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BOOK REVIEW
Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage
by Robin Gerber |
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The subtitle of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way says it all: "Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage." Whether you've found yourself chairing your first committee or whether you're a seasoned leader, you'll gain fresh insights and perspectives from Robin Gerber's book.
Ms. Gerber is a Senior Scholar at the Academy of Leadership at the University of Maryland, and her expertise in the field of leadership, especially as it relates to women, shines throughout the book, as does her admiration of Eleanor Roosevelt. Men can learn a great deal from the book, too. The book is very well-researched and has a wonderful index, bibliography, list of resources and notes.
Ms. Gerber begins each of the dozen chapters with a story highlighting a key period in Eleanor Roosevelt's life. Lessons learned from that period in Mrs. Roosevelt's life are examined, concentrating on how those lessons were instrumental to her growth as a woman and as a leader. Following are anecdotes from contemporary women; these dovetail with the lessons that Mrs. Roosevelt learned.
Throughout the book, Ms. Gerber writes of Mrs. Roosevelt's love of learning, how forward-thinking she was, how she developed her skills and interests into passions, and how she grew those passions into positive change effecting millions of people, even today. The author quotes Malcolm Gladwell writing in The Tipping Point (a fascinating book about the theory of six degrees of separation) and encourages those in leadership to be connectors. These are all qualities that all of us in leadership positions, especially with not-for-profits, would do well to emulate.
Don't worry Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way isn't a biography. Although Ms. Gerber writes about some of the important events in Mrs. Roosevelt's life, it's intended to be a book about leadership. And that's exactly what it is. If you've chaired committees and been in leadership positions in any organization before, your thoughts on leadership will be challenged and validated, and you will think about going on a different leadership path than that on which you've led in the past.
You can order the book online through the Amazon.com website. |
| Contact Us
Patty Oertel
323-257-1125 |
Charles Watson
Oertel Group Website |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Sept 12, 2007 - "Managing Cash Flow" workshop at CNM - C. Watson instructor. |
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September 2007 Edition News from The Oertel Group |
Greetings!
Welcome to our monthly newsletter. As a member of our e-news community, The Oertel Group is pleased to provide you with regular updates about issues and information that effect the nonprofit field and help to maximize your nonprofit's performance. |
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FEATURED SERVICE:
Strategic Planning From Board Retreats to Full Planning Processes
The Oertel Group is very skilled at assisting organizations, big and not so big, to develop a strategic plans that meld their philosphical priorities with their practical circumstances.
For some organizations, strategic planning can be effectively completed with a single one day planning retreat which would include a report on goals and objectives. Other organizations require more extensive data collection (staff and board interviews, analysis of other organizations in the same service field, trends, etc.) and/or more facilitation to develop a lengthier written plan including workplans. Between these ends of the continuum, there are many options that have different benefits and costs associated.
Board Planning Retreat
In a full day session, we can facilitate a process of reaching agreement on the purpose of the organization, its priorities, scope of services, long term direction and develop a clear sense of the board and staff's role in implementing the plan. Topics covered in a strategic planning retreat generally include: mission statement, vision and direction, landscape analysis, strategic goals and implementation Issues.
Full Strategic Planning Process and Needs Assessment
Many organizations find that they need a more extensive planning process that includes a comprehensive needs assessment and fuller articulation of goals and objectives than is possible in a one day session. This fuller process will also usually include working with a Strategic Planning Committee composed of board and staff members.
The extent of needs assessments varies dramatically and therefore is the most variable cost of a full strategic planning process. A needs assessment can include input through written survey or phone interviews with board and staff as well as referral sources, clients, funding sources and/or community leaders. A needs assessment will also usually include analysis of current and projected relevant demographic and social-economic indicators (e.g. population growth, ethnicity, health concerns).
Regardless of the strategic planning format used, at the conclusion of the planning process, our consultants work with board and staff committees to develop each strategic goal into objectives and action steps.
If interested in any of the planning services, please contact us at 323-257-1125 or via email. |
THIS MONTH'S QUESTION:
For the in-kind match for a government grant, can we use board member time and value that time at their professional rates (e.g. we have an attorney on the board)?
There is not a universal answer for this question with respect to all government grants and contracts. You first have to read all of the contract manuals to be certain how each particular funding source has defined match requirements (i.e. what can count toward match, what doesn't count). If board member time can count, then the nonprofit organization has two options: (a) use the universal rate (currently at $18.77) or (b) for every volunteer position estimate a fair market value for the service being provided. The universal rate is set by the Independent Sector each year and can be found on their website.
For estimating the fair market value, it is what would the organization pay for the service if it were not provided for free. So if you have an attorney on the board providing free legal advice, it is fair to use their hourly rate (unless it is so high that the nonprofit would not have paid that rate). If though the attorney is not providing legal advice but helping in some other way (e.g. painting building), you would need to value the time at the rate of that service.
The organization needs to choose one method and then apply it consistently -- you can't do fair market value for some and universal rate for others. |
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It's not too late. Give feedback on the proposed new I.R.S. Form 990.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is updating Form 990, the annual return that nonprofits are required to file if their annual income exceeds $25,000. The most recent draft update was issued in June, and the IRS is accepting questions and comments about it until September 14.
The 990 revision includes a "core form" of ten pages, which includes summary information about the nonprofit, such as mission, expenses, governance and compensation. Answers to particular questions on the core form may require the nonprofit to complete one or more of 15 additional schedules. For more information as well as links to summaries and the actual draft, please click HERE.
The IRS and the nonprofit community have devised several ways you can submit questions and comments about the 990 draft revision:
Directly through the IRS via e-mail to Form990Revision@irs.gov or via regular mail to IRS, Form 990 Redesign, SE:T:EO, 1111 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington DC, 20224.
NCCS and GuideStar have developed a Form 990 WIKI (group collaboration website) where you can both read other peoples thoughts and add your own. Click HERE to participate.
The IRS anticipates that the new form will be ready in time for the 2009 filing season.
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Please fell free to pass this newsletter along to your friends.
Patty Oertel and Charles Watson
The Oertel Group |
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