When the Board Becomes the Problem: Reclaiming Power in Nonprofit Leadership 

I once led a thriving nonprofit health organization through rapid growth, national recognition, and strong community outcomes. Then the board fired me. 

Not because of mismanagement, scandal, or mission drift — but because they listened to gossip.  

Not one of them had ever taken a board governance training course, they refused when it was offered, they didn’t understand the boundaries between board and executive leadership, and in the end, they let personality and fear drive decisions that unraveled years of progress. 

If you’re a nonprofit CEO, you’ve likely seen some version of this. It may have already happened to you. And what’s worse — there’s very little anyone tells you about what to do when it happens. 

This isn’t a story about personal grievance. It’s a structural failure that repeats itself across the sector, and no one is talking about it with the honesty it deserves. 

The Boardroom is Often the Least Accountable Room in the Organization 

We like to believe that nonprofit boards are stewards of mission and integrity. But too often, the boardroom is the last place where accountability lives. Even in justice-driven organizations, the board is frequently where power consolidates and resists examination. 

The issue isn’t always about race, class, or corporate ideology. In my case, the problem was that their passion for justice led them to believe they were automatically experts on everything.  

In their minds, their good intentions gave them license to insert themselves anywhere. If they thought something, it was valid. If they wanted something, it was righteous. Boundaries didn’t matter. 

That’s the shadow side of justice-oriented boards — especially when no one on the board has been trained in governance, or worse, refuses to be trained because they believe they’re already “the good guys.” 

One Loud Voice Can Set the Culture 

Every CEO I know has faced this: A single, strong personality on the board who dominates meetings, undermines leadership, and becomes the de facto decision-maker — not because they have the authority, but because no one else wants to challenge them. 

In most boards, members are volunteers. They’re often hesitant to confront conflict, unclear on their roles, or simply unaware they’re supposed to speak up. When one voice grows louder and more confident, others default to silence — not because they agree, but because silence feels safer. 

This creates a culture of complicity. Dysfunction isn’t challenged. Governance goes unchecked. And the CEO is left managing the fallout while trying to protect the nonprofit’s staff, reputation, and mission delivery — all while their own leadership is being chipped away. 

Why Typical Advice Doesn’t Work 

There is no shortage of expert advice on how to “manage up” to your board: 

• Educate them on their roles 
• Document dysfunction 
• Set clear boundaries 

But here’s the truth: None of that works when power doesn’t want to be accountable. 

I documented everything. I restated the principle that board members oversee governance, not day-to-day operations. I offered training, asked for feedback, and tried to bring people together. I even asked for mediation when things got really bad — but that was refused.  

And I was still fired. 

In the U.S., nonprofit boards have broad legal authority to terminate an executive for almost any reason — except one tied to a protected class, such as race, gender, or disability status.  

And when the reason is vague or subjective — like a “failure to respect organizational boundaries” — it’s unlikely a court or attorney will intervene. These cases often fall into the realm of poor governance, not illegal action. 

So, let’s stop pretending this is about documentation and diplomacy. Let’s talk about what might actually help. 

What Can You Do When the Board Becomes the Problem? 

You may or may not be able to change your board dynamics or culture, but you can choose how you navigate the storm — and how much of yourself you give away in the process. 

1. Know Your Non-Negotiables 

You may not be able to set the board straight, but you can decide where your own limits are. What values will you not compromise on? What leadership behaviors are you unwilling to enable? 

This doesn’t make you “difficult.” It makes you principled. The consequences may still come — but you’ll face them with clarity, not regret. 

2. Build Quiet, Strategic Relationships 

Not everyone on the board is toxic — but often, many are unsure how to speak up.  

Start identifying board members who seem receptive. Share your concerns privately, using governance language, not emotion. You don’t need a majority — just one or two steady voices who can validate reality when gaslighting sets in. 

This isn’t about manipulation. It’s about surviving in a room where decisions are often made based on personality, not process. 

3. Speak Their Language, Not Yours 

Justice leaders tend to lead with heart. But board dysfunction requires strategy.  

When board members overstep, don’t frame your concern as “you’re hurting the staff” or “this is unfair.” Or the big one that did me in, “I don’t like the way you are speaking to me.”  

Instead, speak in terms of risk, liability, and organizational clarity: “This decision could create confusion around roles, which exposes us to long-term instability.” Or “This action deviates from our stated policies and opens the board to reputational risk.”  

Boards hear risk. They don’t always hear pain. 

4. Be Thoughtful About Documentation 

Yes, keep notes for your own sanity. But be aware: If your board is already suspicious or adversarial, your documentation could be used against you. Writing things down is not protection — it’s just reference. Don’t rely on it as a shield. 

If you sense the tide turning, focus your energy not on crafting a defense, but on positioning your next move. 

5. Always Be Building Your Exit Plan 

It’s heartbreaking to say this — but if your board refuses to evolve, your only real power is knowing when to leave. 

Update your resume now. Reach out to colleagues. Identify what you’ve built and how to tell that story.  

Most importantly, remember that your leadership doesn’t need to be martyred for a mission that refuses to protect you.  

Some organizations are worth staying to fight for. Others are only worth surviving. 

6. Have a contract 

Every nonprofit executive should have an employment contract, especially if you are a founder.  

The contract should contain specific details about how and under what conditions you can be released, and what steps must first be taken, by both you and the board, before a separation can begin.   

I’ve talked with so many CEOs who told me they didn’t need a contract because everything with the board was good.  

Relationships are good until they are not. I didn’t think I needed a contract until I actually needed a contract. By then, it was too late.   

A Final Word for Board Members (If You’re Still Reading) 

If you’re a board member and this makes you uncomfortable, good. That means you’re paying attention.  

Here’s what I want you to know: Silence is not neutrality. When a fellow board member dominates, derails, or undermines leadership and you say nothing — you are complicit. 

Your role is governance. That includes governance of your own behavior, and that of your peers. Stop excusing dysfunction just because someone “means well” or has been there a long time.  

Speak up. Ask questions. Get trained. You may be a volunteer. But your decisions hold lives, jobs, and futures in their hands. 

Final Thought: Let’s Stop Protecting Power and Start Protecting Leaders 

We talk so much in this sector about equity, justice, and liberation. But behind closed doors, we still tolerate the worst kind of power hoarding — in the boardroom. 

We ask CEOs to be visionaries, mentors, fundraisers, therapists, and political navigators. But when they challenge the board’s comfort, they’re gone. We cannot build a just world with unjust governance. 

So, here’s the call: If you’re a CEO, protect your peace. If you’re a board member, confront your silence. And if you’re in this work for real — start treating nonprofit leadership like the sacred labor it is. 

Because it’s not just our missions that are on the line. It’s the people who carry them. 

You might also like:

• Why Human-Centered AI Adoption Matters for Nonprofits
• The New Sheriff in Town: Tips for Successfully Leading a Nonprofit Team (that Someone Else Built)
• When the System Fails Quietly: What I’ve Learned from Sitting Between the Frontline and the Data
• A Board Member “Contract”
• Don’t Call it a Crisis Plan: How Nonprofits Can Proactively Plan for Turbulent Times

 

You made it to the end! Please share this article!

Let’s help other nonprofit leaders succeed! Consider sharing this article with your friends and colleagues via email or social media.