Governing Effective Nonprofits in the 21st Century (©2013, Horario Alger Association of Distinguished Americans), by Brian E. Foss, seeks to fill a void in the nonprofit sector by highlighting effective governance practices and by stimulating new ideas for nonprofit success. The book illustrates the role of a board in making strategic decisions that help to create exemplary nonprofit organizations, and based on insights from experts, as well as strategic methods to fulfill these charitable missions. While the concept of governance remains the same for all nonprofits, factors such as size, level of staffing and geographic scope influence the principles of governance as well as leadership styles. As a result, the book clearly states that one size does not fit all. It suggests a personalized approach to the key fundamentals that distinguish exemplary organizations, which include:
- Developing a clearly defined mission statement endorsed by the organization’s leadership and members;
- Selecting directors to serve on the board based on the needs of the organization and its mission;
- Engaging board members to promote ownership, commitment to financial success, and effective governance;
- Planning strategically for the future of the organization with a tactical mission-centered focus; and
- Ensuring the long-term success of the organization by focusing on the board’s fiduciary responsibility in planning for the future.
According to a 2013 study from Good Think Inc., boosting office moral can increase productivity by 30 percent, but can optimism be improved through changes in the work environment? Kathryn Wilking, author of Practical Feng Shui for the Office (©2013, IUniverse) also believes it can be as easy as re-arranging your desk. Feng shui translates as “wind and water” and addresses the energy patterns one creates both organizationally and personally. The main objective of a feng shui office, according to the author, is to give you a balanced flow of energy so you can accomplish the tasks of the day. The book provides a guide to achieving environmental balance.
A typical association is made of individuals; a successful association works as a team. Executive directors and department managers need to know how to utilize their teams to their full potential. More than that, they need to know how to not only manage but work alongside their staff. The Winning Team: A Victory Guide for Total Team Success (©2013, WestBow Press), by Sederick Fluker, offers guidance to help teams maximize their productivity, enhance their performances, and reach their full potential. The book addresses fundamentals for constructing a winning team, the correlation between a team’s performance and its win potential; traits of winning teams; the role of leadership; and sustaining performance.
All good causes are not equally good. That’s what Eric Friedman, author of Reinventing Philanthropy: A Framework for More Effective Giving (©2013, Potamic Books) discovered when he began researching causes and nonprofits where his donation could make the biggest impact. Althought effective philanthropy can bring benefits such as tax breaks, public recognition, and emotional fulfillment, the book is not written for people who treat these items as more important than maximizing the positive impacts of their giving. He offers 10 approaches for making thoughtful, impactful donations.
- When deciding where to give, don’t be afraid to make subjective comparisons of very different options to assess trade-offs and determine which you think would have the greatest impact.
- Focus your philanthropy where you think it matters most.
- Focus on the marginal impact of your donation when evaluating philanthropic options.
- Put your money in the hands of people you believe in.
- Prioritize everyday development aid over disaster relief.
- Proactively search for your donation’s recipient.
- Be cautious when considering programs that appear to be designed around maximizing the donor’s experience, as they are probably sacrificing impact.
- When comparing new innovations versus scaling up proven ones, the new innovation must have the potential to be significantly better than the best existing solution.
- Balance the benefits of research and evaluation with the costs to yourself and potential recipient organizations
- Don’t meddle with the organizations you support, as you decided to give to them because you believe they are the best at what they do.