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How language shapes the way we think

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There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world — and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? In this fascinating TED Talk, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language — from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian — that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. It’s just 14 minutes long and worth every minute! Click the photo to view at TED.

Photo of Lera Boroditsky

Replenishing Your Volunteer Pool

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“Lack of volunteers” is a common theme lately in our executive director/CEO roundtables at Spokes. Currently volunteers are “aging out” and it’s a struggle to replace them. I decided to ask our friend chatGPT about this issue. As usual, it had lots of ideas.

For openers, it provided the following trends that contribute to the situation:

  • Aging Population of Traditional Volunteers: Older generations, especially Baby Boomers, have historically been strong contributors to volunteerism. As they age, they are either reducing their involvement or are unable to continue due to health reasons.
  • Younger Generations Volunteering Less: While Millennials and Gen Z are often involved in social causes, their approach to volunteering is different. They tend to prefer short-term, project-based engagements or virtual volunteering, rather than long-term commitments. Their work-life balance, financial pressures, and busy schedules also play a role in their reduced engagement in traditional volunteering.
  • Shift in How Younger People Engage: Younger generations are often more attracted to causes that align with their personal values and might prioritize advocacy, digital activism, or donating money over volunteering time in a traditional sense. They also prefer organizations that offer flexible, meaningful, and tech-savvy volunteer opportunities.
  • Competition with Other Activities: Younger people have more competing interests, such as career development, social activities, and other forms of civic engagement. Nonprofits may struggle to attract them unless they adapt to these preferences.
  • Lack of Targeted Outreach: Some nonprofits may not have adjusted their volunteer recruitment and engagement strategies to appeal to younger generations, who often rely on social media and online platforms for such opportunities.

Next time, I’ll share some of the suggested approaches for countering this trend.

Can the Executive Committee determine the ED’s pay?

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Our bylaws state that the Executive Committee has full authority/responsibility to review the CEO’s performance and to set compensation, and that the Board “shall be informed” of the Committee’s decision. Is this OK?

Technically, the answer is yes—assuming that all members of the Executive Committee are, in fact, directors. Even so, the board as a whole still has responsibility for the process and outcome.

That said, it’s generally recommended to have a transparent and fair process for determining the executive director’s salary. While the executive committee certainly may play a role in salary discussions, it’s often advisable to establish a compensation committee or involve the full board in the decision-making process.

Having a broader group involved can bring diverse perspectives and ensure a more objective approach to determining the executive director’s salary. This approach is in line with principles of good governance, accountability, and transparency, which are important for the credibility and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations.

Two things to keep in mind:

  • Although the IRS does not provide specific dollar amounts or an acceptable range of compensation levels, they stipulate that compensation must be reasonable and not excessive.“Reasonable” is defined as the value that would ordinarily be paid for like services by like enterprises under like circumstances.
  • Nonprofits filing IRS Form 990 must describe the process they use to approve executive compensation as part of the nonprofit’s responses on the annual return, IRS Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15.

Worker Self-Directed Nonprofits

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Someone recently contacted Spokes to say, “I’m thinking of starting a worker self-directed nonprofit. Can Spokes help me?”

A worker self-directed nonprofit? I’d never heard the term. I know about public benefit nonprofits, mutual benefit nonprofits, and benefit corporations, but this inquiry required some research!

The Sustainable Economies Law Center describes a self-directed nonprofit as a sort of cross between a worker cooperative and a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Specifically, it defines a worker self-directed nonprofit as,

a nonprofit organization in which all workers have the power to influence the programs in which they work, the conditions of their workplace, their own career paths, and the direction of the organization as a whole.

In general, a worker cooperative is “democratically managed business that is owned and controlled by the workers.” California corporation code has specific provisions for the formation of a for-profit worker cooperative. California code also has specific, separate provisions for incorporating as a nonprofit. As far as I have learned, California code does not include explicit provisions for something called a worker self-directed nonprofit.

I have lots more to learn on this subject, but it’s intriguing to think about how one might structure a nonprofit within California’s current code that might mimic or embody key features of a worker cooperative such as election of the board of directors. More to come on this topic, but in the meantime, check out these resources:

Free Human Resources Hotline

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SLO Cal Careers has partnered with the California Employers Association to provide San Luis Obispo County employers with a no-cost human resources hotline. Get advice on:

  • Hiring and firing best practices
  • Paid sick leave laws
  • Wage and hour laws
  • Employee handbook policies
  • HR compliance
  • Accommodations in the workplace
  • And much more!

HR Directors are available for San Luis Obispo County Employers
Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Call 888.710.0905.

This WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. California Relay Service 711 or 1-800-735-2922 (English) 1-800-855-3000 (Spanish).

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