Is it possible that mediocrity is the real established standard that most nonprofit boards have established as the way they do business?  I am thinking that boards, in their effort to maintain politeness as their modus operendi have de facto established a lower standard for the expectations they have from their nonprofit and equally important, for their executives.

Politeness, as a rule, is the rule as it ensures the minimalist of conflict.  Basically, folks don't join boards in the hope to have a forum for contentiouness.  They want to have a good, pleasant and maybe even productive time using their volunteer energy.  No pain is a gain.

So what you might ask?  The so what is that politeness leads to medicrity which leads to low expectations which leads to sub par performance and outcomes for a nonprofit.  In the for-profit world, boards have every reason to pursue excellence over mediocrity -- money.  In the nonprofit world, the incentives are obviously not the same and may be significantly enough different to pursue higher standards with higher performing nonprofit executives and subsequently higher performing nonprofits.

Politeness and mediocrity -- a formula for failure.  More later.