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The majority of the work of any board is accomplished at and through meetings.  A board member's time is one of his or her most valuable contributions, so structure your meetings to make the best use of that time. As a follow up to an earlier post about meetings and using a consent agenda, I'd like to talk a little about other tools to help ensure that board meetings are focused and productive.  

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Some boards use the dashboard indicator concept to quickly assess their organization's performance.  They look at a few metrics or indicators that tell them if the organization is on track in a number of areas.

In order for this concept to work board members must come to agreement on some targets for finance, human resource, program etc.  For example under finance the board would make a determination that they have an operating reserve of cash equal to XX month's of expenses.  For program they might look at a target of XX number of new clients per year, or an average client satisfaction rating of 4.2 out of 5.  The board can also set some targets for themselves in terms of board attendance or board member contributions.  For example, the target might be that board members attend 85-90% of the scheduled board meetings or that there is 100% participation by board members in terms of an annual gift.  Targets can be identified in terms of new donors or % growth in endowment or new revenus sources.  There is no limit to the number of targets that a board can set.  The basic question is what do we need to look at monthly or quarterly that will tell us how the organization is doing and help us fulfill our governance responsibilities.

Once targets are set in the various areas, board members receive a performance indicator sheet either monthly or quarterly or semi-annually that would look something like this:

FINANCE
Days of cash on hand                                                                Target:  4 months        Current status: 6 weeks

Days after month end of preparation of financial statements    Target:   5 days           Current status:  10 days

PROGRAMS
Programs are self- sustaining                                                    Target:  85%                Current status:  90%

HUMAN RESOURCES
Staff turnover rate - annually                                                      Target:  below 15%     Current status:   10%

This type of report allows board members to quickly zero in on what's important and where they should focus.   If we take the days of cash on hand example, there is a considerable stretch between the target of 4 months and the actual of 6 weeks.  Clearly action needs to be taken to meet the target.

NORMS/GROUND RULES
Many boards find it helpful at their organizational meeting to discuss how things are going to be, so that everyone understands what is expected of them.  They do this by establishing norms which are standards of behavior for the group.  They are designed to increase meeting productivity and effectiveness while creating safety for members.  The norm for setting norms is that there should be a reasonable number (4 - 6), clearly understood and supported by the group and posted as a reminder.  Each board and organization has its own culture and way of work, so the norms will vary from group to group, but I am listing a few examples below:

EXAMPLES OF NORMS
Meetings start on time
One person talks, everyone else listens
Stick to the agenda
Confidentiality is observed
No cell phones, lap tops, etc.
The meeting takes place at the meeting, not in the parking lot!

 Effective meetings are every members responsibility.  So I encourage you to take advantage of these and other meeting effectiveness tools like the consent agenda.  There will be future posts on other meeting tools, so if you have specific questions send them along and I will try and incorporate the answers into my next post.

Until next time,

Pat

www.management-strategies.org

    

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• lack of a quorum


• meetings start later and later


• no agenda exists, or the agenda is not distributed in advance


• few members speak


• members are hesitant to vote in opposition to the majority thinking


• individuals resign before their board term expires


• there is lack of clarity about who is going to do what based on decisions made


• majority of decisions are made by the executive committee


• actions taken get rehashed and revisited


• meetings seem to go on and on

If so, it is time to make some changes. A good starting point is a brief board survey asking board ...<< MORE >>

• Encourage board members to tell each other what motivates them to serve.


• Educate board members about your organization and their responsibility.


• Hold each other accountable for the board's performance.


• Ensure that the board continually plans for the future.


• Ask thoughtful questions and keep asking.


• Ensure that meetings have meaning.


• Avoid a policy vacuum.


• Understand the value of diversity


• Develop and sustain a synergistic board-executive director partnership.


• Determine the board's role in the overall fund development strategy.


• Recruit board members intentionally and understand generational differences when recruiting.


• Set term limits.


• Develop an executive succession plan.


• Engage in regular self evaluation ...<< MORE >>

...<< MORE >>

• they don't know they are supposed to,


• they think they are doing fine, so why bother,


• they are so busy dealing with one crisis after another that there isn't time to devote to this endeavor,


• they have talked about it but no one has taken the initiative to make it happen.

