IQ: Otto Bremer has a foot in both the business and nonprofit worlds. In your opinion, what’s the difference between leadership in the two sectors?

CJ: While business success is often measured by a strong bottom line, nonprofit success is often less concrete. Nonprofits are charged with serving the public good, so people who work for them need to employ good management and effective programming to ensure that their resources are used for the public’s benefit. In both arenas a leader has to be committed to the organization’s values and core objectives, but a board member of a nonprofit is often expected to support the organization financially and encourage others to do so.


IQ: Could business people learn anything from their nonprofit counterparts?

CJ: Maybe they could learn how to always see the glass as half-full. In nonprofits, a tireless optimism is required to achieve an organization’s mission. Some could also learn how to make due with scarce resources, to cross-train highly skilled employees, and to team up with other organizations to meet customer needs.


IQ: What is one underappreciated strength of charitable organizations?

CJ: They bring people together to collectively address a common challenge.


IQ: What challenge is the elephant in the room?

CJ: There is a great need for a public conversation about the definition of our social contract with one another and the role that the public, private and nonprofit sectors each play in upholding that contract. The most volatile conversations seem to take place around issues of personal accountability and what role each of us has in supporting our fellow human beings. But when voices come together from the different sectors, they can have a positive impact. For example, if businesses emphasize the importance of a strong public educational system to ensure a productive future workforce, the impact of that message is stronger than if it is voiced only by public education advocates.


IQ: True or False: Nonprofits represent the next great American innovators.

CJ: Very true. The expression “necessity is the mother of invention” has been increasingly evident over the past year or so. By recognizing that government dollars are diminishing, and public support is increasingly competitive, nonprofits are looking to find ways to diversify their revenue streams through fees for services and other creative strategies. Since the largest segment of support for nonprofits comes from individual donors, it’s imperative that nonprofits continue to push for new ways to maintain and grow personal relationships.


IQ: What's the best gift a person can give to a nonprofit?

CJ: The most obvious answer is money; financial support is the fuel that keeps the engine running. But money alone won’t do it.We can also give expertise, outside perspectives and constructive criticism about new strategies for the organization.When we support an organization, we can spread the word about the good work that is being done and call upon our friends and associates to join the cause. IQ