Term limits and staggered terms are simple, structural measures organizations can adopt to balance institutional knowledge with gaining new perspectives. In conjunction with a commitment to consistently building a pipeline for board succession, they are important tools to prevent leadership stagnation.

Board members’ service is most effective when they feel they are making a tangible contribution to the organization, and they find meaning and satisfaction in their work. Providing a structure and setting aside time for your board to set individual goals are powerful and underutilized opportunities.   Ideally, your organization is setting its goals for the next fiscal year based on its strategic plan, or in lieu of a strategic plan, it is setting annual goals and identifying priorities. In...

As nonprofit professionals plan their career growth, I often recommend they join a nonprofit board. The ability to understand nonprofit...