Management Strategies

Back to Blogging

2008-10-29T21:20:47Z

It has been months since I have posted anything new to my blog. Summer has come and gone along with gardening, visiting relatives and a major home remodel project. Fall is in its final throes, the patio furniture and grill have been carted in, the awning is down and with lake effect snow forecast for tonight, winter is making its way make into western New York.

A wise person once said, life is about choices. So what did I choose instead of blogging? Well, there was that great trip to Quebec City to visit a Florida friend who spends summer in her native Canada. And of course there was the crash audio course in French ahead of time. Quebec City is wonderful and charming and I am so glad Del speaks French fluently because despite the crash course once we got beyond Bon Jour, I struggled. The funny thing was that when entering a restaurant or other venue, we would both say Bon Jour so the wait staff would assume we both spoke French - NOT. As soon as I opened my mouth they would quickly switch to English. The most fun was the St. John Baptiste Day celebration which seemed to be akin to New Year's Eve in Time Square, a rock concert in the park, an old fashioned street dance and just plain good old fun! And I might note that even when young Canadians are falling down drunk, they are civilized.

Well that was back in June, what happened to the rest of the summer? Well the remodel project began in July and I was overrun with carpenters - 4 Amish men and a boy who framed in the addition and walked along the beams with as mucy grace and skill as a tightrope walker. Then there were plumbers, electricians, painters, inspectors, heating and cooling specialist, excavators and then people who brough in new dirt and then there were new shrubs and watering that darn new grass every single night. But the addition is a wow. So that was all good.

Before and after and during the remodel, I was also serving as campaign manager for a countywide Family Court Judge candidate. So that meant organizing a committee, planning the announcement, getting signatures on petitions, driving people to the polls on primary day, raising money, attending fund raising events, political debates, putting up signs, urging people to vote, sending out campaign alerts etc. etc. Election day is not until next week so only time will tell but I am confident Judge Claire will be re-elected. If you want to learn more about her candidacy or programs go to www.reelectjudgeclaire.com.

September brough a new interim assignment - something I said I wasn't going to do again. It seems at least once a year one organization or another is without an executive director and so I step in for 4-6 months. All interim assignments are challenging and this one is no exception.

October was family fun with visiting son and 4 year old grandson, then one of my brothers and sister-in-law. They all heard about a new guest room and something about visitors being welcome, so wanted to take advantage of the new quarters.

Would I have traded any of this for a blog or two, probably not. So are there some lessons from any of this that I can pass along to those who read the blog. Well, yes........

It's easier to listen to French than it is to speak it.

Some contractors actually deliver what they promise - Thank you Iucalano Construction

A laundry room can be a beautiful thing.

Politics is fascinating, but it is a lot of hard work - especially for the candidate.

Campaign meetings which were de rigueur the last time I was involved in a political campaign are not necessary because of e-mail. Everyone can be instantly connected or contacted or coordinated via the Internet.

Every interim assign brings new challenges, surprises and frustrations!

Four year olds talk a lot, ask a lot of questions and say Grandma over and over and over and they give you wet kisses and fill the house with a special magic.

I have many nonprofit topics I want to write about, so I am going to try to get back to a more regular blogging schedule. It's interesting that even though I haven't written in months, my old posts are being read. The statistics page indicated there were 2750 article views during the past week. It boggles my mind but warms my heart.

Until next time,
Pat

How'd We Do? - Meeting Evaluation

2008-08-25T08:30:32Z

The work of any non-profit board is governance and determining matters of strategic importance to the organization. The board's work is accomplished at meetings. Successful and productive meetings are every board member's responsibility so it is important for all members to be on time, be prepared, engage in open, honest communication and help create an atmosphere where it is okay to disagree.

Earlier posts have focused on meeting tools such as consent agendas, norms and indicators or metrics. If you have used any of these techniques I trust you are seeing more focused and productive board meetings.
To continue the conversation about effective board meetings, I'd like to discuss meeting evaluations. There are a number of meeting evaluation tools available, or you can create your own. Since every organization has a unique culture and way of working, it is important to identify an evaluation tool that "fits" your group.

