Exposing the Elephants

Go Beyond "Business As Usual" with Your Nonprofit

"At last--the 'real truth' about nonprofit management! In Exposing the Elephants, Wilcox reveals the 'pesky pachyderms' that block our way to full effectiveness. How often have we grumbled that 'just because you're a [insert profession here], it doesn't mean you know how to run a nonprofit'? With clarity, passion, and sly humor, Wilcox validates that perspective and many others--but doesn't let us get away with just accepting the presence of the elephant in the room. Wilcox summarizes complex issues using recognizable examples and then offers sensible strategies for resolving them. Ultimately, she gives us permission to do the right thing(s). I love this book--and I can't wait to start implementing the 'elephant solutions'! "
--Nancy Perkin Beaumont, CAE, Executive Director, Society of American Archivists

"Before I finished reading Exposing the Elephants, I met with my key staff to talk about what we must change. I also shared what I learned from reading the book with a friend who sits on several different types of boards. Wilcox says it like it is--and it needs to be said--in every nonprofit organization."
--Julie Donovan, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity, Lake County, Illinois

"A remarkably candid, fresh, and witty analysis of the challenges inherent in managing nonprofits. Insightful and pragmatic solutions to overcoming the 'white elephants' so prevalent in the nonprofit culture. A 'must read' for every nonprofit CEO and board member."
--Dick Yingst, President & CEO, Financial Managers Society, Chicago, Illinois

"Pam Wilcox is willing to say the things that nonprofit professionals often do not wish to hear. She reveals through clear language and flowing style the significant barriers that nonprofits face and need to remove for not just success but also excellence. Unlike many authors who point out what is wrong with nonprofits, Wilcox shows us the way to tackle our most intractable issues and move to excellence. This book should be read by any and everyone involved in the nonprofit sector."
--Katrina S. Rogers, PhD, Associate Dean, Research and Practice Director, Center for Innovation in the Nonprofit Sector, Fielding Graduate University

PAMELA J. WILCOX is founder and President of SAVé―Staff and Volunteer Excellence―an organization whose purpose is to devise new ways of thinking about nonprofit leadership, and is dedicated to advising and helping leadership teams across all nonprofit sectors. With over twenty years of executive and nonprofit leadership experience, Wilcox has inspired boards and staff to exceptional performance. She and her husband, Robert, live in Chicago.