You’ve seen them, you’ve worked with them, you may have even been one – the Knowledge Hostage.  The person or group of people who are indebted, subjected, and controlled by an individual that purposefully hoards information and holds back on sharing their knowledge to keep you coming back to them. People who find their security, self-esteem, and value to your organization in the fact that they know more than others can be dangerous to the sustainability of the organization.  You know the type, they tell you “just enough” for you to do “just enough” and then you must come scurrying back for more crumbs from the table.

As I participate in the National Community Tax Coalition 7th Annual Conference in San Antonio I am amazed and impressed at the level of dialogue focused on “community engagement”.   Though I hear similar conversations across the country, the one thing that is present in these conversations is the focus on relationship and communication.

For more than 20 years, the DC Central Kitchen has demonstrated what a small group of committed citizens (who aren’t worried about turf, or naming rights, or even conventional wisdom for that matter) can do.  The minute you walk in the door, you know they’re truly about the business of doing good.

CW at Georgetown University.

Charles joined senior Capital Hill staff, IRS officials and leading practioners for the “Issues in Nonprofit Governance” symposium recently held at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC.  Talk about Thought-Leaders...