Did your group accomplish what you set out to do in your agenda?; did the process make sense?; and what about relationships - how do people feel about how members treat one another?

One simple and very effective technique is to take 5-10 minutes at the end of the board meeting and ask board members to rate the meeting on a scale of one to ten, with one being awful and ten being superb. The chair simply does a round-robin and everyone verbally gives their number and why they gave the meeting that ranking. Someone might say, "I rate it a 6 because while we accomplished a lot, we did stray from the agenda and there were side-bar conversations."

Again, if your group's comfort level is with verbal evaluations, there are other questions that can be asked in a round robin at the end of the meeting, such as:
    What did we do that really worked well?
    Did anything happen that we do not want to repeat?
    Are there bad habits we seem to fall into?

If your group prefers a written evaluation format, you can periodically distribute a written meeting evaluation form which includes statements like:
                                                                                                                             Good                   Needs to Improve

Meeting started on time.

Meeting was business like, results-oriented and we functioned like a team.

Members were prepared for discussion of agenda packet material.

Discussion was confined to agenda items only.

Policy issues, rather than daily management issues were discussed.

Controversial items were handled successfully and to the satisfaction
of all members.

Printed materials were easy to understand and use.

Meeting was appropriately guided by board chair who did not
dominate the discussion.

Members were able to differ without losing
regard for the right of each to have his or her own views.

Board members listened to one another.

When action was taken, assignments were made and accepted.

Meeting room was comfortable and conducive to board activity.

For items that members indicate need to improve, it is helpful if they are asked to include suggestions for what those improvements should be.

Regardless of the type of evaluation you use, the key point is that you assess your board's meeting behaviors and eliminate the time wasters, the drifting off topic and concerning yourselves with matters that are the executive director's responsibility. And remember that the meeting should take place at the meeting and not in the parking lot afterward.

Until next time,
Pat

www.management-strategies.org

Tools for Board Meetings

2008-08-06T20:45:38Z

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

Meetings With Meaning

2008-07-12T12:19:54Z

It has been said that meetings are events at which minutes are taken and hours are wasted. Yet for those who serve on non-profit boards, meetings are where and how they carry out their governance responsibiities, so it is imperative to have well-run meetings which facilitate reasoned and effective decision making .

Does your board suffer from any of these symptoms of board meeting problems?

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 members to identify your organization's top three priorities based on your mission, vision and strategic plan.
Are the top three priorities of the board the same as they are for the organization?
How much time does the board spend on the above priorities at your board meetings?
How much time at board meetings is spent talking about things that have already happened?
In thinking about recent board meetings were there agenda items which could have been better handled by a committee or the executive director or senior staff?
Results of this survey should give you a starting point for actions you might take to ensure that the board spends more time on priority matters.

There are a number of tools to keep meetings focused. I am going to talk about the most important tool - the agenda - and how this really is the blueprint for success of any meeting.

AGENDAS are necessary for effective meetings and every board member should be able to have input in terms of what goes on the agenda. Every board member should also be expected to review the agenda and all supporting materials in advance of the meeting.

Many boards have adopted a consent agenda format where routine items and resolutions are grouped together and voted on with one vote. These should be issues that do not need any discussion before a vote. Often included in a consent agenda would be approval of committee or previous board meeting minutes, minor changes in a procedure, or routine revisions of a policy. Any board member may request that an item be removed from the consent agenda and discussed individually. What I have observed with boards using a consent agenda is that initially members want to remove items from the consent agenda and discuss them. As the boards learns to work in a more focused way, they quickly adapt to the consent agenda concept and use their board time for discussing strategic issues.

Agendas should be forward looking and focused on matters of strategic importance. Many board agendas are backward-looking and this encourages second guessing and drifting into management.  The priorities identified in your survey or strategic plan should be the priorities addressed at your board meetings. Planning and evaluation of programs and services, acquisition and management of resources, assurance of integrity and accountability and the future are governance issues to be addressed by the board.

It is also helpful to stage the agenda and wise to not begin or end the meeting with an issue known to be controversial. Table major issues if you don't have consensus. Avoid drift and when members are off-topic have a process for quickly returning the group to the priorities at hand. A parking lot process - where important but off topic concerns are posted on a flip chart can be an effective tool for capturing the concerns and then including them in future agendas, or at the end of the meeting if there is time and the group wants to address them.

