Author: Eric Douglas Blog

Eric Douglas is the senior partner and founder of Leading Resources Inc., a consulting firm that focuses on developing high-performing organizations. For more than 20 years, Eric has successfully helped a wide array of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations achieve breakthroughs in performance. His new book The Leadership Equation helps leaders achieve strategic clarity, manage change effectively, and build a leadership culture.

Behavior-Based Interview

One tool you can use to ensure you find the right people is “behavior-based interviewing.” It starts with writing down the behaviors that are most important for success in a particular job – not the tasks. Managing a team, motivating people, developing under-performers, starting a line of business, engaging people in change – these all …

Five Keys to Organizational Strategy

This tool lists five keys to organizational strategy based on research into what successful leaders do. Leaders can use this as a checklist to make sure they have considered all the crucial questions in building and managing their business. The Five Keys 1. The business domain is clearly defined – in terms of the customer’s …

10 Keys to Organizational Success

This checklist details the ten keys to organizational success. It is based on research conducted during the past 20 years on companies that became the leaders in their industries. This list serves as a checklist for business leaders and executives. This tool also includes a list of six things that unsuccessful companies do. 1. Create …

The Evolution of Non-Profit Boards

Non-profit Boards of Directors typically follow an evolutionary path as the organization matures. This tool lays out three stages of Board evolution and identifies the characteristic behaviors of each stage. This tool can apply to public agencies, city councils, non-profits, and co-ops. Board members can use this tool to help clarify their role and adapt …

10 Responsibilities of a Non-Profit Board of Directors

This tool spells out ten important responsibilities of a Non-Profit Board of Directors. Board members – and staff – can use this tool to make sure their boards stay on track. Keep in mind that the Board governs the organization – not individual Board members. Board members need to work together to fulfill these responsibilities. …

Six Non-Profit Best Practices

What enables the best nonprofits to create lasting social change? This tool, excerpted from “Creating High-Impact Nonprofits” published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, lays out six non-profit best practices shared by the most successful non-profit organizations. The secret to their success lies in how they mobilize every sector of society – government, business, nonprofits, …

Eight Ways to Expand Business

This tool reveals the major advantages and disadvantages of eight methods for entering into a new business or expanding an old one. This tool is often used in conjunction with “New Market Entry Strategies.” Here are eight ways to expand business: 1. Internal Development Advantages: uses existing resources avoids acquisition cost (especially if unfamiliar with …

Lessons for a Board President

In passing the leadership torch at a non-profit organization, I was asked to name the things that effective Board presidents do. Here’s my list: Facilitate and preside over the Board meetings, starting on time, ending on time, keeping the conversation on topic, calling on people who are quiet, trying to engage everyone. Model the behaviorsb …

Three Habits of High-Performing Board Committees

When Boards of Directors form committees, it is important to be clear about the committees’ purpose and role, as well as the role of committee members. In general, the purpose of committees is to be an extension of the Board of Directors. They gather information, generate options, and develop reports and recommendations for the full …

Governance Framework Example

Organizations need a clear governance framework to function effectively. The framework should clarify the role of the governing body – and the role of staff. This tool provides an example of a governance framework that can help agencies achieve a high level of performance. Governing boards clearly have ultimate decision-making authority for everything under their …

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