(Much of this blog post was published in April of 2010. This post is republished now with additional information from guest blogger, Alan Hough, whose valuable comments are added later on below.) A common question about Boards is “How many members should we have?” Usually that question spawns a range of answers. For for-profits, some …

In this post, we’ll discuss one of the most important phases in strategic planning – a phase that far too often is forgotten, resulting in plans that sit untouched on shelves. The plan for a plan should be developed by a Planning Committee and should answer 15 important questions — do this before the planners …

[Guest Submission by Chesa Keane, continuation of theme from previous blog post] Focus on Google for search results; the other search engines will follow suit over time. Review your website for keyword placement and density (keyword/total word ratio); you won’t be found if the keywords are not present in the proper configuration (i.e. there are …

In Part 1, we’ll review myths 1-5. In the upcoming Part 2, we’ll review myths 6-10. #1. The Myth of the “One-Way Expert” Consultant It is not uncommon that clients work from the assumption that there are consulting “experts” who can visit a client and promptly tell the client exactly what problems exist within the …

Do you have a new business, or a business that’s mature but needs some greater visibility? Are you launching a new product? If you’re a non-profit, are policy issues or board blow ups finding their way into the community you serve? Are you looking for new employees who understand what you do? These are just …

I often get asked about the difference between coaching, counseling, mentoring and consulting. While the communication skills used by these professions are similar – such as asking questions, active listening, summarizing, etc, they are very different methods and it depends on what the client needs. Here are some distinctions: Coaching – according to the International …

What do you want people to find on the first page of results when they search for your organization’s name on Google (which has 80+ percent of search traffic) or the other major search engines? You would probably prefer that they don’t find: a vicious blog started by disgruntled former employees; or, 75 percent of …

I’m a Leadership Coach and something of a community activist. I coach people who want to live a good life while making a difference. That’s what I want for myself. That’s what I want for you. Work Hard. Do Good. Have Fun Doing It. You found this blog. So, I’m willing to bet that you …

We as trainers have a responsibility to both the organizations we are working for and to the clients we are training to be effective and interesting. I realize that the topic for tonight was suppose to be on task analysis and andragogy, but I was in a classroom setting recently and the trainers simply were …

Not all social enterprises look alike. While many people immediately think of nonprofits (or nongovernmental organizations, NGOs), in practice any type of business can be a social enterprise. As long as you “harness the power of the marketplace to solve critical social or environmental problem,” which to me means you sell stuff to customers as …