For unaware board members, let this post be a wake up call that self-assessment should be on your board's yearly agenda.  Having said that, what is it you want to evaluate - the overall performance of the board or how well individual board members meet their governance responsibilities?  Hopefully, both.  ...<< MORE >>

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While most of the executive directors I know are capable, hard-working, people-oriented, mission-driven individuals, every now and then you bump up against one who is self-aggrandizing, tyranical or simply inept.  Executive directors who excel in their positions are expert tightrope walkers with an uncanny ability to balance volunteer and staff needs, attract donors and keep the organization and its programs mission driven.  It takes a unique skill set to do this well and I tip my hat to the million plus men and women who perform this delicate dance on a daily basis. 

While the board sets values and ...<< MORE >>

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...<< MORE >>

• What is the mission of the organization?   Why do they exist?  Who do they serve?


• What is the time commitment?  How often does the board meet? What about committee assignments  and or fund raising events?


• Who currently serves on the board?  What are the lengths of board terms?  Are there term limits?


• Is there an orientation and on-going training program for all board members?


• How often do board members resign before the end of their term?


• How often are meetings canceled because of a lack of a quorum?


• How is the organization funded?  Are they solvent, have a comfortable reserve ...<< MORE >>

It is not enough to strategically recruit and orient board members.  It is imperative that there be ongoing training/ support/development/recognition for these important administrative volunteers.

Effective organizations create continuing opportunities for board members to learn more about the agency and to develop their skills and abilities.  How much is in your organizational budget for board training, recognition, social and networking activities or an annual board retreat? 

The work of any board is carried out through meetings, so this is where special attention to detail is necessary.   Use a consent agenda and keep your attention on the future, not on the past. Ensure that board meetings focus on priorities and strategic direction not on trivial matters. At the end of each meeting, have board members rank the meeting in terms of both substance and process on a scale of 1 - 10.  With one being awful and ten being excellent each board member can give their rank and rationale.   This simple technique quickly pinpoints trouble spots and corrective action can be taken.  Many board members resign before their terms expire in frustration over meetings that are too long, too unproductive, too often, or too rubber stamped.  Don't lose board members over the "too syndrome".

The boards which seem to be most effective are focused but friendly; members care about one another and there is a sense of collegiality, camaraderie and moving forward.  In order to work together effectively board members must trust one another, senior staff and the reliability of the information they are given when deliberating policy decisions.  The Executive Director can help boards succeed by providing useful information in formats they understand and appreciate - pro and cons of specific policy decisions, trends, graphics, dashboard indicators etc.  

To make the best use of board member's time streamline communication by using the latest technology -  a list serv, e-mail, text messaging or password protected pages on your web site.   Is it feasible to  participate in board and/or committee meetings via conference calls?

The executive director and the board chair have a unique opportunity to help board members quickly understand the culture and norms, to consciously create learning opportunities, systematically groom future leaders, nurture the entire board as a working group and identify and resolve problems quickly.

There are a number of board self assessment tools which measure everything from attendance to individual and group performance to meeting effectiveness.  Learning organizations utilize these tools to identify issues and to better understand and improve performance.

How does your organization reward board members?  Both formal and informal recognition opportunities abound from a simple thank you note or e-mail (and there's a whole other post on the lost art of the handwritten thank you note) to an article in your news letter about their achievements to a letter to their supervisors about the important work they are doing for your organization.  Annual meetings provide an opportunity for more formal recognition.  My only words of advice are to be sure you really personalize your comments.  Not every board member who serves a three year term is created or participates equally and that should be reflected in what is said about them at the time of presentation. All board successes should be celebrated and documented.

If you have an  underachieving board member, the board chair should have a heart-to-heart and find out why.  Is is due to poor group dynamics, lagging energy, burnout or some personal or health reason? Is there some way short of board service this person can be involved and reconnect with the mission or would a new project or committee assignment energize this slacking board member? Or is there something wrong with your system itself? Was it the right fit to begin with?  I had one board experience where I was asked by a friend and the cause was one that I supported, but it was a total mismatch of their culture and process and my expectations. I resigned after less than a year on the board and I still don't have warm and fuzzy feelings about the organization. When individuals leave your board, you still want them to be advocates and supporters for your organization.

In the same way that strategic identification and recruitment and comprehensive orientation are hallmarks of the board buiding cycle, ongoing renewal is equally important.  By creating an environment of participation that encourages each board member to contribute their unique talents, you ensure a positive and rewarding experiece for them and added value for your organization.

