In honor and celebration of my colleague Bob Hoffman’s 80th birthday, we talked about his remarkable community and professional life, the impact he continues to make in the world, and the people and the lessons that continue to shape his drive and leadership.

I was about 12. It was nearly my turn to perform at the piano recital when I could not remember the first few notes of my piece. I told my piano teacher I forgot and asked if he would tell me. I have a memory of him saying no, that I would figure it out, and I would be fine.

Leaders at the Chatanooga Goodwill thank the Managance team for an inspiring year of work together.

Transparency is an opportunity. When Maxine Thurston-Fisher was the Executive Director of Miami Bridge Emergency Shelter for Runaway and Homeless Youth, she shared the whole operating budget with the entire staff. She wanted everyone to understand what it took to run the organization and how we could contribute to reducing costs and living within our budget.

The Collaboration Norm: Since my introduction to nonprofit organizations in the 1960’s, an expectation is partnering and collaborating. The reasons always are to leverage resources, avoid duplication and be cost-effective. When my mom developed the first meals-on-wheels program for homebound seniors in Pittsburgh in the 1970’s, it was a collaborative effort between B’nai Brith Women, The Jewish Home for the Aged and Jewish Family and Children Services.

I’m starting today’s blog with “Double-Clicking” on the term “nonprofit” because I was recently reminded in a global conversation that the term is still quite confusing. The “Double-Clicking” concept – meaning to open a discussion of terms for greater understanding - is one of the invaluable tools Judith E. Glaser, introduces in her book Conversational Intelligence, How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results.

The executive director of a reputable, high performing nonprofit organization lamented that board members should be more actively involved and they needed a more effective engagement strategy. When I arrived at a 7:30 AM breakfast meeting to find a table full of eager volunteers I reached a different conclusion than the executive director.

I grew up in the generation where you did what your parents told you to do. For example, ‘Wear appropriate attire when you go to the Courthouse with your dad; wear a coat to school; hold that job for at least a year’ …and so on.

I find these days that leadership is a joyful experience, but it wasn't always that way. Take a moment right now to go back in time to situations in your leadership when you wished you responded differently. As if you were watching a movie of those times, notice what was happening, how they made you feel and how your response impacted others and yourself.

Change in the executive leadership of a nonprofit organization is inevitable. Since it will likely happen a number of times in the life of any organization, the question isn’t whether it will happen. The question is when. And, a related question is how important is it for an organization – with 5 staff or 500 staff - to be prepared for this inevitability?

In a recent conversation, a nonprofit CEO told me about a member of her senior team who has terrific potential.  “But,” she said, “this leader ‘knows everything.’  “The ideas have to be hers, and she has to be in control.  I’ve had many conversations with her about this behavior and I don’t know what to do.”