Labor Day is behind us – ughhh, I know – which means the last part of the year will roll by quickly, as it always does. It also means it’s time to get your board retreat or team planning meeting on the calendar. Continue reading “Retreat and Training Opportunities”

For Non Profits
The PeopleCap Playbook
Timely insights and actionable people strategies for leaders.
2019 Goals
Who Says Sustainability is Boring?
Sustainability is a top priority for nonprofit executives and boards everywhere. Long-term financial viability is, of course, the main job of the executive director and board: without the ability to survive, the organization has no future. Continue reading “Who Says Sustainability is Boring?”
Midsouth Nonprofit Conference
PeopleCap is proud to be a sponsor of the Midsouth Nonprofit Conference! We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, August 13th, for a great day of learning and networking. This dynamic conference will be held at the University of Memphis, and will be a day-long learning experience examining the evolving role that data serves in strengthening human services work.
PeopleCap’s own Katie Spencer (and her father!) will be speaking, along with many other greats. Continue reading “Midsouth Nonprofit Conference”
Midsouth Nonprofit Conference
On August 13, 2019 at the University of Memphis, the Midsouth Nonprofit Conference will be a day-long learning experience examining the evolving role that data serves in strengthening human services work.
PeopleCap’s own Katie Spencer (and her father!) will be speaking, along with many other greats. Continue reading “Midsouth Nonprofit Conference”
Culture of Scarcity is Crushing the Nonprofit World
In another sector, alarm bells would be going off – talent is not keeping pace with technology and the strategic skills needed in a competitive, knowledge-based climate. Innovation is stifled, if alive at all. Spending is a bad word.
We’ve starved the nonprofit sector in the name of fiscal prudence grounded within the myth that running lean is a virtuous strategy. In the for-profit realm, we would expect overly anemic organizations to fold or completely reinvent themselves to oxygenate back to health. In the nonprofit world, we consider it a badge of honor to do more for less, chase our tails for a pittance, and live with the insecurity of our livelihoods failing to be renewed in the next grant cycle. Continue reading “Culture of Scarcity is Crushing the Nonprofit World”
Innovation vs. innovation
Innovate or die. The accelerated pace of technology disruption is putting companies under increasing pressure to innovate. But many companies miss the fact that there are two kinds of innovation and to win, you need to be good at both. Continue reading “Innovation vs. innovation”
The Board Coach
Great nonprofit boards are hard to come by. I won’t call them unicorns – there are certainly a good number of effective, engaged, value-add boards – but they also aren’t commonplace. Continue reading “The Board Coach”
Don’t Sell Yourselves Short
History of Underinvestment in Talent
The nonprofit sector has a long history and culture of underinvesting in talent. In the name of financial stewardship and the doctrine of mission, nonprofit employees have existed within a culture where working harder for less money is a badge of honor. As admirable as this commitment to working for the benefit of our communities and others has been, over time the ratchet effect of lower wages in ever tightening budgets, lack of investment in professional development, and the organic burgeoning of nonprofit roles in which people continue to take on more and more responsibility without increase in compensation has led to the sector falling far behind in talent compensation. Continue reading “History of Underinvestment in Talent”
Get on Board | “What To Know Before You Serve”
Do you have a heart for service? Are you thinking about joining the board of a non-profit but aren’t sure if you have the time, treasure or talent necessary to be a valuable member? Maybe you’ve already joined a board but aren’t quite sure of the full scope of your responsibilities. No matter what your situation, cityCURRENT and the Center for Nonprofit Management will help guide you through “what to know before you serve” at their inaugural Get on Board Luncheon in Nashville! Continue reading “Get on Board | “What To Know Before You Serve””
Human Resources Boot Camp
Nonprofit leaders wear a lot of hats, including serving as Directors of Human Resources. In this highly competitive talent climate, how can your organization attract, retain, and develop top talent without breaking the bank? In this two-day boot camp, we will discuss some of the challenges facing nonprofits in the current talent landscape and steps that your organization can take to ensure you hire great people, keep them longer, and continue to grow them into future leaders of your organization while ensuring that your organization remains legally compliant. Continue reading “Human Resources Boot Camp”
Leading Young Employees
A lot of leaders are struggling to lead young team members effectively. And sure, some of it relates to the Millennial generation. There are generational markers that shape our perspectives: My generation had MTV and Nintendo, Millennials have social media and smart phones. Those things definitely shape who we are. But I also think many of us Gen Xers were ambitious, impatient, wanting the world and quite convinced that we could be doing a better job in the CEO’s chair (okay, well I certainly was). Continue reading “Leading Young Employees”
Listening Is Therapy
While conducting interviews with employees for a client, one person leaned in at the close of the interview and said, “You’re so easy to talk to. Thank you so much – it feels like therapy!”
The great part was that this organization isn’t facing any issue of note and the interview was pretty basic, as interviews in my world go – nothing heavy or emotional came up. It’s not uncommon for people to respond this way following an hour telling me about their work lives, some even get a bit choked up or cry. Continue reading “Listening Is Therapy”
Get on Board and Make a Difference: The Board’s Role in Talent Development

