For Non Profits

For Non Profits

The PeopleCap Playbook

Timely insights and actionable people strategies for leaders.

Culture of Scarcity is Crushing the Nonprofit World

Posted on by Katie Spencer

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”

History of Underinvestment in Talent

Posted on by Katie Spencer

pothole and traffic cones in road

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”

Posted on by Beth Brock

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

Posted on by Beth Brock


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

Posted on by Katie Spencer

baby in a necktie

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

Posted on by Katie Spencer

red sofa therapy couch

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

Posted on by Beth Brock

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.

Good Governance: Evaluating the Executive Director

Posted on by Meg Crosby

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”

Posted on by Beth Brock

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

Posted on by Katie Spencer

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”

Good Governance Gets You Through a Crisis

Posted on by Meg Crosby

Last week, I got a call from a non-profit in crisis. Trouble inside the organization spilled over into the board room when frustrated employees began calling board members to complain about the Executive Director. Because the Board Chair had not been evaluating the Executive Director annually, he was caught off guard by the sudden negative feedback and became very defensive.

As the issue heated up, the Board Chair, unequipped or unwilling to deal with it, abruptly resigned. Though the by-laws provided for a full complement of officers to carry on in the absence of the Chair, the board had not been abiding by those by-laws and did not have anyone in place to assume the role. When an emergency meeting was called, only a handful of members showed up, signaling a systemic lack of engagement. Continue reading “Good Governance Gets You Through a Crisis”

What We’re Reading: Measure What Matters

Posted on by Meg Crosby

book cover Measure What Matters

One of PeopleCap’s 6 Imperatives for High Performance  is “Sharpen Focus.” We are always looking for creative ways to help our client companies set clear direction and align their organization accordingly. It was with that in mind that I picked up a copy of Measure What Matters by John Doerr to read at the beach this summer. It inspired me to sharpen my own focus and put into practice the organizational goal setting methodology detailed in the book that promises to “turn good ideas into superior execution.” Continue reading “What We’re Reading: Measure What Matters”

Succession is Not About the Corner Office

Posted on by Katie Spencer
Photo by Philipp Birmes
At some point, leadership transition is a reality for all companies. One HR executive I recently spoke to is concerned that her 300-person company has built such amazing employee loyalty that approximately 35% of their workforce will retire in the next five years! Another organization is concerned that their founder-based brand will not survive the CEO’s retirement. And the CEO of yet another larger company has unintentionally sparked a c-suite jousting match leaving his executive team more focused on positioning themselves for his crown than on working together to run the company.

Whether a leadership transition is imminent or a decade off, succession planning is not about identifying an eventual replacement for your CEO — it’s not about who winds up in the corner office. Continue reading “Succession is Not About the Corner Office”

Board Meetings Are Boring.

Posted on by Meg Crosby
bored at a board meeting

I estimate that I have sat through over 100 board (bored?) meetings over the last 10 years and, frankly, I want those hours back.

CEOs complain about a lack of board engagement. But it is impossible to be engaged while sitting through two hours of a quarterly review listing every single task the organization accomplished over the last three months. The truth is that board members do have a lot of value to add. And they are eager to add it. The challenge for CEOs is to run a meeting that invites participation and thought leadership.

Boost your board engagement by changing your agenda. Carve out time in each meeting to: Inform, Educate and Engage. Continue reading “Board Meetings Are Boring.”