Welcome a brand new year! As we ease into 2024, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can challenge the status quo and do things differently. The immediate change that comes to mind is being uncomfortable practicing, and failing, and succeeding at learning Spanish. As a business owner in Panamá, it is important for […]
Last month, McCord Consulting Group worked with the Denver Global Landing Pad to teach foreign businesses presentation skills. The Denver Global Landing Pad is a business acceleration program providing an introductory tool kit to doing business in Denver. McCord Consulting Group worked with eight companies from six countries to prepare them to pitch their business […]
Last month, I hosted the first fully virtual workshop for the Panama American Center (PAC). The PAC is a training and cultural exchange center that provides workshops, courses, college fairs, US program alumni activities, and cultural events such as film screenings and international conferences. The workshop, 3 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills – for […]
Is your primary language something other than English? Are you a woman or nonbinary business owner? Do you want to improve your English presentation skills in a supportive and encouraging environment? Join me, the Panama American Center and Ciudad del Saber for this interactive session on April 27. Click here for more details: https://buff.ly/3KEn8l9
Welcome to 2023! I hope you’re as excited as I am to see what this new year brings. As you think about the new challenges and opportunities you and your team will face in the new year, I invite you to find ways in which you can break free of the status quo. What habits […]
The key to inclusivity is the authenticity of the engagement. It’s not a good look to make a big deal celebrating Pride Month in June and then fire a transgender employee for their activism in October. But that’s just what Netflix did in 2021. During Pride Month 2020, a program manager at Netflix, B. Pagels-Minor, […]
A mission statement refresh is a great opportunity to review your current mission statement to see if your organization should go through an exercise to revise the mission statement. During your refresh statement, take note of the following: Make Sure All The Right People Are In the Room The mission statement refresh should be attended […]
Welcome to Q2 of 2022! Here are two things you should be planning for your board as we approach the summer months. Board Retreat Your board retreat should take place in Q2. It’s a great time to set goals and intentions for the rest of the year before everyone leaves for summer vacation. Your board […]
I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season. Take time to breathe, reflect, and get excited for all that you will accomplish in 2022. See you next month! For more information on board governance and organizational diversity, follow along on Twitter or Instagram. Nikki McCord is the founder of McCord Consulting Group, the only choice […]
It’s been a year since many of us watched George Floyd die before our eyes. His death sparked worldwide activism, black squares on Instagram, and corporate pledges to address systemic racism. So, let’s check in. What has your organization accomplished in the past year. The optimistic part of me is encouraged by the positive news. […]
In March 2020, Kenneth Chenault, Facebook’s first Black board director exited the board. Some say the move was a shifting of deck chairs, Bill Gates left his position on the Berkshire Hathaway board and Chenault took Gates’ former position. However, others say Chenault was frustrated with Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, not taking his counsel on […]
Last month, the city where my business is based, the city that I call home, Boulder, Colorado joined a long list of other U.S. cities that have experienced a mass shooting. The victims, Denny Stong, Neven Stanisic, Rikki Olds, Tralona Bartkowiak, Suzanne Fountain, Teri Leiker, Eric Talley, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, and Jody Waters were […]
2020 taught us a lot of lessons. But what good is a lesson if you don’t change your behavior? As we look to 2021, let’s take the lessons we have learned and apply them to future successes. Board diversity is more than hollow words During the summer of 2020, the United States had a national […]
2020 is definitely a year that will go down in history. From the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic to the reanimation of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the police killings of unarmed Black people, this year has forced us to adapt in our practices and in our thinking. As an organization, you shifted your […]
As the country opens up after being on lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many people and businesses that are ready to get ‘back to normal’. As you take steps to reopen your organization, I challenge you to abandon the term ‘normal’ and look to ways in which you and your business will operate […]
Rubber stamping boards are boards that approve whatever is presented with little discussion. A rubber stamping board is a board that is not energized. Because there is a lack of energy, board directors are missing out on their opportunity to support the mission of the organization, share the purpose of the organization, and use the […]
June is a great month for your board to hold its annual retreat. The school year has ended and people are generally in town before they leave for summer vacation. The board retreat is a time for board directors to participate in team building, reflection, and forward thinking in a relaxed setting. A board retreat […]
Photo Credit Every month I try to give you practical tips to energize and diversify your Board of Directors. But, this month’s post is all about self promotion. I want you all to give a big Happy Birthday cheer to McCord Consulting Group! Today, MCG turns 5 years old! According to the Bureau of Labor […]
It’s October so it’s on point to talk about tricks and treats. In August, Black Girls CODE was presented with $125,000 from Uber. Uber is currently in turmoil after allegations of institutional workplace sexual harassment, senior executives fleeing the company, and the departure of former CEO Travis Kalanick who is accused of not addressing the […]
I am excited to work with Social Venture Partners and teach their Board Governance 101 class on October 7. The Boards with Brains professional development series was designed for nonprofit Board and staff leaders to help build alignment around leadership best practices within their organizations. In my session, attendees will learn how to be conscientious […]
Click the link below to read a piece I wrote for NEON about ways organizations can recognize their board of directors. The Simple Step Most Nonprofits Miss in Recognizing Board Directors
On April 6, I’m speaking on a panel at the 2017 National Center for Employee Ownership conference. I will be joined by Shevanthi Daniel-Rabkin from Democracy at Work Institute and Lian Gravelle of Schatz Brown Glassman LLP. We’ll be having a conversation with attendees about how an ESOP can be strengthened through diversity. Per the […]
I am so grateful for my clients! While I was in a day-long training yesterday, my phone kept buzzing with congratulatory emails. Apparently my picture was in the paper and they were emailing to congratulate me. I was recently appointed to a full term on the Board of the Boulder Housing Partners by the […]
It’s hump day! We’re half way through the week! That means it’s almost time for my honor from the YWCA of Boulder County. This week, I am using my platform to reflect on what it means to be a black woman striving to uphold the tenants of the YWCA of eliminating racism and empowering women. Today, […]
I hope that you will join my fellow honorees and myself for the YWCA of Boulder County’s Cabaret Gala! The YWCA has been a great partner and does amazing work in Boulder County. I’ve been to a few of their board meetings to give presentations, and there is something magnificent about being in a room […]
It’s a busy time for MCG, but it’s never too busy to celebrate Black History Month! Rodeo is big in both Texas and Colorado. You’ve probably heard of Bill Pickett, the cowboy and rodeo star. But, have you heard of Cowboy Jim Perry? Jim Perry was an African American cowboy and top hand, the highest-ranked cowboy, […]
What an exciting election! There were a lot of changes last night. Statewide Races Governor Governor Hickenlooper was able to keep his seat as Governor, barely beating his challenger. Treasurer Walker Stapleton fought off his challenger and retained the office of Treasurer. Secretary of State We have a new Secretary of State and his name […]
It’s pretty exciting when I can promote causes that I believe in. I’m supporting Notre Dame Football currently and I was excited to talk to 9 News about that on the morning of the 2nd. I hope you enjoy and Go Irish! The good stuff starts at 2:30.
If you watched the State of the Union this week, you heard the remarkable story of Cory Remsburg. After being injured in Afghanistan, he was in a coma, came out of the coma, and then spent months in rehabilitation. All of that hard work earned him a place of honor at the State of the […]
This week MCG joined the rest of the country celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. What struck me during my day of reflection is that one person, partnered with like-minded individuals, was able to change the course of history. It’s quite ambitious to think that any one person has the […]
Thank you for visiting my website and reading the blog. Check back periodically to read about issues of importance to McCord Consulting Group clients.