Topics I Write About
These essays reflect patterns I’ve seen repeatedly across nonprofit governance, executive leadership, and organizational change. Many began as short reflections shared on LinkedIn, written in response to questions leaders were asking in real time.
Collected here, they form a longer conversation about how systems work — and fail — and what it takes to build organizations that are both effective and humane. The pieces are organized by domain, rather than chronology, to reflect the recurring nature of the challenges they explore.
The Overhead Lie
The nonprofit sector tells itself a comforting story: that mission [...]
Conflicts of Interest: The Trick Question Most Boards Get Wrong
Are conflicts of interest good or bad? It’s a trick [...]
Governance as Coordinated Design in Complex Nonprofits
The Reality We Rarely Say Out Loud Nonprofits are expected [...]
Board–staff tension usually isn’t about people. It’s about language.
In nonprofit boardrooms, I often hear some version of: “This [...]
When Board Stability Becomes Risk
Most nonprofit boards don’t loosen or abandon term limits because [...]
Do Boards Really Need to Approve the Treasurer’s Report?
Many nonprofit boards routinely vote to “approve” the treasurer’s report. [...]
