Frankly Inspired

Free Diagnostic

Leadership & Operations Health Score

12 quick questions across governance, leadership succession, organizational alignment, and change capacity, each grounded in named research from BoardSource, the CompassPoint/Meyer Foundation "Daring to Lead" study, McKinsey's Organizational Health Index, and Harvard Business School's Kotter change model. Takes about 7 minutes. This is the deeper follow-up to the Leadership & Organizational Development pillar in the free Self-Assessment: jump in below, or start there first for the faster 5-minute version.

Section 1 of 4: Governance Health

1. Governance Health

Based on BoardSource's "Leading with Intent" national board-practices research.

Our board has the right composition and relationships to build trust with the communities we serve.
Board members are actively engaged in advocating for our mission, not just fundraising and compliance.
Board meetings spend meaningful time on strategy and organizational direction, not just fundraising updates.

2. Leadership Succession & Bench Strength

Based on CompassPoint & the Meyer Foundation's "Daring to Lead" national study of nonprofit executive leadership.

We have a documented, board-approved plan for what happens if our Executive Director leaves unexpectedly.
If our Executive Director left tomorrow, at least one other staff member could credibly step in on an interim basis.
Our organization actively invests in developing future leaders (training, mentorship, real delegated authority) rather than concentrating leadership in one person.

3. Organizational Alignment & Execution

Based on three outcomes from McKinsey's Organizational Health Index (OHI): Direction, Accountability, and Capabilities.

Staff at every level could clearly articulate our organization's top priorities for this year.
Roles, decision rights, and performance expectations are clearly defined and consistently followed.
Staff have the skills, tools, and training they need to do their jobs well, and gaps are actively addressed.

4. Change Leadership Capacity

Based on John Kotter's 8-Step Change Model (Harvard Business School, "Leading Change").

When we've pursued major changes, leadership built a genuine sense of urgency and a real coalition to drive it, rather than mandating it top-down.
We communicate a clear vision for change and track visible short-term wins along the way, not just a distant end goal.
Past changes have stuck: they became part of how we normally operate, not reverted once attention moved elsewhere.