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Board Involvement in the Life of a Christian Nonprofit Leader?
Brian Kreeger • Jan 24, 2022
Ewww, that can be sticky. But it doesn’t have to be.
I would argue that managing the threat of a personally dysfunctional executive overrides nearly every properly functioning responsibility of a board of directors. This threat, and paying attention to it, should garner the board’s consideration more than any other.
Some would say the personal life of an executive is off limits to a board of directors. I disagree.
Most devastating leadership falls occur with a personal issue at the core of the reason for the fall. And where does a leadership fall end up? In the board's lap.
(This blog focuses on starting a conversation centered on preventing the fall of nonprofit leaders. I write it from a Christian perspective, but all leaders will benefit. Be sure to sign up to receive these articles via email every Tuesday at
briankreeger.com as well as taking a look at previous blog articles. In addition to receiving these articles two days before they hit social media, you will receive the article "5 Early Indicators of a Christian Nonprofit Leadership Fall" along with the Contents, Introduction and the Appendix (My story) of my book,
The Courageous Ask: A Proactive Approach to Prevent the Fall of Christian Nonprofit Leaders.)
Previous blog articles have highlighted that your executive is a person, a human being with feelings, emotions, joys, hurts, and pains outside the leadership role they are in.
Should they be able to manage that part of their life? Sure they should. That is one reason you picked them to lead your organization. But each person has their ups and downs, struggles and difficulties.
Many times we expect our executives to be superhuman, but forget that there is no “super” without the “human.”
Even strong executives are going to fall short at times. The desire of a board should be to make sure they know a potential fall is coming as early as possible. This will assure they are able to react to a seemingly small trigger before it becomes an avalanche of destruction.
This can be accomplished by going beyond the board duty of holding an executive accountable to a job description.
Holding a leader accountable to the tangible parts of a job description, such as the P&L and KPI’s, is pretty easy. That’s simply black and white, pass or fail. But crossing the line into what truly makes them who they are in their role can be a little sticky. And who likes sticky?
Each organizational board and executive, along with the relationships that govern them, is different. So there is no simple five-step plan that is sure to stave off a fall. But I would like to propose a few suggestions.
First, be proactive as a board and talk about issues that arise. Perform a Courageous Ask. Don’t shove the issues to the side just because your executive appears steady at this point in your organization’s history. Your goal, above almost anything else, should be to help keep them on solid ground.
As a board member/leader, you recognize the potential for a leadership fall is real. Talk about it as a board, and with the executive. Make the private life of your executive part of board discussions, with and without the executive present. It’s easy to talk about the financial reports, but a misstep or failure in the personal life of the executive could be just as damaging to the organization as a financial crisis. So, talk about it.
If you struggle with delving into the life of your executive, ask yourself why your organization conducts interviews when you hire, especially when hiring leadership. You already have a resume that lists all of their qualifications, so why bring them in for an interview?
When interviews are conducted, an organization is determining if a person’s character and ability to lead groups is in line with what they are looking for. They are determining if the person is on solid footing and able to create and/or maintain a desired culture in the organization.
This is all very personal. So why should attention to the personal life of an executive stop after being hired?
While insisting on open communication concerning the personal life of your executive, determine with that executive what is too intrusive. Do this while things are good, so the level of monitoring is made by objective parties.
The board will have to determine if the agreement is satisfactory and helps in the integrity of the relationship. If not, the board needs to be honest with the executive and ask for more. This may or may not be acceptable to the executive. If not, the board and the executive have a decision to make.
Remember, the board will ultimately end up with both successes and failures falling in their laps, and the board is ultimately in charge as the guardian of the entity.
In my experience and through tons of interviews, I have found that executives who are open and honest about their personal life, the good and bad, are the leaders who display the most leadership humility and are most successful in their role.
I am not talking about an all-encompassing intrusion into the private life of an executive. I am talking about a balanced monitoring based on a solid relationship between the board and executive; a monitoring that communicates that the board cares for the executive not only as a person filling a job description, but as an individual.
Examples of areas in the personal life of an executive needing to be probed should include foundational areas that made the executive the board’s chosen candidate. Included would be areas such as family relationships, spiritual life and spiritual disciplines, and community involvement. Also needing to be probed should be areas of pressure and areas where the leader is feeling insecure. These suggestions should provide a starting point.
Sincerity in the care
of the executive is key. The board must choose the right person or people to perform this function. This is about relationship, not a checklist.
