Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Live Lessons and At the Salt Mines.

Terminology.

Part I: Promise versus Reality.

Chapter 1: Nonprofits: A Closer Look.

The Wide Reach of Nonprofits.

Myths That Surround Nonprofits.

Higher Expectations Equal Better Nonprofits.

Chapter 2: The Nonprofit Dilemma.

Rating Nonprof it Performance.

“If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It.”

Part II: The Problem Elephants: Bad Behavior, Bad Results.

Uninvited Guests: The Elephants of the Nonprof it Sector.

Chapter 3: The Mission Impossible Elephant.

Where’s Mission?

The I’m the Expert Archetype.

The Two Nonprof it Components.

Constraints to the Volunteer Role.

Roles and Relationships Defined.

I’m the Expert Takes Over.

A Live Lesson: “Two Does Not Equal One”.

A Primer of Lessons from “Two Does Not Equal One”.

Where’s the Mission?

Chapter 4: The Earth to Board Elephant.

A Reality Check.

The Siren Call of “Members”.

Connect and Articulate.

Protect and Supervise.

The Board’s Worst Enemy.

A Live Lesson: “Intentional Grounding Is Not a Foul”.

The Economic Cost of the Earth to Board Elephant.

Chapter 5: The Board Fiddles, Rome Burns Elephant.

Whose Job Is It?

Policy and Strategy Uncensored.

Board-Level Policy and Strategy.

A Live Lesson: “Behind CEO Mismanagement Lurks Board Failure”.

Chapter 6: The Smile, Not Skill Elephant.

Then There Were None: The Disappearing CEO.

A Brief Introduction: Four Elephants and a Code.

The Board and CEO.

The CEO and Staff.

A Live Lesson: “If the CEO Fails, Blame the Staff ”.

Chapter 7: The Read My Lips Elephant.

Hubris and Nonprofits.

Outsized Rhetoric: Up Close and Personal.

Why Are Nonprof its Addicted to Outsized Rhetoric?

Live Lesson: “Great Is Just a State of Mind”.

The Reality.

The Consequences.

The Cost of Opportunity Lost.

Part III: The Elephant Solutions: Good Behavior, Exceptional Results.

A New Mindset.

Coaxing Elephants into the Open.

The Five Elephant Solutions.

Chapter 8: The Mission Impossible Solution: Create One Mission System.

Taming the Mission Impossible Elephant.

Elephant Solution One: Create One Mission System.

Making the Changes Stick.

Chapter 9: The Earth to Board Solution: A Shared Reality.

Taming the Earth to Board Elephant.

Elephant Solution Two: Seek a Shared Reality.

Making the Changes Stick.

Chapter 10: The Board Fiddles, Rome Burns Solution: Develop Policy and Strategy at Every Level.

Taming the Board Fiddles, Rome Burns Elephant.

Elephant Solution Three: Develop Policy and Strategy at All Levels.

Making the Changes Stick.

Chapter 11: The Smile, Not Skill Solution: Demand Performance.

Taming the Smile, Not Skill Elephant.

Elephant Solution Four: Demand Performance.

CEOs and Performance.

Making the Changes Stick.

Chapter 12: The Read My Lips Solution: Reward Results, Not Rhetoric.

Taming the Read My Lips Elephant.

Elephant Solution Five: Reward Results, Not Rhetoric.

Making the Changes Stick.

Conclusion: Exceptional Nonprofits.

Transforming Unruly Pachyderms into Well-Behaved Guests.

Exceptional Nonprof its Meet Future Challenges.

Exceptional Nonprof its and the Future.

Index.