OneOC is excited to welcome trainer/facilitator extraordinaire, Jeff Wilcox, of Third Sector Company. Jeff is joining us for a year-long series on the ubiquitous topic of board leadership. Big and small, new or old, sophisticated or grassroots, EVERY nonprofit deals with building and strengthening their board.

Below in a thought-provoking quick read, Jeff connects – and disconnects – nonprofit boards from religious predecessors. Once again, we learn from history’s triumphs and mistakes.

Governance as Stewardship
“The subject of nonprofit boards is like a conversation about religion. Depending on one’s set of beliefs, there are a fair number of prophets today who are prescribing the rights and wrongs to performing good governance in the name of ultimately making the world a better place.”

Despite which “prophet” you follow, the article identifies the critical elements of board stewardship:

• First, consistently deliver tangible outcomes and measured results for all to see the mission in action.


• Second, continually prove efficient use of the human and financial resources that have been contributed.


• Third, continuously seek ways to vest people in the cause and maintain their vesting.


• Fourth, tirelessly prepare the next generation to carry on.


• Fifth, always practice the values that have been professed.

Read on to hear how the yardstick that people use to measure their loyalty to charities is the same one that has been used to measure religious institutions for centuries.

Download the full article gt;gt;

To learn more about Jeff and his thoughts on boards, check out his monthly column in the Long Beach Business Journal gt;gt;