Write an "anticipated action" for each agenda item such as approval, discussion, information, refer to committee. Some groups also like to include an estimated time for each item.

At the beginning of the year identify a number of educational topics that can be included on a long term agenda and then every other month or so include a 20 minute presentation or discussion. Topics can range from changing client profiles to emerging competitor organizations to board composition & diversity topics.

There are a number of other tools including establishing norms, key metrics to monitor, meeting evaluation tools and a variety of decision making options that will be discussed in later posts.

A sample agenda follows:


                                                                        SAMPLE AGENDA

There are a number of ways to focus board attention on priorities. How the agenda is structured is key to that process. This agenda begins with the mission statement as an ongoing reminder of work of the organization. It begins with a consent agenda to save time and deal with routine items which do not need discussion. The format alerts board members to what will be expected of them regarding each item. Some organizations also like to indicate how much time will be devoted to each item. The meeting ends with a review of actions taken and assignments made and a quick evaluation of perceptions of the meeting.

                                                                     ABC PUBLIC LIBRARY
                                                                           JUNE 1, 2008
                                                                        7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Mission: ABC Public Library fosters and enhances family literacy through access, information and instructional services.

Call to Order

ACTION TIME

A. Consent Agenda                                                                                    approval
    a. Approval of Minutes of May 4th meeting
    b. President’s Report
    c. Librarian’s Report

B. Treasurer’s Report review, file for audit

C. Finance Committee………….Jeff Brown
          Proposed change in insurance carrier                                             approval

D. Expand Educational Program……Susie Smith
       Documentation of need (Program Committee)                                   approval

E. Board Assessment                                                                                 discussion
                                                                                                                  approve use of new
                                                                                                                  evaluation tool

F.  Establish “Friends of Library” Group                                                     discussion/appoint committee

G.    Presentation by Allen Case – Libraries                                               discussion/reaction
       of the Future.

H.    Other business

I. Announcements

J. Meeting Evaluation

K. Action Review

L. Adjourn

Until next time,
Pat

Best Practices( or just common sense) to Enhance Board Effectiveness

2008-05-31T20:01:45Z

During the past 16 years as a consultant working with non-profit organizations and foundations, I have read countless articles, books, white papers, columns, and journals focused on the non-profit sector. I have attended workshops, seminars and conferences. For the last several years I have included a number of what I have termed "best practices" as part of every Building Better Boards through Strategic Governance Workshop I have presented. At this stage, it is hard to pinpoint where each practice came from. Some are original with me, others I know are not, but I have been including them for so long, it's hard to remember their point of origin.

Are they in fact 'best practices' based on emperical data and longitudinal studies? No. Yet there is a certain logic and sense to them. I believe they help boards to be more effective and after all isn't that one of the ultimate goals of every not-for-profit? You have nothing to lose by implementing them and much to gain. So here they are in their simplicity with a blanket thank you and acknowledgement to other practitioners, presenters and authors for their contributions to this list.

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 and assessment.
Celebrate.

Feel free to add your own best practices, common sense maxims or simple truths to the list.

Until next time,
Pat

P.S. I hope you like the new background for the blog. I have fond memories of my first Parker fountain pen and this template spoke to me. However, if I had to write out each post in long hand, even with an elegant fountain pen, my blogging days might never have come to be.

How is Your Board Performing? - Part Two - Group Performance

2008-05-26T19:06:05Z

Last week's post focused on individual board performance and assessment. This post will focus on assessing the entire board along a number of dimensions. Hopefully, your board has an annual work plan spelling out what you hope to accomplish in a given time period.

There are a number of assessment tools ranging from the simple to the complex and validated by published research. You may want to check out Carter McNamara's free and very extensive nonprofit management library at www.managemementhelp.org or go to BoardSource www.boardsource.org for samples or examples. The Upstate Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence also has a number of assessment tools, but when I go to what used to be their web address www.upstatealliancenp.org, all I get are advertisements from Go Daddy. It appears the computer gremlins are hard at work again, but maybe you will have more success in getting to the site than I did.

