While I honestly can't say I am 100% certain of how every word of wisdom shared by Dr. Fram's blog connects to his question of whether nonprofits should act more like businesses, the following advice makes for interesting consideration. At the same time I do have questions about each of the bullets and have added these where I saw the need.
So, from Eugene Fram:
To effectively change the course for a nonprofit: the board needs to:
• Reduce the number of board standing committees that hamper effective board operations and misuse board personnel - I concur - I don't see the need for more than a Governance Committee and a Finance and Sustainability Committee and certainly NOT an Executive Committee but that's just me.
• Build a high level of trust between board members, management staff - that's pretty much up to the CEO and Board Chair - their relationship pretty much defines the rest.
• Overview organizational operations and management development, not attempt to micromanage them - yes but kind of depends on the board's stage of development and what is needed from the board at a particular time in it's development
• View the CEO as a professional peer, not as a servant - hm
• Conduct a robust evaluation of the CEO and the organization annually - absolutely!
• Pinpoint management’s responsibility and clarify its accountability - kind-of goes back to the relationship and the defined role
• Develop a partnership between the board and management to develop funds - um, ok but I think more than a partnership will be needed.
• Allow for more management flexibility to develop a more entrepreneurial culture - but not act like a business?
• Increase focus on productivity and impacts at the expense of bureaucratic processes - and back to evaluation....