Until next time,
Pat

Visit our website at www.management-strategies.org

    

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• A welcoming letter


• Misson - Vision - Values


• Organizational history or highlights


• Stragetic plan


• By-Laws


• Board Member job description - including financial expectations


• Board member contact information


• Meeting Schedule


• Code of ethics & conflict of interest statement


• Fundraising policy & plans


• Annual report


• Minutes of last few meetings


• Brochures, recent press clippings


• Committee descriptions

This is not meant to be an all inclusive list, but a starting point for consideration.  Also think about how this information is presented.  For many groups it is a printed manual.  However, you might have a board section on your web page where all this ...<< MORE >>

One of the board's responsibilities is to sustain itself - by that I mean to ensure that thoughtful men and women, who have a passion for the organization and the time and energy to devote to board service, are continually recruited, oriented and trained as board members. 

Many years ago, I read that about 5% of the population in any community serve on most of the non-profit boards. While I can't validate this figure, it does seem that a limited number of individuals are involved as board members. 

At one time many boards were governed by what might be called the "pale, males".  White men in charge gradually gave way to more involvement by women and then a growing awareness of a need for diversity and the involvement of minorities.  Many Nominating Committees became Board Development Committees to better reflect the scope of their responsibilities, as they moved from nominating to ongoing orientation and training and ensuring diversity of race and age and socio-economic status and gender and educational background.

Some boards continue to sustain themselves by replicating themselves, while others broadened their searches for potential board members.  One of the reasons sustaining by replicating is so wide-spread is that when thinking about board members, people tend to nominate their friends who tend to be very much like them.   See the earlier post Why Do People Join Non-profit Boards? It is more difficult and time consuming to cast a wider net.

If your board wants to move away from sustaining by replicating then there are a number of things the Nominating or Board Development Committee might try.  In the same way that a board determines the agency's direction before hiring a new executive director, it should also think about direction before recruiting new board members.  What skill sets would best serve the organization over the next few years?  Strategic thinkers are always a good choice.  But what about fund raisers, individuals with program development or evaluation expertise? How about some Gen Xers and/or Gen Y's to offset the preponderance of Traditionalists and Boomers who make up the majority of boards? 

A good starting point is to review the characteristics and skill set of the existing board.  On my website www.management-strategies.org on the Resources link there is an example of a board grid. You may be looking for different categories or representations but it will give you a starting point for developing your own board grid.  Once you have completed it for your existing board members, its easy to see what's missing in your board composition.  That's the easy part.  The more difficult phase is identifying individuals who meet the criteria you are seeking.

Rather than think about recruiting board members just before the annual meeting, make board building an ongoing, year-round activity.  I always recommend that organizations include a board candidate nomination form in their newsletters so that individuals can express interest in serving on the board. This is a good technique for reaching donors, volunteers, clients, former clients, and families of clients who already have an interest in your organization. Make sure these forms are at the reception desk and that staff and board have a supply as well.   When speaking to local service clubs, professional associations or neighborhood groups about your organization, talk about the important work the board does and distribute the nomination forms. Think about where you would find people with the skill set you are looking for.  Are there organizations or professions, cultural or ethnic groups that might be drawn to your mission?   Many communities have a board recruitment program sponsored by the United Way or a volunteer center.  In Chautauqua County we have Project Blueprint sponsored by the United Way South and North which provides a six week training program for individuals interested in serving on boards. Contact area colleges or universities, ask for suggestions from funders. Contact individuals whose profiles appear in the local papers. Brainstorm with staff and board.

To truly broaden the board candidate pool it's important to think creatively and step out of the  "friends asking friends routine".   In future posts I will be discussing the approach to potential board members and it shouldn't be "Will you serve on our board, we only meet once a month and you won't have to do much!"  I will also be sharing ideas for orientation and training.  In the meantime, if you have recruiting ideas you'd like to share with the readers, please feel free to post them in the comment section.

Until next time,
Pat


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Usually I start to think about what I am going to post early in the week.  The ideas percolate throughout  the week and then on the weekend I usually prepare and publish the post.  This week I have thought about and disgarded several concepts and topics ranging from consent agendas to how boards can evaluate and sustain themselves to the use of focus groups in the strategic planning process.  For some reason I just can't move forward with any of these ideas.  Hopefully I am not suffering from writer's block after only three months of blogging!

Maybe my self-imposed expectation of posting once ...<< MORE >>

Earlier this week I received an e-mail from a good friend which she titled "greetings from the tundra".  She was referring to the latest round of wintry weather in our area of western New York.  Fortunately I missed it as I am  vacationing on the gulf coast of Florida.  The weather isn't the only difference between the gulf coast and western New York; fund raising in the two areas is quite different as well.   I have often marveled at these differences, and thought it might make an interesting post. 

