ABCDE: A Simple Formula to Stay Out of Trouble in Nonprofit Leadership
Recently, I spent the better part of a day with an attorney. Now, don’t get me wrong—he was fantastic. Smart, insightful, and exactly the kind of person you want in your corner when you’re facing complex legal issues. But honestly? I couldn’t help but think about all the things I would rather be doing with my day. Spending hours dissecting legal nuances wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I signed up to lead a nonprofit.
While we were chatting, I thought I’d ask his brilliant legal mind a question… “what can we do to make sure we limit our exposure to legal issues in the future?” Expecting him to rattle off some court cases or drop some attorney language on me, he surprised me with some basic advice that stuck with me—not because it was new, but because of how he framed it. He said that most legal challenges can be avoided if people just follow the first five letters of the alphabet:
ABCDE: Always Be Consistent, Document Everything.
At that point, I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Who knew that the secret to staying out of legal trouble boiled down to elementary school alphabet lessons? It’s simple, but it makes sense—especially in nonprofit leadership.
ABC - Always Be Consistent
Consistency is the foundation of integrity and trust. In the nonprofit world, consistency in leadership, policy enforcement, and communication builds confidence among staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and the people we serve. When people know what to expect, they feel secure and valued.
However, inconsistency can quickly erode trust. A leader who makes exceptions or handles similar situations differently can leave people feeling confused or even resentful. Whether it’s how policies are enforced or how decisions are made, being consistent shows that you are reliable and fair.
In practice, consistency means more than just following rules. It’s about being dependable—doing what you say you’ll do, every time. It’s about setting a clear standard and sticking to it, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Practical Ways to Be Consistent:
Follow Through on Promises: Do what you say—no exceptions.
Apply Policies Equally: Don’t make exceptions for certain people.
Communicate Clearly: Use consistent messaging and avoid giving mixed signals.
Model the Standard: Lead by example and practice what you preach.
DE - Document Everything
Good documentation isn’t just about legal protection—it’s about transparency, accountability, and learning from experience. In a nonprofit setting, documentation is crucial from maintaining donor confidence, complying with regulations, to ensuring consistent care or service.
As you know, transparency doesn’t mean sharing everything with everyone. We must respect confidentiality, especially when dealing with personal or sensitive issues. The goal is to document thoroughly and accurately while safeguarding private information.
Generally speaking, it’s also important to stick to the facts—avoiding opinions or assumptions. Documentation should record what happened, when it happened, and who was involved. Speculating or making assumptions can come back to bite you later.
When questions arise—and they inevitably will—we’ll be grateful we took the time to record the details. Having thorough documentation shows that we did our due diligence and made decisions based on the information available at the time.
Best Practices for Documentation:
Stick to the Facts: Record what happened without adding opinions.
Respect Confidentiality: Be transparent but honor privacy when needed.
Be Organized: Store documents securely and make them easy to retrieve.
Be Proactive: Make documentation part of everyday practice.
How to Put ABCDE into Practice:
Putting ABCDE into practice means building habits around consistency and documentation. Make it a priority to consistently follow policies and model reliable behavior while training your team to do the same. Integrate documentation into your daily routine—keep it factual, organized, and secure—so it becomes second nature rather than an afterthought.
So there you go…”ABCDE”…simple (and free) advice from an attorney to save you trouble in the future.
PS. I’m sure the attorney would want me to include the following: Disclaimer: This email is intended to share leadership insights and best practices and should not be considered legal advice. Always consult with your attorney for guidance on legal matters specific to your specific needs.