The Lessons From Exemplary Nonprofits: Resolving Board Staff Tension This section illustrates a number of ways that consultants or other outsiders (including funders) can help to resolve a conflict situation. These outside professionals can:

• Assess the situation and have frank conversations with those involved about the role they have played in creating the conflict, and the role they must play in resolving the conflict.
• Coach the parties involved to help them develop a new perspective about (and a more effective response to) the situation.
• Act as neutral mediators who work with the parties involved to sort through the issues until the real cause of the tension is identified, and to then help those involved come up with a plan to address those issues.
• Offer alternatives for addressing the issues and help people get past their "either or" thinking.
• Defuse some of the tension by letting people vent and give their concerns a full airing.
• Change the nature of the conversation from accusations into productive questions about the needs of the organization.
• Facilitate meetings of the people involved to help them come to agreements.
• Educate the board about appropriate governance roles.
• Educate the executive director about how to work with the board.

Getting professional help to work through conflict usually takes money. While organizations are often reluctant to let their funders know that there are internal problems, many groups find that a long-term funder is willing to help a grantee secure the expertise they need to work through the situation. Funders feel that they have made an investment in the success of the organization and will sometimes step up in a crisis. In fact, sometimes it is the funders themselves who call on the board and executive director to address underlying issues that they see as a threat to the future stability of the organization.

Click here for Success From the Start