I’m sure we all have a favorite holiday smell. Often it’s from a favorite food with a rich aroma. But we’ve all had a time when we thought the smell signaled something wrong even before we’d sat down to eat.

After working with nonprofits for many years, I’ve realized that you can tell when something’s not right through a quick smell test.  I sniff the air for signs that things need to change the first time I enter the CEO’s office.

There are some variations on the smell test. Here are some I use:

Smell the coffee. Is the organization alert in a caffeinated way to changes in the environment it operates in? Is it aware of the adaptations it might need in the slow economy? Does it embrace social media and other emerging technologies in how to operate with supporters? If the organization doesn’t smell of coffee, it may be sleepwalking to a slow demise.

Smell the rotten…