What makes the most sense for your organization?   What questions need to be asked and answered in order to determine if your board is governing effectively? A possible starting place might be looking closely at the key responsibilities of nonprofit governing boards, which include planning & evaluation, financial development and management, human resources, community connection, and board development.

If you are going to develop your own assessment tool, use a 5 point scale - Excellent 5, Good 4, Average 3, Fair 2 and Poor 1, or use a Yes, No or Needs Improvement scale with an additional column for suggestions for improvement. Have each board member complete the assessment form and then the Board Development Committee can tabulate the results and present them to the board for discussion.


Under Planning & Evaluation
    Does the organization have an ongoing process to examine internal and external community trends, to make forecasts and to systematically plan for its future?
    Does the organization have a current strategic plan with an updated and concise
    mission statement? vision and values statements?  clearly articulated goals?
    Are organizational policies consistent with the values statement?
    Is the board's work, and current programming moving the organization toward its vision?
    Are the quality and quantity of programs consistent with the plan and the mission?
    Is there a framework of accountablity for the organization?
    Have dashboard indicators for governance been developed so board members can quickly assess how the organization is doing?
    Do board members actively participate in the planning process?

Under Financial Development & Management
    Does the board approve an annual budget and fund raising goals?
    Do all board members make an annual contribution that is significant to them?
    Do all board members support special events and campaigns?
    Is there an audit committee?
    Is there a system for ensuring that resources are managed effectively via monitoring systems that assure executive and organization accountability?

Under Human Resources
   Does the organization provide orientation, training and evaluation for staff, volunteers and board members?
   Is the Executive Director/CEO evaluated annually against preset goals?
   Are personnel policies, including a grievance procedure current and understood by all?
   Does the organization have a wage and salary administration plan designed to attract and retain competent staff?
    Are board and staff viewed as working cooperatively as a team, and is each recognized by the other as having a distinct and important role to play?
   Is the board's relationship with the Executive Director one of mutual trust and respect?


Under Community Connection
    Does the organization publish an annual report?
    Does the board represent the organization to the community
    Does the organization have a system for obtaining input from individuals and groups affected by its planning of services, its methods of service delivery and its service results?

Under Board Development
   Are board members and officers carefully recruited and selected?
   Does the board operate under a clear and up-to-date set of by-laws with which all members are familiar?
   Does the board have diversity in terms of experience, skills, ethnic, racial, gender and age groups?
   Does the nominating committee use established criteria to recruit board members based on the needs of the board?
   Are there term limits?
   Does the board have an appropriate committee structure?
   Do at least eighty percent of board members attend meetings?
   Does each member of the board feel involved and interested in the board's work?

This post is not meant to be an exhaustive and all inclusive listing of assessment questions. Think of it as grist for the mill in terms of some of the dimensions you may want to assess. The results will point out areas where the board can be more effective and suggest possible topics for board development activities.   Common sense would suggest that you have to know where you are in the present to make plans for the future.   Organizations committed to self-improvement are more likely to perform at or near peak capacity, add value and help the organization to evolve to the next level of effectiveness. Is it time for your organization to take this important step?

Until next time,
Pat

How Is Your Board Performing? - Part One - Individual Performance

2008-05-18T14:03:10Z

One of the recommendations in the recently published brief by Francie Ostrower, BOARDS OF MIDSIZE NONPROFITS: THEIR NEEDS AND CHALLENGES was to "Institutionalize a procedure for the board to regularly monitor its own performance." Going on to say "in order to identify and correct weaknesses in their performance, boards must regularly examine that performance and find find ways to train board members and implement changes as needed", the publication is one of many stressing the importance of board self-assessment.

While the literature on this topic is growing and a number of board assessment forms are available, many boards do not engage in the self-assessment process. Why? Probably for a number of reasons ranging from:

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. So where do you start?
It might be easiest to start with how well individual board members fulfill their duties. This presupposes that board members have job descriptions, and have participated in board orientation and training so they are clear about what it is they are supposed to be doing in terms of their governance role.

INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER SELF-ASSESSMENT
As a proponent of Steven Covey's "habits", I also recommend beginning with the end in mind. What is it that you want to know? I would not presume to tell you what to ask but rather offer some ideas for consideration. Questions that might be asked of individual board members could center around attendance, understanding of their responsibilities, whether or not an annual contribution has been made, their understanding of the organization's finances, their involvement with special events, willingness to serve as an officer or committee chair, how frequently they recommend potential candidates for the board or secure volunteer, in-kind or material donations for the organization and their satisfaction with how meetings are run. Open ended questions - in terms of what support they need to be more effective, personal goals they hope to accomplish for the organization through their board service or skills they feel they bring to the organization - can provide a treasure trove of information.

If you have a Board Development Committee they would have responsibility for researching or developing and/or adapting questionnnaires, distributing the questionnaires and summarizing the responses which are then presented to the board for discussion. Or, if you are working with a non-profit consultant they would develop/adapt/distribute/summarize questionnaire responses and facilitate a discussion of results at a board meeting.

How well individual board members fulfill their responsibilities plays a major role in how well the board works together as a collective body. If you are not ready for a full board assessment, begin with the individual board assessment. Maybe you will find that a majority of board members think your meetings are too long and boring or too short and not substantive, or that very few board members really understand the financial statements or that several board members have specific untapped skills. Additionally, the discussion following the assessment provides an excellent forum for board members to better understand one another's perceptions and concerns. Further, the survey results can help identify topics for further board training to help improve performance and add value to the organization, while gaining assurance from what is being done well.

In this time of heightened concern about governance, it makes sense to assess how well your board is doing. Next week's post will focus on assessing the entire board and will include suggestions on how to gauge performance along a number of dimensions.   If your organization follows the practice of having an annual board "work plan" outlining specific activities the board will undertake in its areas of responsibility, then you are well positioned to carry out a board assessment because your benchmarks for performance will already be in place. If not, well there's a little more work you'll have to do.

Until next time,
Pat

The Business of Blogging

2008-05-10T14:57:17Z

When I started blogging in January, I was determined to post weekly - every week - and so far I have done so. The blogging program or the little gremlin who resides in my blogville keeps a record of every article view. So at any time I know how many people have looked at any post. This is in addition to the individuals who subscribe. They don't get counted here, but a separate gremlin keeps track of how many subscribers there are, but will never reveal their names. Maybe it's a HIPPA gremlin and he/she is protecting their privacy.

After working part of last weekend to complete my post on The Troublesome Executive Director, it was intersting to note that for the first few days fewer than 20 people read that post, while more than 350 read Questions to ask before joining a non-profit board. Blog readers clearly pick and choose and do not necessarily read in the order in which posts are published. Maybe it's like real estate where buyers tell you if your house is priced correctly by making an offer somewhere near your asking price or not. Blog readers tell you if you have hit on a topic that is of interest or not. So maybe my "guesser" needs a little fine tuning or I need some feedback from readers. If you have specific topics of interest, please let me know.

So..... would anyone notice if I skipped a week? Maybe not, so I am going to chance it and spend the rest of today in the garden. Unfortunately, I don't have any gardening gremlins and if the weeds are going to go, I have to be the one to ensure that happens.

Until next time,
Pat

The Troublesome Executive Director

2008-05-04T12:35:13Z

I have waxed poetic in terms of disruptive board members calling them "mavericks"and been taken to task for the label, and for pointing out behaviors which I consider disruptive but that others believe are appropriate. If you remember my initial post, it was about board members who overstep their authority, cause executive directors to lose sleep and in general are problematic. In the non-profit sector these disruptive board members are not alone in wrecking havoc - some executive directors have been known to be troublesome as well.

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 vision, the executive director is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the organization. Earlier posts have outlined the characteristics and capabilities necessary to be an effective director(See - In Pursuit of the Executive Director - Part One) so I won't repeat them here because this post is about the lack of those characteristics. I would point out, however, that some boards hire the wrong person to begin with and this is the beginning of tension, trouble and turmoil.

