Nonprofits need special care — sometimes extra care. Organizations are best served by strong and experienced board members, but those qualities aren’t always the priority in selecting board members. Just choosing a representative from an organization with a big checkbook shouldn’t be enough.
“Some nonprofits attract board members who are interested for maybe the wrong reason or they just are brought on the board because they have the ability to provide funding, but maybe not the skill set necessary or the experience necessary. So, nonprofits are frequently at a disadvantage depending on how they are structured, how they are set up.”
In this week’s episode of Stop Talking, a listener asks: From a Crisis Communications standpoint, how do you handle a struggling nonprofit and the associated complications?
Real life events often provide the most memorable answers and lessons. To answer their question, I share a story about working for an established and respected nonprofit that had a unique audience. At some point, its leadership took their eyes off the books; the institution’s financials were not the priority. Board members lacked financial and management experience and knowledge. It’s important for a nonprofit to have a strong board of directors that understand the potential damage ahead when things go wrong. It’s messy, it’s emotional, and egos are attached, which can impact decision-making.
Tune in to my Stop Talking Podcast to hear how such an event was handled when I was asked to prevent a negative public relations event from occurring. Come out on top by embracing the skill set of a crisis communicator. Please feel free to share this podcast with a friend or colleague. Thanks for reading and listening.
Have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode? Fill out my contact form linked above and I’ll be in touch.
Thanks again for listening!
