The line between governance and management is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the nonprofit sector. I've watched it cause friction between executive directors and board members who genuinely like each other, who share deep commitment to the mission, and who can't figure out why every meeting feels like a standoff.

After a decade of facilitation, I can usually tell in the first hour whether a strategic planning process is going to produce something real. It's not the quality of the materials. It's not the size of the room or the catering budget.

The word "charity" has a problem. Not with its intentions, but with what it actually does — to the people who give it, to the people who receive it, and to the systems it touches or doesn't touch.