For 21 years I've worked with
non-profits, local governments,
foundations, hospital boards, university
departments, international organizations
and associations. I've designed decision
processes, conducted long-range planning,
and facilitated mergers. I've come to learn
how boards and staff can work together
to make effective decisions.

Yet there are pitfalls:

The erosion of leadership that occurs because
of the current ethic of participation.

Group dysfunction that occurs because members
have not agreed upon the rules of engagement.

Inertia as groups become bogged down in data
and studies instead of organizing around the
outcomes that will serve their communities.

Stalemate that is reached when participants
believe that their conflicting views are
each self-evidently true.

These materials are a way of sharing
some of what I've learned about
creating effective organizations.