A common cause of board/management dysfunction is a lack of clarity about the executive's responsibilities toward the board and about how to structure the relationship. David La Piana has drawn on his 16 years of successful executive leadership of a nonprofit and his 10 years consulting with nonprofit executive directors throughout the country to develop the following "Ten Commandments for Executive Directors." He has used it as a basis for training and mentoring of nonprofit chief executives.

1. Tell all, and the board will let you handle the details. (Succeed and the board will let you take risks.)
2. Let your enthusiasm infect the board.
3. Provide the vision, but share its ownership.
4. Let trustees help in small and large ways, expect them to give money and time.
5. Never forget who hired and can fire you.
6. Do nothing you would not want the board to know about.
7. Let the board know you work hard, but don't whine.
8. Don't wait for someone to tell you what to do.
9. Put key staff in regular contact with the board and have program staff meet and present their work to the board regularly.
10. Don't serve on the board.