Great talent is hard to come by and non-profits find themselves with the added disadvantage of limited budgets. In this increasingly competitive landscape, what is the role of the board in ensuring the organization has the talent it needs to thrive and drive impact? Nonprofits have historically underinvested in talent both financially and from a development perspective. How can the board help grow the team’s skills, develop future leaders, support the retention of key talent, and invest in longview strategies for the benefit of the organization?
Meg & Katie will share how on February 15th!
To RSVP for event click HERE.
Go for it: Pursue Top Talent!

Nonprofit leaders – stop selling yourself short when it comes to recruiting great talent! The nonprofit sector is an incredible career path for a bevy of reasons. Use that to your advantage to find great talent and make sure candidates know how you can positively impact their career trajectory. Continue reading “Go for it: Pursue Top Talent!”
Good Governance: Evaluating the Executive Director

Evaluating the Executive Director doesn’t have to be painful, overly time consuming or complicated, but it does need to happen.
Evaluating the ED is about three things: goal setting, alignment, and accountability. An ED’s evaluation actually begins 12 months out when the Board and ED work together to establish and agree upon goals for the following year. The process helps to align the Board and ED around those goals and set expectations for how they will work together to achieve them. At the end of the 12 months, the evaluation becomes largely about accountability. Were the goals met? Why or why not? Continue reading “Good Governance: Evaluating the Executive Director”
Get on Board | “People Management: How to Lead a Board with Confidence”

Featuring Meg Crosby & Katie Spencer
When: Friday, October 26, 2018 from 12-1:30PM. Lunch included, and free to attend.
Where: Lipscomb & Pitts Building (2670 Union Avenue Ext), Memphis, TN 38112
Topics:
Overseeing ED Performance Doesn’t Have to Be Painful: Let’s face it, it’s tough to effectively oversee the performance of the Executive Director. And yet, it’s a vital function of the board to ensure successful leadership of the organization. Don’t wait until problems arise. Join PeopleCap to learn how to establish a proactive system for performance oversight based on partnership, trust, and feedback that will help your ED and organization reach their full potential.
The Board’s Role in Talent Development: Great talent is hard to come by and non-profits find themselves with the added disadvantage of limited budgets. How can the board help grow the team’s skills to increase impact, develop future leaders, and support the retention of key talent without stepping on the toes of the ED’s daily management responsibilities? PeopleCap will walk you through strategies to develop your organization’s talent without breaking the bank and in support of the leadership.
Continue reading “Get on Board | “People Management: How to Lead a Board with Confidence””
People Drive Results

People drive results. They are the key ingredient for achieving nonprofit mission impact or its greatest impediment. If people are not performing at their highest potential, the organization isn’t either.
The buck stops with the ED. An Executive Director’s primary responsibility is to realize mission impact – primarily through other people – board, employees, volunteers, etc. Great leaders know how to mobilize, engage and grow their people to unlock their potential and maximize impact. Continue reading “People Drive Results”
Navigating an Unexpected Funding Shortfall

It’s a nonprofit leader’s nightmare: an overnight funding shortfall that’s completely beyond your control. I know. I’ve lived it. Continue reading “Navigating an Unexpected Funding Shortfall”