Doing Good Well

Why does a deserving charity struggle to make ends meet while another which squanders money, thrive? Because there is a structural disconnect between revenue and expenses in the nonprofit world. Is continuous growth the hallmark of a successful charity? No, it's just the opposite - the ultimate aim of a charity is to be extinct. Would you use volunteers if it actually cost more than hiring paid skilled staff? Yes, if engagement with the community is crucial. Call these examples, ironies, paradoxes or simply insights into why the charity sector is what it is. "Doing Good Well" is a thinking man's guide to the nonprofit world. It is replete with nonprofit paradigms. It provides a different twist to what one might regard as straightforward notions such as mission, staff compensation, governance and corporate social responsibility. And it surprises and challenges even as it seeks to explain charity-specific issues such as charitableness, bridging the rich/poor divide, informed giving and social entrepreneurship. And as he deconstructs existing paradigms, Willie Cheng creates new ones. Through an easy writing style, hearty anecdotes and thought-provoking perspectives, Cheng engages the readers with a strategic review of not just the status quo but also the enormous potential in the nonprofit world. The theme of the book is change. In as much as charities are about changing society for the better, this book seeks to set the stage for interesting introspection. Whether you are a volunteer, business executive, nonprofit worker, governor or regulator, it's time to start asking the questions that would help the charity sector itself change for the better. In Cheng's words, charity is no longer simply about 'Just doing good' but 'Doing good well'.

Many in the local non-profit scene have lamented about the lack of published resources dealing with the conceptual and strategic issues that plague the non-profit world. Certainly, none has dealt specifically with the non-profit scene here in Singapore -until now. (SALT, 26 Sep-Dec 2008) Doing Good Well: What Does (and Does Not) Make Sense in the Nonprofit World is a bold, exhaustive and analytical book on what makes the nonprofit sector tick -- or not. It is author Willie Cheng's offering to a well-intentioned charity sector (including the public) in Singapore that, until recently, has seemed at a loss about effective governance. (Knowledge@SMU, 4/10/2008) Five years after the eruption of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) scandal, Mr Willie Cheng, who blew the whistle on its reserves, breaks his silence. With a book, no less. (The Straits Times, 8/10/2008) A new book, Doing Good Well, was launched last Wednesday by local author Willie Cheng. The former managing partner of management consultancy Accenture is now a volunteer, board director and keen observer of the charity scene. (The Sunday Times, 12/10/2008) It's no secret that Mr Willie Cheng - the man who blew the lid on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) four years ago - has strong opinions when it comes to running a charity. Take, for example, his view that "the ultimate aim of a charity is to be extinct." (My Paper, 21/10/2008) China's charities, philanthropists and non-governmental agencies still have a long way to go to develop a fully trusting relationship with a slightly suspicious government. Yet the will to give is to be applauded. The next step will be working out how to move from deciding to do good to "doing good well", as Cheng's book urges, and making sure that all these new donations make a real difference. (Ethical Corporation Magazine, Nov '08) In a provocative suggestion, Willie Cheng, author of a new book on not for profit management suggests "Ultimate success occurs when the nonprofit's mission is achieved and its existence in no longer needed". In the book, Doing Good Well Cheng proposes how nonprofit organisations can benefit from a corporate approach to thinking and practices while keeping their compassion. In fact he suggests that a not for profit cannot succeed with a purely corporate mindset. (Volunteer Bureau of Montreal, Nov '08) Is continuous growth the hallmark of a successful charity? No, it's just the opposite - the ultimate aim of a charity is to be extinct. Or would you use volunteers if it actually cost more than hiring paid skilled staff? Yes, if engagement with the community is crucial. Call the above examples, ironies, paradoxes or simply insights into why the charity sector is what it is. (Malaysian Business, 1/11/2008) It is one of India's many contradictions: Despite its vibrant civil society and impressive line-up of celebrity activists, the country's not-for-profit sector finds itself in the middle of a severe credibility crisis. It is burdened by stereotypes that have been built over the years, and not all of them are without substance. (Business World, 3/11/2008) Few books look closely and comprehensively at the local non-profit sector, and here's one that not only examines the state of things, but also presents theories for why things are the way they are. As the former chairman of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, and now chairman of the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, Mr Willie Cheng is well placed to provide a guide to the non-profit world. (TODAY, 3/11/2008) Willie Cheng's bluntness and radical ideas may leave many taken aback, but his unique style of humour makes this an interesting read at the same time. He provides a comprehensive analysis of what makes non-profit organizations work - or not. (Human Capital, Dec-08) Interview with National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's former Chairman Willie Cheng. He speaks about his book "Doing Good Well" which focuses on the non-profit sector

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