A fairly common symptom of an ineffective E.D. is high staff and board turnover - almost a revolving door effect because at both levels individuals are unable or unwilling to work with this person. When assessing this for your organization remember it is not just a numbers thing as people leave for a variety of reasons - a better opportunity, a move, family responsibilities - that have nothing to do with the executive director. Exit interviews with departing board members would be one source for identifying problems at the board level.

Another symptom that there is trouble in paradise is if the executive director consistently withholds information from the board or makes decisions that rightfully belong to the board, or brushes aside questions posed by board members.  The board should never be blindsided by the executive's actions or commitments he or she has made for the organization.

Other indicators of a dysfunctional executive include declining funding, low staff morale, an absence of systems and procedures and a lack of timely information and financial reports. Troublesome executives often insert themselves into situations where they do not belong or take credit for the good works of others. They have been known to micro-manage or at the other extreme to offer little in the way of staff supervision.

One way to ensure that this doesn't happen, or to bring it to light sooner if it is happening, is through yearly performance goals and an annual performance evaluation. Many boards are lax in terms of communicating their expectations to the director, and don't always get around to the annual performance evaluation.  Then when the rumblings start, the evaluation becomes a high priority. Don't wait until there's a problem - ensure that goals are set yearly and the director is accountable for meeting them.

I can think of one director that was adored by her board, did and said all the right things to the board, but was a tyrant when it came to dealing with staff. It took a long time for this particular board to understand the damage that was going on behind their backs. Since the executive works for the board and the rest of the staff work for the executive it can be difficult for board members to really understand the executive/staff dynamics. Typically all of the board's information comes from the executive and if he or she is the culprit you are not going to hear it from them. Some organizations bring in an outside HR firm to assess the organization's work environment through confidential staff interviews. The outside firm reports to the board and the results can not be shaded by the director.

Unfortunately, inept executives can remain in place for a long time. If the agency's cause is especially worthy, some funders may hold the organization to a lower standard and let them "skate" as it were on required reporting.    When faced with the issues identified above, boards are reluctant to take action as the prospect of open conflict with the executive director is dismaying.   It may take months or even years,  but eventually a board member or group of board members will say - "This isn't right and we have to take action to remedy the situation."  Recognizing the problem is the first step in solving it and there will be further posts on possible strategies once the board decides to act.

This post, and everything written in this blog, is not intended as legal advice. I am merely expressing my thoughts and opinions and offering suggestions on how to avoid the problems in the first place.

Until next time,
Pat

Visit us on the web at www.management-strategies.org

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK - Does it matter?

2008-04-27T16:36:37Z

At the risk of sounding flippant, whether National Volunteer Week (April 27th - May 3rd this year) matters depends on who you ask. Do the individuals that are often described in recognition ceremonies as "dedicated, compassionate, dependable" volunteer for the certificate, the plaque, the pin, their name and/or picture in the paper? I think not; they volunteer because they care and truly want to make their part of the world better. Many are embarassed to be publicly recognized and feel that what they do doesn't warrant all the attention they are getting. For many a simple thank you - from the guests at the soup kitchen, or the pre-schoolers who snuggle in their laps for special stories, or the harried executive directors who are grateful that they agreed to chair the auction, the golf tournament, the spaghetti dinner - is all the thanks they need or want.

Why do we dedicate a whole week each year to recognizing volunteers? Is this some subtle plot to increase sales of cards, plaques, flowers and other trinkets? I think not, yet the economic impact that volunteers have cannot be denied. According to Independent Sector, a Washington, D.C.-based coaltion of nonprofits and foundations, the value of each volunteer hour in 2007 rose to $19.51. Think about that in relation to America's 1.4 million charitable organizations. If only one volunteer provided only one hour per year in each of the million plus charities that's over $27,000,000 in donated services. And we know that volunteers spend way more than one hour a week and any charitable organization worth its salt has way more than one volunteer!

Hospitals, nursing homes and established organizations excel at volunteer recognition and have one year, five year, ten year - you get the idea - awards. For volunteer coordinators this is a busy time of year, planning the recognition event, figuring out who gets what and trying to ensure that everyone gets recognized and no one gets slighted. It's really quite stressful. So I guess it matters to them because it is in their job description that they are responsible for planning, organizing and implementing an annual volunteer recognition event.

