For Executive Directors Archives - Page 3 of 15 - Spokes

Can you fire a volunteer?

August 26, 2023 by Michael Simkins

In a recent Spokes roundtable, the topic of the “dysfunctional volunteer” came up. Most volunteers are valuable assets for or organizations. We couldn’t do what we do without them. But occasionally, we experience a volunteer who is not contributing, or worse, creating a drain on the organization.

There are various forms of dysfunction. A volunteer may promise but not deliver. He may not have the knowledge or skills to be of help. She may distract staff or other volunteers from what they need to be doing.

As with hiring employees, the best approach to recruiting volunteers is to have a sound system for vetting them, learning about their talents and interests, and matching those to the tasks your organization needs accomplished. Sometimes, though, things just don’t work out. For the benefit of both the organization and the volunteer, it may be time to part company.

The following two resources provide sound advice on how to let a volunteer go in the most respectful and productive manner.

Before you convene…

August 14, 2023 by Michael Simkins

Whether we’re talking about our staff, our board members, our constituents, or the public at large, bringing people together can be a productive way to deal with the challenges we face. But convening people can also waste people’s time or, worse, backfire.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take to help ensure that when we convene, we succeed! The Rockefeller Foundation has a long history of convening groups to grapple with weighty problems. The Foundation follows four core principles:

Focus on a single purpose.
Design for the experience.
Be intentional about participants.
Make commitments explicit and deliver.

Learn about each of these as well as additional tactics to make your convening more effective in this article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Retaining Staff

June 19, 2023 by Michael Simkins

Finding qualified new staff can be very difficult, so at Spokes June 2023 Symposium we focused on how to retain the staff you already have on board. It’s a national problem! Consider:

In 2022, a record 50.6 million U.S. workers quit their jobs, accounting for 70% of total separations. This is the highest level in the history of the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), which dates back to 2001.
While quits are down from the record highs of 2022, in January 2023 dipping below the four million mark for the first time since May 2021, they were back up to above four million this February.
This year, 56% of surveyed U.S. workers said they’re likely to seek a new job compared to 51% in 2022.

Here are some resources recommended by our panel of experts:

Working with Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman
The Management Dilemma, white paper from Collaboration Business Consulting
Me-To-We: The Shift Every Business Leader Must Make for Lasting Success, by Michael Gunther
Start with Why, by Simon Sineks
RSA Video: Daniel Pink’s “Drive”
Essentialism, by Greg McKeown
DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right, by Lily Zheng
Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions for Systemic Change, by Mary-Frances Winters & The Winters Group Team
Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work, by Ruchika Tulshyan

Applied Wisdom

January 30, 2023 by Michael Simkins

Looking for ways to up your leadership game? On a special website, former Applied Materials CEO Jim Morgan shares leadership and management principles proven to be effective in nonprofit, philanthropic and business contexts. Jim is a well-known Silicon Valley high-tech executive and philanthropic leader.

Explore eight simple insights that have consistently delivered great results supporting the nonprofit sector in complex, real-world situations. On the site you can download Jim’s free booklet, watch videos, and sign up for a weekly reminder.

Visit Applied Wisdom for Nonprofits

Two Important New Employment Laws

December 17, 2022 by Michael Simkins

Pay Transparency

Among the new employment laws that go into effect January 1, 2023, two deserve special mention. One, referred to as “Pay Transparency,” applies to your nonprofit if you have 15 or more employees. Starting January 1, you’ll need to include pay range information in any job posting. In addition:

ALL employers must provide a pay scale to any current employee for their position upon request.
Employers must also maintain records of a job title and wage rate history for each employee during employment and for three years after separation from the company
All private employers with 100 or more employees must file pay data reports with the State’s Civil Rights Department, regardless of whether they are required to file a federal EEO-1 with the EEOC. (Note: nonprofits are considered “private employers.)

Retirement

The other change has to do with retirement programs. The CalSavers Retirement Savings Program is a state-run retirement program for employees who work for employers not offering a private-market retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan. Previously, the law only applied to nonprofits with 5 or more employees. As of January 1, it applies even if you have only one employee.

Learn more

Spokes members can view the 60-minute video overview of these and other new HR-related laws for 2023. Sign into your account, click “access member benefits,” and go to the Video Library. You’ll find the recording in the Past Classes showcase. Not a member yet? Check out the member benefits.