Bob Harris and David Murillo

Bob Harris, CAE, provides free governance tools and templates at www.nonprofitcenter.com.

David Murillo, CAE, is president and chief mission officer of The Core Management Company in California.

Articles by Bob Harris and David Murillo

• Pull up, terrain ahead

  Thursday, January 14, 2021

  Board meetings may be compared to an airline flight. Calling the meeting to order is the originating point. Vectors are included in the strategic plan. Mission and goals are the destination. To reach the destination, the board must maintain flight speed and altitude. When airspeed slows, distractions occur that cause diversions. If an aircraft drops below a safe altitude, the cockpit computer warns: "Pull up, terrain ahead." The flight analogy defines the appropriate air space for the board, committees, and staff.