The Ultimate Showdown: Board of Directors vs. Nonprofit Staff

Nonprofits face many unique challenges, and one of the biggest is that people who are not employed by the organization wield considerable power. The board of directors can be a blessing or a curse to executive directors and their staff. Understanding the danger areas can help both staff and board members improve their working relationships.

Please join Marc Jacob, managing attorney for The Jacob Law Firm, LLC, for a discussion regarding the main areas of contention for this all-important relationship, how to spot red flags so issues can be dealt with before they spiral out of control, and how to put the pieces back together once there has been a serious fallout or breach of trust. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of this relational dynamic and how they can better fulfill their own role as nonprofit staff or board member.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Just a sampling of what this webinar will cover:

• Area of Tension #1 – Allocation of duties. Why the board thinks the staff isn’t doing enough and why the staff feels abandoned.
• Area of Tension #2 – Affiliation with a larger organization. Why being part of a “National” or “International” organization doesn’t mean the staff’s job is easier, and why the board doesn’t understand that.
• Area of Tension #3 – Serious conflicts. In-fighting, financial mismanagement, and the future direction of the organization. Why disagreements don’t have to escalate, and what to do if it’s too late to calm things down.

YOUR CONFERENCE LEADER

Your conference leader for “The Ultimate Showdown: Board of Directors vs. Nonprofit Staff” is Marc Jacob, managing attorney for The Jacob Law Firm, LLC. Marc provides guidance for clients in the areas of nonprofit law, real estate transactions and business law. He is a Rule-17 Missouri Supreme Court-approved civil mediator and holds a certificate in economic development. He also sits on non-profit boards and started his own nonprofit to help with affordable housing, small business and community/youth services in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a degree in English literature from SUNY Geneseo and his J.D. from Cornell Law School.