Orgforward Opines

“Should I bill by the hour or by the project?” This is probably the most common and challenging question in our community of consultants as we strive to be catalysts for change while also making a financial living. We often toil when asked what an engagement will cost or squirm when the direct question, “what is your hourly rate,” gets posed.  Our heads start spinning as we ask ourselves the backend questions – What is my time worth? What if it takes me longer (or shorter) than I expected? What do others charge? Are different tasks charged at different rates? What if the client balks at my rate when compared to their own salary? (and the list goes on…) To cope, we either strut our inner peacocks, declaring what we are worth because of our pedigree, history, and potential OR we self-deprecate, feeling guilty that we are asking too much of cash-strapped organizations – all the time praying we can cover our own bills. This is not the roller-coaster ride we need, nor does it create the...

In my previous post , I fleshed out some thinking about leadership and that it is really about individuals having the disposition and skills to create the conditions that engage people in creating change. Well guess what? Anyone can do that? When we talk of "leaders," it so often conjures notions of power, position, and responsibility . All of these are notions that too often are built on scarcity. There are only so many hierarchical positions at the top of the organization. Power i s  held by those who can make financial and resource decisions that affect others. Responsibility is something we are granted and then must be accountable for. Did you notice that all of these have an underlying theme of control and gatekeeping. Someone (or someones) or a system allows a person to have these things. Well, gatekeeping is the result of scarcity thinking - we only have to gate-keep when we feel there isn't enough for everyone, or worse, others are not worthy. Additionally, power,...

The word leadership is used in many different contexts and can be interpreted in many different ways, therefore clarity is important as a starting point to discuss leadership. Let’s start at the root of the word. In this case, lead which in earliest usage means “to guide,” so the literal translation of leadership is to have the characteristics of one who is able to guide . Building on this core root, we will use the following definition moving forward: To demonstrate leadership is to make it easier, accessible, or doable for an organized group of individuals to accomplish specific goals for themselves and the group they are a part of. While seemingly simple on the surface, this definition touches on a complex set of factors that must be considered when thinking about what leadership actually is. Leadership is a social process that happens within groups, and specifically groups that have been brought together for a specific and shared purpose (for example: to learn, to complete a task...

In his book “Better Together,” John Fulwider points out the following: “Nonprofits promote human thriving outside their doors. But the very human leaders within them too often fail to thrive. They barely survive.” Ponder that for a moment…does it feel ok? While there are many forces and systems that “make it tough,” there is one area we have total control over that may be the greatest antidote to barely surviving… Relationships! Take a moment and reflect on a great relationship you have had (either personal or professional – although they are really personal…) Think of how you felt when interacting with that person… Think of what you were able to do as a result of having that person at your side… Great relationships help us thrive! Now consider, what conditions made that relationship possible? What allows you to engage and support another and allows them to engage and support you? These are conditions we can create and we can actively create them between Board Chairs and CEOs.   Ac...

Many organizations go through the process of articulating visions, values, and desired community impact/benefit. Most often part of a strategic planning process, it can also come up when organizational leadership feels the organization is off track or struggling to be relevant in a changing world.  Independent of the reason for changing or refining the vision, values, and community benefit of an organization, doing so is a significant step in the development and evolution of the organization. Making the change indicates that there is a desire to be different from what we are and have been in the past. It is, at its core, a change in the identity of the organization. People are choosing to define the organization with different words, different beliefs, different desired outcomes, and potentially different approaches. THIS IS BIG! Change is not an easy thing, precisely because it requires us to do things differently than we have done them in the past. Changing identity may be the mo...

I doubt anyone would argue that to succeed successfully and sustainably one needs a plan. In fact, we hear the words throughout our sector all the time. We set time aside to develop a strategic plan with goals, benchmarks, time-frames, new mission statements AND then we go to work. Unfortunately, we often go to work doing exactly what we have always been doing, often getting frustrated as we cannot seem to get those strategic goals underway. Guess what, you are not alone. McKinsey & Company conducted a survey in 2006 and found that nearly 90% ** of organizations failed to implement their strategy, as identified through the goals of their strategic plan.*  (**2026 UPDATE - In the past 20 years things have only gotten slightly better. 2025 research by Gartner has this number now at 85%; Harvard Business Review has it around 70%; and Kaplan & Norton at 90% - all of which don't change the point of this post in any significant way) Kudos to the 10%, but what about the rest of...

At our most recent board meeting for Creating the Future , we took time to deeply explore the role financial management, reporting, and leadership should play in the organization. As a demonstration project exploring what could be possible for all boards, we spend a fair amount of time engaged in a process talking about process. I personally think this is at the heart of leadership and creating space for process is essential to organizational success, but I found it particularly relevant here. Many of us come to financial issues, be they our own personal ones or those of an organization with which we are involved, from a place of reactivity. We get a report or a statement showing us what has transpired and are asked to react. Let’s look at how different people react:   For those who consider themselves “not numbers people,” fear and embarrassment are the first reactions as they confront something unfamiliar and intimidating. Fear and embarrassment don’t generally lead to engagement...