The entire board does not need to be involved. Ideally, the board chair has a relationship with the executive that allows for this. Sometimes they don’t, at which time another board member needs to fulfill this role.
One nonprofit executive I interviewed said they had a board member come to them once who declared that they are only on the board for the executive’s spiritual uplifting. They called themselves this leader’s “soul care” person.
As a last resort, if a board does not feel comfortable, they may want to form a triangular arrangement with someone, perhaps a pastor, who may fill this role and report back to the board.
A proper relationship between board and executive that allows for honesty and transparency in areas that may be personal, as well as areas of organizational responsibility, can be achieved. Keep in mind that this can only be achieved if self-examination and humility are part of the equation for both parties.
One founder and experienced board member I interviewed put it this way: “The leader has to know the board is ‘for them.’ The heart of the board has to be for that person as a human being and not just as a nonprofit executive.”
It is the level of this support and genuine caring that determines where the line is in delving into an executive’s personal life and determines the level of cooperation that will be exhibited. It is also this level of genuine support that will promote transparency in a way that represses the threat of consequence.
I would also submit to you that the conscious pursuit of this type of relationship will carry throughout the organization and create a culture that will promote openness, creativity, and growth.
This type of relationship does not happen by coincidence or by chance. It is no different than a nonprofit coming out of the year in the black. Both take conscious effort and focus.
It’s time to change the rules.
Be Courageous!
Be Proactive!
Be sure to sign up to receive these articles via email every Tuesday at
briankreeger.com. In addition to receiving these articles two days before they hit social media, you will receive the article "5 Early Indicators of a Christian Nonprofit Leadership Fall" along with the Contents, Introduction and the Appendix (My Story) of my book,
The Courageous Ask: A Proactive Approach to Prevent the Fall of Christian Nonprofit Leaders.
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Executives -pastors or nonprofit executives in our context- are put on a pedestal. It’s not that the typical person necessarily believes they belong there or desires to put them there. But it is human nature that this happens. The general public often places much higher expectations on leaders than they do on themselves. Sometimes it is appropriate, and the leader has put themselves in that position. In some cases, it is simply scriptural. For instance, James 3 points out that those who teach will be judged more strictly, thereby heightening the expectations of those who lead and teach. But what about when we accept, and enact, those elevated expectations and forget the humanity of our leaders? Often a community heaps on a leader the expectation that they are to perform with the perfection of Jesus and not simply be a Jesus follower and disciple just like them, but with a unique calling and heightened responsibility. Too many times when a leader shows human imperfection, the respect we have for them is damaged. Leaders fall under strict judgment, and we forget they are no less fallible than us. The imperfection they have colors any positive experience we would have had with them otherwise. While most of us acknowledge this strict, hypocritical judgment and recognize it as not being how we want to treat our leaders, it is a difficult battle to fight in our own attitudes and minds. No matter who the leader is, they are not Jesus. But please allow me to reverently make some comparisons. (This blog focuses on starting a conversation centered on preventing the fall of nonprofit leaders. I write it from a Christian perspective, but all leaders will benefit. Be sure to sign up to receive these articles via email every Tuesday at briankreeger.com as well as taking a look at previous blog articles. In addition to receiving these articles two days before they hit social media, you will receive the article "5 Early Indicators of a Christian Nonprofit Leadership Fall" along with the Contents, Introduction and the Appendix (My story) of my book, The Courageous Ask: A Proactive Approach to Prevent the Fall of Christian Nonprofit Leaders. )
You are the community, no matter what formal role you play in a particular organization, or if you play any role at all. My blog articles typically focus on the roles the leader and the board have in preventing the fall of Christian nonprofit leaders. But I contend that the community that exists around organizational leaders and boards has a role as well. In fact, a community’s role can many times be much bigger. My next few blog articles will focus on the role of the community in preventing the fall of Christian nonprofit leaders. (This blog focuses on starting a conversation centered on preventing the fall of nonprofit leaders. I write it from a Christian perspective, but all leaders will benefit. Be sure to sign up to receive these articles via email every Tuesday at briankreeger.com as well as taking a look at previous blog articles. In addition to receiving these articles two days before they hit social media, you will receive the article "5 Early Indicators of a Christian Nonprofit Leadership Fall" along with the Contents, Introduction and the Appendix (My story) of my book, The Courageous Ask: A Proactive Approach to Prevent the Fall of Christian Nonprofit Leaders. )
