I work for an organization in which the founder is still very involved. It’s clear that this person has a strong influence over decisions and actions — and makes it almost impossible for anything creative and new to happen. How can we move forward as an organization without denying the founder’s vital contributions? What can we do?

–Feeling Stifled

Dear Feeling Stifled,

While I’m not a real doctor, I can offer you a diagnosis: Founder’s Syndrome. It seems to me that your founder doesn’t know how and when to let go. The main problem is that there’s no succession plan. Some founders can become micromanagers, politicize relationships with staff members (particularly with long-time staff), and can avoid adapting to changing times. The core problem with Founder’s Syndrome is the stifling of innovation and creativity within the organization. Don’t feel too special, though, non-founder-led organizations can exhibit the same pathology with long-term staff and board members. Don’t be too quick to push out founders! they’re more likely to review their missions and maintain a high level of board engagement, compared to than non-founder-led organizations.

What to do? Clarify the roles and responsibilities of board members and staff. This will draw a clear chain of command. In other words, good fences make good neighbours. Need inspiration? on writing board job descriptions.

You could also strategically involve the founder in a meaningful project where their skills and passion can be harnessed positively. We younglings tend to forget that people were here before us and that we’re directly benefiting from their hard labour. Recognize your founder’s contributions. This will allow you to jumpstart the delicate conversation on succession and transition. Ultimately, remember that the founder wants the organization to succeed beyond them.

Best,

Prof P.

Photo is courtesy of Clay Banks and Unsplash.

The chair of our board, Dick, has recently sent an aggressive email to a long-time staff member. He accused the staff person of being manipulative and lazy. Although the rest of the board and the Executive Director has responded with support and encouragement to the staff member, Dick refuses to apologize or back down. Our board is getting nervous about being sued. So far, we’ve avoided two board resignations because of this situation. I am worried the organization will collapse on itself. Help.

–Working-with-Dick

Dear Working-with-Dick,

I’m sorry you’re dealing with such an unpleasant situation. It’s great that the board has reacted and offered support to the staff member, because no one should be treated this way, period. I wonder if there’s a pattern of such behavior? If yes, your organization should be concerned that this and creating . This is a real problem for board members, because they have a and are , particularly when failing to maintain a safe (physical and emotional) work environment.

This is a real threat to the survival of the organization. Time to act. It’s important to first understand if this incident is a recurrent problem or not. First, there needs to be a clear wall between the board and the staff. Only the Executive Director should be dealing with staff, especially those who have been with the organization for a long time. Why was Dick exchanging with this staff member to begin with? If it’s a one-time situation, go back to the basics with all board members and inform them of their duties and re-visit your by-laws. Adopt a code of conduct, and the board as a whole could issue an apology. If this is an ongoing situation or you feel that Dick’s presence on the board has caused irreparable harm, you need to follow your by-law process to remove a board of director. (Let’s hope you have a by-law for that! If not, time to get one.)

You could also consider inviting a mediator or a governance expert to talk to your board and develop a plan to ensure this never happens again. Lastly, a board retreat led by a third-party would go a long way to repair the broken relationships and show your staff that you are doing something to quell the situation.

Best,

Prof. P.

Photo is courtesy of David Babayan and Unsplash.

Arthur, our board chair, donates regularly to our mid-sized arts organization and recently provided a generous gift in support of an animal-themed exhibition, and we were thrilled! However, Arthur is now trying to control all kinds of operational and creative decisions related to the exhibit and wants to include artwork from a personal rock collection. Help! Staff members are at their wits end with trying to please Arthur, and the exhibit project is in real jeopardy at this point. What’s the right thing to do here? The organization depends on Arthur’s donations, and I need to maintain a good relationship with the board chair.

—Can’t-say-no ED

Dear Can’t-say-no ED,

Of course, in an ideal world, you’d have in place an explicit gifting agreement that clearly delineates the parameters of a donation. But as you know, even with a ‘contract’ in place, it doesn’t mean that donors won’t try to exert control on what happens to their donations.

There are several layers to your Arthur problem. The Canada Revenue Agency is pretty clear: “When a donor receives an advantage in return for a donation, all or part of the donation may no longer qualify as a gift.” If Arthur uses the exhibit to feature a personal rock (!) collection, the donation might not qualify for a tax receipt. Arthur might not be aware of this.

But first things first: where are the other board members? The board chair should know that Arthur isn’t in charge of operational or creative decisions related to the exhibit. Perhaps it’s time to gently remind the board as a whole that your role as the Executive Director is to see to daily activities and event planning for the organization. Remember that while a board chair is crucial to how a board operates, the chair isn’t your boss. All board members are. Time to rally the board and have an open discussion at the board level on how the show’s integrity (as initially planned, focused on animals) has a purpose for your organization, and discuss the rules around donations. I hope that other board members will remember that boundaries are needed to avoid conflicts.

If I were you, I’d probably ask Arthur to sponsor a special exhibit with the rock collection — enabling him to provide some advice. Arthur probably wouldn’t be able to claim this specific donation on taxes. Still, this way, you can continue to foster a positive relationship in the future without burning any bridges. Even better, Arthur might realize less control is better with a tax receipt in pocket.

Best,

Prof. P.

Photo of rocks is courtesy of Ermelinda Martín and Unsplash.