12 Questions a Nonprofit Board Should Ask Before Recruiting for Diversity

by E. Frank Ellis, M.P.H.
Senior Search Advisor, The Moran Company
“We Find Great Nonprofit Executives”

My professional focus historically has been centered on leadership, business success matrixes and change management. I have over 40 years of nonprofit CEO leadership experience in health care services. I have started, operated, and sold a health care insurance company. I have developed over $240 million of real estate. I have not, however, served as or considered myself a “Diversity and Inclusion Officer.” Still, the issues of diversity and inclusion are important to me.

So when Bill Moran asked me to share my thoughts on diversity and inclusion as they relate to recruiting and nonprofit executive leadership, I was interested in doing so but realized more questions came to mind than answers. Yet, sometimes honest questioning is a good place to start. Every organization and company should consider how to improve in these areas, including The Moran Company where efforts are being made to diversify its own team and help nonprofits do the same.

As a first step, it is important to determine one’s true level of interest in recruiting a diverse workforce:

• Why do you want to improve recruitment in the area of diversity? What is your level of understanding for the reason for a discussion about diversity?
• How do you feel about diversity? What does it mean to you? Do you believe it is important, if so why, and how much?
• How will you know when your organization is truly diverse and inclusive? What needs to change to get there?

For organizations that are interested in continuing this dialogue, below are my thoughts on questions a nonprofit Board should ask itself before hiring a firm to bring them “diverse” candidates:

1. Strategically, self-introspection is a great place to start with every individual no matter of what group you are a member. Are the Board members willing to engage in self-introspection?
2. Does the Board understand their own inherent biases and stereotypes, or do they even want to know? Are they willing to take a self-assessment evaluation?
3. How much diversity is there in the governance and executive leadership of their organization? Are there diverse Board and senior staff members currently?
4. What has the nonprofit organization done, in their sphere of influence, to make a tangible difference in race relations?
5. What type of mentoring programs does the organization have in place to support diverse hires, including those that are formally recognized and those that are more informal?
6. Do they really want to make a sustained difference in diverse leadership?
7. Tactically, are they willing to perform organizational cultural audits and institutional assessments about diversity?
8. Do people in the community perceive them as a serious change agent for diversity?
9. What literature (not counting the news and social media) have they most recently read that helped them understand the challenges, perceptions from different groups (i.e. ethnic, gender, age, demographic, geographic, and regional)?
10. Does the organization have diversity included in their succession planning to successfully recruit and retain diverse talent for years to come?
11. How much purchasing by the organization is done with minority businesses, as product vendors or service providers for example?
12. Is there a formal and active attempt to purchase or seek services from minority vendors?

These are just a few of the questions that come to mind when I think about the issues of diversity and inclusion in relation to recruiting and retaining nonprofit leadership. Even if executive search firms attract candidates from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds for an organization, is the Board ready to hire them? And if so, will diverse leaders stay and feel supported by the organization?

Long-term commitment requires both an intellectual (mind) and emotional (heart) change. No books, programs, assessments or policies alone can make a lasting difference. Top leadership must be serious about improving their understanding and commitment to diversity on both a personal and organizational level. If they are not serious about changing, the question becomes, “Why Not?” The answer is usually very clear. They are comfortable with the status quo.

My hope is that we can all work together, openly and respectfully, to learn from each other and increase diversity and inclusion at all levels. Meaningful conversations can come from asking thoughtful questions and being willing to identify solutions. The answers may not always be clear, and the process of making long-term sustainable change is never easy, but the rewards will be worth it.

© 2020  The Moran Company, “We find great nonprofit executives.” We specialize in searches for nonprofit executive directors, directors of development/fundraising staff, and other top nonprofit leadership. www.morancompany.com