--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit…" description: "\"“When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit organization with dozens of people on its board, they think: “Look how many great people are committed to this ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/peter-thiel-1311_great-people_when-unsavvy-observers-see-a-nonprofit-o_344102.png" --- # When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit organization with… ![“When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit organization with dozens of people on its board, they think: “Look how many great people are committed to this organization! It must be extremely well run.” Actually, a huge board will exercise no effective oversight at all; it merely provides cover for…” quote by Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/peter-thiel-1311_great-people_when-unsavvy-observers-see-a-nonprofit-o_344102.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/peter-thiel-1311_great-people_when-unsavvy-observers-see-a-nonprofit-o_344102.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/peter-thiel-1311_great-people_when-unsavvy-observers-see-a-nonprofit-o_344102.png) > ““When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit organization with dozens of people on its board, they think: “Look how many great people are committed to this organization! It must be extremely well run.” Actually, a huge board will exercise no effective oversight at all; it merely provides cover for whatever microdictator actually runs the organization.”” [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Large nonprofit boards often give an illusion of strong governance, but can lack real oversight, allowing a single leader to dominate. **In simple terms:** Big boards can hide lack of oversight. Key Takeaway Ensure board accountability. Themes governance power oversight Mood critical analytical Type advisory critical When to use this quote - nonprofit management - corporate boards - policy making - leadership selection Key Concepts organizational structure control dynamics transparency Questions to Reflect On - How can boards stay effective? - What mechanisms ensure genuine oversight? A Different Perspective Boards may become symbolic without clear responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Board Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/board-think-3191702/) [Committed Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed-organization-2599186/) [Great people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-people/) [Observers Nonprofit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observers-nonprofit-3191704/) [Organization Dozens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization-dozens-3191703/) [People Board](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-board-3191705/) ## Related quotes > [Employees that feel known and they feel like they know why their job matters and they have a sense of measuring it stay later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/employees-that-feel-known-and-they-feel-like-they-know-why-their-job/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I think it would be a great improvement if there were no D&O insurance . The counter-argument is that no-one with any money would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-it-would-be-a-great-improvement-if-there-were-no-d-o/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [“At these times, the adversary appears holding two boards. Written on one board: “Think more of yourself. Keep your blessings to yourself, otherwise you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/at-these-times-the-adversary-appears-holding-two-boards-written-on/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When you surround yourself with clever people, you have a board of advisers that you don’t have to pay for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-you-surround-yourself-with-clever-people-you-have-a-board-of/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [I'm liked, and luckily people seem to get on board with what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pearson/i-m-liked-and-luckily-people-seem-to-get-on-board-with-what-i-do/) [Adam Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pearson/) > [I would love to get people on board the whole space subject in a grass-roots way that has never been done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bigelow/i-would-love-to-get-people-on-board-the-whole-space-subject-in-a/) [Robert Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bigelow/) > [In Jamaica, them always have throwback riddims, recycled old beats, and the hardcore reggae scene is always present. You have faster stuff like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-marley/in-jamaica-them-always-have-throwback-riddims-recycled-old-beats-and/) [Damian Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-marley/) > [For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/for-creative-tasks-the-best-approach-is-often-just-to-hire-great/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Well, at least I definitely know the military likes Trump, right? That's great, it's - you're amazing people, are great people and I very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/well-at-least-i-definitely-know-the-military-likes-trump-right-that-s/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I admire all the great people who have dedicated their free time to helping humanity move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-admire-all-the-great-people-who-have-dedicated-their-free-time-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [And I'm working with all these great people at Sony Publishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-i-m-working-with-all-these-great-people-at-sony-publishing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [With the great people that you work with, it's that they're never giving up and they're never thinking something's finished until they've really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/with-the-great-people-that-you-work-with-it-s-that-they-re-never/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I have been lucky enough to travel a lot, meet great people in many lands. I have liked almost everyone I met along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-have-been-lucky-enough-to-travel-a-lot-meet-great-people-in-many/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) ## More by Peter Thiel > [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you think about basic science or coming up with new theories of mathematics, these are not the kinds of things which are necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-think-about-basic-science-or-coming-up-with-new-theories-of/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Time and decision-making themselves follow a power law, and some moments matter far more than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/time-and-decision-making-themselves-follow-a-power-law-and-some/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. In philosophy, politics, and business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-we-exaggerate-the-differences-between-left-liberal/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [When you already have $150 billion a year in revenues from the iPhone, it's very hard to come up with any new vertical that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/when-you-already-have-150-billion-a-year-in-revenues-from-the-iphone/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“CREATIVE MONOPOLY means new products that benefit everybody and sustainable profits for the creator. Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets left to be discovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/we-have-given-up-our-sense-of-wonder-at-secrets-left-to-be-discovered/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today our society is permeated by the twin ideas that death is both inevitable and random.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-our-society-is-permeated-by-the-twin-ideas-that-death-is-both/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“if your company can be summed up by its opposition to already existing firms, it can’t be completely new and it’s probably not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-your-company-can-be-summed-up-by-its-opposition-to-already/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Is a lukewarm attitude to one’s work a sign of mental health? Is a merely professional attitude the only sane approach?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/is-a-lukewarm-attitude-to-one-s-work-a-sign-of-mental-health-is-a/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“If you’ve invented something new but you haven’t invented an effective way to sell it, you have a bad business—no matter how good the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-ve-invented-something-new-but-you-haven-t-invented-an/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [The business model piece is we're always talking about competing more effectively. If you're starting a company or career you don't want to compete.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/the-business-model-piece-is-we-re-always-talking-about-competing-more/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you invest in Microsoft or Oracle, or a number of other companies for that matter, you're fundamentally making a bet that there's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-invest-in-microsoft-or-oracle-or-a-number-of-other-companies/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Our economy is broken. I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump. He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) [Explore all 257 Peter Thiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## More Great people quotes > [I have been lucky enough to travel a lot, meet great people in many lands. I have liked almost everyone I met along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-have-been-lucky-enough-to-travel-a-lot-meet-great-people-in-many/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [With the great people that you work with, it's that they're never giving up and they're never thinking something's finished until they've really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/with-the-great-people-that-you-work-with-it-s-that-they-re-never/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [And I'm working with all these great people at Sony Publishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-i-m-working-with-all-these-great-people-at-sony-publishing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I admire all the great people who have dedicated their free time to helping humanity move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-admire-all-the-great-people-who-have-dedicated-their-free-time-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Well, at least I definitely know the military likes Trump, right? That's great, it's - you're amazing people, are great people and I very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/well-at-least-i-definitely-know-the-military-likes-trump-right-that-s/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/for-creative-tasks-the-best-approach-is-often-just-to-hire-great/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [In Jamaica, them always have throwback riddims, recycled old beats, and the hardcore reggae scene is always present. You have faster stuff like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-marley/in-jamaica-them-always-have-throwback-riddims-recycled-old-beats-and/) [Damian Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-marley/) > [I've been fortunate to have a lot of great people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-ve-been-fortunate-to-have-a-lot-of-great-people-around-me/) [Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/) > [My approach to politics is very serious. It must be handled by great people with extraordinary skills and human qualities. I feel I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balachandra-menon/my-approach-to-politics-is-very-serious-it-must-be-handled-by-great/) [Balachandra Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balachandra-menon/) > [Although I am deeply grateful to a great many people, I forgo the temptation of naming them for fear that I might slight any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-bikel/although-i-am-deeply-grateful-to-a-great-many-people-i-forgo-the/) [Theodore Bikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-bikel/) > [I am the luckiest guy in the world. All my dreams came true. I was in a wonderful business, and I met great people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-johnson/i-am-the-luckiest-guy-in-the-world-all-my-dreams-came-true-i-was-in-a/) [Van Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-johnson/) > [I have great people, smart people that are around me and we love the challenge. I guess it's like climbing a mountain or building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-have-great-people-smart-people-that-are-around-me-and-we-love-the/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [Great people create great acts of kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/great-people-create-great-acts-of-kindness/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) [Browse all 686 Great people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When unsavvy observers see a nonprofit organization with dozens of people on its board, they think: “Look how many great people are committed to this organization! 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