paid subscribers only):