Let's see where to start?

Well, how about the Naples Winter Wine Festival that was held about a month ago and raised $14 million dollars for childrens' charities?  Auction items included fantasy trips to the Oscars and the Olympics purchased by generous and high net worth individuals.   Raising that amount of money in a weekend boggles my mind. 

Fund raising here appears to be social in nature, and it seems to be about seeing and being seen.  There are always smiling pictures in the n Magazine or the Naples Daily News of this or that person or couple at the pro-am golf and tennis tournament, the various balls and dinners - some in tuxes, some in kilts - plenty of glitz, glamour and gowns. Thursday's paper reported on the Magic Under the Mangroves gala where 440 attendees generated an estimated $350,000 for the Nature Conservancy.

Here's  just a sampling of upcoming events:  Race to the Moon by the Cancer Alliance - tickets $150 a couple - this is on the low end of ticket pricing for these events.  How about Passport to Paradise - hosted at the hanger of the local airport - $250 per person or the Carnivale in the Garden - a Brazilian-themed dinner, dance and auction at the Botanical Garden - tickets $350.  All worthy causes and all well attended. 

Celebrities are often involved in the Naples fund raisers as well.  Jane Seymour will be attending the Naples Flower Show next week, John McEnroe is often featured at the tennis classic (the name of which escapes me) Martha Stewart was a featured speaker a few years back and Robin Cook has opened his penthouse on the Bay for fund raisers and the list goes on. I am not doing justice to all the celebrities who have supported worthy causes in the sunshine, but I think you get the picture.

In western New York, we seem to have work harder to raise the funds necessary to support our favorite causes.   Events that raise $5 - $10,000 are considered very, very successful.  The last fund raiser I attended in Jamestown was for Joint Neighborhood Project- a spaghetti dinner - tickets less than $10 a person .  Board members were happy you came and happy to serve you and happy to earn several hundred dollars to support the food pantry. Friends,who are board members of local non-profits, apologize before asking you to buy a $100 ticket for a cash give-away which includes several money prizes, a buffet dinner and other door prizes as well.  As a ticket taker at last year's Scandanavian Festival, I was shocked when one would-be attendee thought the admission price of $6 was high and wondered if she would get her money's worth!

On Thursday I attended a designer show house to benefit the Naples Art Association and The Naples Players - tickets only $20.  I have attended many of these show houses as I am always on the look-out for decorating ideas and glimpsing how the other half  might live.  I may have been coming here too long, or spending too much time in the sun because when a back home friend asked about the price of the home, I replied only $2 million!  The program booklet lists and shows dozens of volunteers and decorators who donated their time to the project.  There's usually a cheerful volunteer in every room who can talk to you about the French Boussac fabric on the sofa or the powder room mural that makes you think you are in a cabana on the beach.  One volunteer I spoke with said she just loved being a greeter and she was scheduled to work 2 more times before the show house closed.  It sure seemed like way more fun than organizing a rummage sale. 

It seems as if it is easier to volunteer in this part of Florida as every week the newspaper lists over 100 local non-profits looking for volunteers.  The information includes a brief description of what they are looking for i.e. translators, computer data entry, retail help, party planning, etc. and contact information.  Many so-called "snow birds" spend some of their leisure time here helping these agencies.  The daily paper also has a weekly column called BENEFITS which lists all the upcoming open houses, races/walks, auctions and golf tournaments.

While my involvement with non-profits on the gulf coast is limited, and my involvement with non-profits in western New York is extensive, one common theme in both places is the passion volunteers have for the causes they support.  While the scale and grandeur of the events varies widely between the two localities, the net result - funding for the women's shelter or library services or tutoring is the same.  People in both places get behind the causes that are important to them and try to make their corner of the world - sun-kissed or blustery - a little better for others.

Until next time,
Pat

www.management-strategies.net

    

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Board service is an important responsibility and everyone who says "yes" when asked to serve on a non-profit board should have a passion for the mission, and the time and energy to devote to board service.  If you lack any of these you should probably pass on the opportunity for board service.

For the sake of this post, let's assume you have the understanding, the passion and the time and energy and have said yes, what should be expected of you? 

ATTEND
Let's start with attendance -  if 90% of being a good leader is showing up - then 90% of being an effective board member is attending meetings.  According to recent survey's average board attendance is 71%.  Is that good enough?  Does your board have an attendance policy? should it?

