Mind the Gap: What Board Members Know vs. What They Don’t
The Board Edit
In this episode, Craig and Dawn introduce a powerful governance lens—“Mind the Gap”—to explore the space between what board members think they know and what they actually need to know to govern well. The conversation invites board members to replace certainty with curiosity and to keep moving forward through learning, data, and self-awareness. 🔍 Key Topics Covered The Knowledge–Experience Gap Board members are often recruited for their experience—but that experience doesn’t always translate to the specific problems a nonprofit is solving. Closing the gap requires curiosity,...
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The Bylaws as The Guardrails
The Board Edit
Craig and Dawn unpack one of the most overlooked—but mission-critical—topics in nonprofit governance: bylaws and policies. Often dismissed as dry or boring, these documents are revealed as the true guardrails of an organization, providing clarity, protection, and accountability—especially in moments of crisis. 🔑 Episode Highlights *Why bylaws and policies matter more than ever—even if no one wants to read them *How bylaws protect organizations during leadership transitions, audits, and funding reviews *The risks of operating on “precedent” instead of what’s written *Why...
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Why Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
The Board Edit
In this episode, Craig and Dawn explore one of the most quoted—and most misunderstood—truths in leadership and governance: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” While strategies, policies, and plans are essential, it is culture that ultimately determines whether a board thrives or struggles. 🧠 What Is Board Culture? In the boardroom, culture isn’t about the decision itself—it’s about how decisions are made. Culture shows up in energy, collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility. Every board member contributes to it through behaviors, preparation, and alignment with...
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The Five Types of Boards Every Leader Must Understand
The Board Edit
In this episode, Craig and Dawn break down one of the most clarifying—and liberating—topics in board service: the five types of boards. Whether you are a first-time board member or a seasoned leader, understanding the type of board you serve on is essential for alignment, effectiveness, and long-term satisfaction. The hosts emphasize an important truth: not every board is the right fit, and it is both healthy and responsible to say no—or to bow out—when a board’s needs don’t align with your skills, leadership style, or season of life. 🔑 The Five Board Types Explained Working...
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Who Runs the Nonprofit? Board vs. Staff (and Why It Gets Messy)
The Board Edit
“Who runs the nonprofit—the board or the staff?” It’s one of the most common (and consequential) questions in governance. In this episode of The Board Edit, Dawn and Craig break down the essential distinction: staff lead day-to-day operations and management, while the board governs, stewards strategy, and holds accountability—without slipping into the weeds. Drawing from their real experience working together as board chair and CEO, they explore what makes the board–CEO relationship work: trust, role clarity, healthy accountability, and the ability to address hard dynamics before...
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How Many Boards Is Too Many? Serving Well Without Overcommitting
The Board Edit
In many communities, it’s the same people in the same rooms—serving on multiple boards, wearing multiple hats, and trying to do it all. In this episode of The Board Edit, Dawn and Craig unpack the real cost of overcommitting: diluted impact, blurred loyalties, conflicts of interest, and the hidden strain it places on family, time, and personal capacity. Using the SERVE + SMART™ lens, they explore why “more boards” isn’t a badge of honor—and how to create clarity about where your gifts are best used. You’ll also hear practical guidance on what to ask before saying yes, how to...
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The Confident Board Member
The Board Edit
Before we dive into the full season, join co-hosts Craig Wagner and Dawn Rochelle for the story behind The Confident Board Member. In this special pilot episode, we share why we created the SERVE + SMART framework, the gaps we saw in boardrooms, and what listeners will gain from this podcast. If you’ve ever wondered how to serve with clarity and confidence, this is where it begins. The Board Edit is brought to you by The Confident Company, home of the SERVE + SMART™ Framework and authors of The Confident Board Member: We help nonprofit board members lead with clarity, courage, and...
info_outlineIn this episode, Craig and Dawn introduce a powerful governance lens—“Mind the Gap”—to explore the space between what board members think they know and what they actually need to know to govern well. The conversation invites board members to replace certainty with curiosity and to keep moving forward through learning, data, and self-awareness.
🔍 Key Topics Covered
The Knowledge–Experience Gap
Board members are often recruited for their experience—but that experience doesn’t always translate to the specific problems a nonprofit is solving. Closing the gap requires curiosity, humility, and an honest assessment of what applies—and what doesn’t.
Why Nonprofit Governance Isn’t Intuitive
Nonprofit governance is learned, not innate. Corporate, church, or advisory board habits don’t automatically transfer to nonprofit boards, where the mission—and complexity—demands a different approach beyond a single bottom line.
🧠 Cognitive Traps That Create Gaps
Craig and Dawn unpack three common traps that undermine confident board service:
* Anchoring Trap: Applying past experience or a corporate mindset to nonprofit decisions (often seen in CEO compensation or personnel issues). Antidote: precedent, procedure, and data benchmarking.
* Illusion Trap: Assuming understanding because something looks familiar—especially when business tools are applied to human or social issues. Antidote: curiosity and context.
* Confirmation Trap: Seeking only information that supports a pre-decided direction (“having an agenda”). Antidote: openness, shared inquiry, and CEO–board partnership.
Optimism Bias
When optimism isn’t balanced with data, boards risk unrealistic budgets and fundraising expectations. Dashboards and historical trends help ground decisions in reality.
📊 The Role of Data
Stories inspire—but data informs. Boards must continually ask whether the original need the nonprofit was founded to address still exists and what the data is saying now.
🗂️ Addressing Gaps in Board Meetings
* Meeting Tempo & Frequency: Regular cadence and communication between meetings matter.
* Pace of Conversation: The board chair must slow discussions to ensure understanding and true consensus.
* Expanded Agendas: Sharing materials at least 48 hours in advance increases transparency, equity, and efficiency—often shortening meetings while improving decisions.
💡 Key Takeaway
Confidence in board service isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about curiosity and motion—asking better questions, using data, and staying engaged in the learning process.
About The Confident Company
This episode of The Board Edit is brought to you by The Confident Company, a modern leadership and governance firm dedicated to helping nonprofit board members lead with clarity, courage, and confidence.
We believe board service is one of the most powerful forms of civic leadership—and that confident boards build better futures.
Explore Our Resources & Offerings
The Confident Board Member™ Book - Available on Amazon and Audible
A modern, values-based guide to nonprofit governance grounded in the SERVE + SMART™ Framework. Designed for both aspiring and active board members, the book blends practical tools, real-world insight, and reflection prompts to help you turn purpose into practice.
Courses
Self-paced courses and short-form Learning Labs that build core governance skills—meeting readiness, accountability, engagement, strategy, and culture—designed to fit real board members’ lives:
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This is ongoing development for people who take board service seriously.
The Board Edit
A practical, candid podcast about what it really means to serve on a nonprofit board—covering governance, leadership behavior, board–staff dynamics, and the habits that separate good boards from great ones.
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We partner with a select number of organizations each year to support:
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Our work blends facilitation, coaching, and practical frameworks to help boards move from intention to impact.
Learn more!
Follow Dawn Rochelle and Craig Wagner on LinkedIn:
Dawn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-rochelle-lcsw
Craig — https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigjwagner
For more board leadership tools, workshops, and free downloads, visit: https://www.confidentcompanyus.com
Have feedback or a question? Email us anytime at: hello@theconfidentcompany.com.