(Association CEOs/Executive Directors Only)
Conflict in the boardroom is not new, but many nonprofit and association CEOs are sensing a shift in the intensity, tone, and personal nature of difficult conversations. When tension flares, boards can quickly lose trust, drift from mission, and weaken their ability to govern effectively.
This interactive CEO roundtable will explore how executives can help boards respond when conflict heats up and how they can strengthen governance practices before problems ignite. Participants will discuss real-world board dynamics, early warning signs, and practical strategies to lower the temperature, restore alignment, and build a more resilient board culture.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize the sparks that signal board tension may be escalating.
- Distinguish productive disagreement from conflict that weakens trust, alignment, and governance effectiveness.
- Explore practical ways CEOs and board leaders can lower the temperature and refocus the board on mission.
- Identify “fireproofing” practices that strengthen board culture, expectations, communication, and accountability before conflict arises.
About the Presenter:
Jim Thompson, CAE, IOM is Founder & CEO of Tying It Together Consulting, where he helps associations and nonprofits reduce friction in governance and membership using practical frameworks developed from over 20 years of executive leadership experience. Through his systems-based approach, Jim equips boards and leadership teams to clarify roles, strengthen governance, and better align strategy with execution to advance their mission.
His background includes serving as CEO and senior executive for multiple national associations, where he led governance modernization initiatives, supported strategic planning and structural realignment and advanced member value through improved education, engagement and organizational performance. Jim also has extensive experience in association management company (AMC) environments, giving him a broad perspective on governance models, board–staff relationships and scalable operational design.
A Certified Association Executive (CAE) and IOM graduate, Jim is recognized for translating complex organizational challenges into practical, systems based solutions that improve decision making, accountability and long term sustainability. His work emphasizes mission alignment, effective volunteer leadership and governance practices that support innovation and strategic clarity.