BE PREPARED
You are expected to review materials prior to meetings.  Most board members receive  the board packet -  agendas, board minutes, finance statements in advance.  It s inappropriate to walk into the board meeting and open the packet you received in the mail a week ago and start reading, or come without any of the materials because even though they were e-mailed to you, you just didn't bother to print them out and bring them with you.

VOTE
Vote conscientiously after careful examination of all sides of the issue or question.  You are not a rubber stamp for a strong executive, but rather a deliberative body accountable for your organization's performance and that includes everything that happens or doesn't happen.

KEEP BOARD MATTERS CONFIDENTIAL
What happens in the board room stays in the board room.  It is not your place to share confidential information with staff, spouses, significant others, friends, the media or the general public.  Sometimes board members aren't aware of this expectation.  Make sure it is a part of your board orientation, so there is no question that it is important.

REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The board has a fiduciary or stewardship responsibility for the organization.  This means you need to understand the financial picture.  Too many boards delegate this task to the finance committee.  It is not enough for the finance chair to have a clear picture of the finances, every board member should as well.  If you don't understand ask questions.  If the format doesn't make sense or is too complicated, ask for a simplier way of presenting this information.  Not everyone understands cash versus accrual, or deficit funding or restricted fund balances but there is often a reluctance to ask questions because the questioner assumes that everyone else gets it.  In point of fact very often many board members don't get it when it comes to understanding the financial picture.

SUPPORT FUND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
Support the organization financially at a level that is significant for you and participate in fund raising activities. Sell those tickets, put together the golf four-some, invite your friends to the dinner dance, solicit donations for the spaghetti dinner.  Do your fair share.

FOLLOW TRENDS
What's happening in the field related to your organization's services?  Are there new ways of reaching troubled youth, or involving seniors, or helping new parents?  Try and keep abreast of new and innovative means of service delivery.  Part of your responsibility is to be focused on the future.

SERVE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Every board needs officers and committee chairs and special events coordinators.  Be willing to assume leadership positions on your board.

ASK THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS - See the post entitled TO ASK OR NOT TO ASK THAT IS THE QUESTION


HELPFUL PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
        ability to think strategically, listen and analyze
        a sensitivity to and tolerance of different views
        ability to work well with people and help build consensus
        a sense of humor

AVOID BEING A DISRUPTIVE BOARD MEMBER  - KEEP THE POST ABOUT MAVERICKS IN MIND!

Until next time,
Pat

www.management-strategies.org

    

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At the time I was serving as executive director of the Jamestown YWCA and was asked to speak about how I got to where I was. The talk was designed to educate/inform and encourage.  If you remember, the 1980's found 53% of women in the workforce earning about $.64 cents for every dollar her male counterpart earned,  The glass ceiling was firmly in place and there was talk of "superwoman" who could do it all and have it all - the career, the perfect family, the beautifully decorated house, a full compliment of friends and home cooked meals. Women ...<< MORE >>

It is widely reported that one of people’s greatest fears is public speaking.  It is ranked higher than fear of flying, dealing with animals or reptiles, illness, even death.  So…people would rather die or handle a few snakes than they would make a public presentation, 

I have titled this post Presentation Skills 101: Al Gore, Michael York and the 3 P’s. We’ll meet up with Al and Michael shortly but let’s start with the 3 P’s  -  Positioning, Preparation and Presentation.

POSITIONING
Successful people position themselves as experts in their field.  Positioning helps them attract and reach the best prospects for their ...<< MORE >>

For this executive position you are probably going to want to bring your top 2 or 3 candidates back for a second interview. Some organizations ask them to make a specific presentation outlining how they would improve community visibility or implement new programs.  If the is the route your organization takes, staff and other non-search committee board members can be invited to the presentation.  Let's face it staff members want to be in on hiring their new boss.  Some organizations have a non-voting staff representative on the search committee, some ask for staff reaction to the candidates in an informal ...<< MORE >>

Pat ...<< MORE >>

• Is committed to public service


• Likes people and gets along with them well


• Is flexible, patient, tolerant and mature


• Is willing to work hard

They also need exeperience in finance, budget preparation and financial development, program planning and evaluation, human resources, facilities management, technology, community relations, working effectively with a voluntary board, and the list goes on.  It takes quite a unique skill set to succeed as a director and it takes planning and persistance to recruit just the right director for your organization.

This post is about the pursuit of the executive director and the ...<< MORE >>