So while I personally could do without the staged recognition events, I know unequivocally that our community and our nation cannot do without our volunteers. So to all of you who deliver the meals, visit the elderly, transport patients, tutor students, serve on boards and committees, share your passion for the outdoors with young campers, serve as scout leaders and docents, and the thousand other kindnesses and ways you share your time and talent as a volunter - THANK YOU SINCERELY.

And to the episodic volunteers, who are not affiliated with a charitable organization, but take their elderly neighbor for groceries, or provide respite for family members caring for the ill or frail, or babysit so young parents can have a night out, or participate in a neighborhood clean-up, or organize a fund raising event for a terminally ill child - THANK YOU SINCERELY.

I think National Volunteer Week matters because volunteers matter. It also provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness and encourage more people to give back to their community. And so as you go about your week volunteering or not, attending a recognition event or not, think about the men and women - young and old for whom volunteering is an important and integral part of their lives. And after you think about them, think about joining them in this uniquely American phenomenon.

Until next time,
Pat

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Questions to ask before joining a non-profit board

2008-04-20T13:17:39Z

The last several posts have been written from the perspective of the organization in terms of strategically identifying, recruiting, orienting, training and sustaining board members. I'd like to switch gears and discuss board recruitment from the perspective of the individual who is being recruiting. Being a board member is a very important responsibility and no one should accept that responsibility without thoughtful consideration. So when the friend or stranger calls and asks if you'd like to serve on the ABC board, here are some pertinent questions you may want to ask before accepting that board nomination:

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 or do they operate at a deficit with a declining funding base?
Does the board discuss and approve the budget annually?
Are financial reports reviewed at each meeting? Are they understandable?
Are board members expected to make an annual financial contribution? If so, how much?
Is there a strategic plan?
Briefly describe the relationship between the board and the executive director.

The answers to the above questions will give you a sense of how the organization operates. The next questions will help you evaluate your interest in serving.

Are you supportive of the organization's mission?
Do you have the time and commitment level to be an effective board member?
Is this a group you would be proud to join?

No one ever volunteers to do a poor job, but often board members join for the wrong reasons or the organization has a level of dysfunction that makes board service frustrating. So do yourself a favor and ask these questions, as well as others you feel are important, before saying yes. Remember "It's better to be overprepared than ambushed!"

Until next time,
Pat

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The Board Building Cycle - Retaining and Renewing Board Members

2008-04-13T16:33:22Z

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

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The Board Building Cycle - Recruiting & Orienting Board Members

2008-04-06T14:12:13Z

Last week's post Step One of the Board Building Cycle - Identifying Potential Board Members focused on the process of assessing organizational needs, completing a board grid, using a board nomination form and making this an on-going, year round process. If you have been diligent in Step One, your Board Development or Board Governance or Nominating Committee(whatever you choose to call the committee charged with sustaining your board) should have a list of potential candidates who are well suited to join your organization as board members.

RECRUITING
I was not joking when I wrote that the approach to potential board members should not be "Will you serve on our board, we only meet once a month and you won't have to do much". I mention this because these are the words that are very often used when recruiting. There is an attempt to minimize the time commitment that I find insulting. Why do I want to serve on a board that doesn't do much? Why should I spend my time in that way?
A better approach IMHO is to be forthright with the potential candidates, tell them specifically why they are being recruited - their financial or public relations acumen, their understanding of the issues your organization addresses. Be honest about the time commitment. Perhaps the board only meets once a month but each board member is expected to serve on at least one committee and participate in all fund raising events. Stress the importance of your mission and significant role the board plays in achieving that mission. If the candidate is waivering invite him/her to attend a board meeting as a guest. The only downside to this is - if your board is dysfunctional- it will be very apparent and the individual will probably decline to join your organization.

ORIENTING
Once the candidate accepts and is elected, or appointed, or whatever the process is for your organization, how do you ensure that his or her experience is positive and productive right from the beginning?

As with any new assignment, it is important to orient new board members to the work of the agency, the mission, vision and programs, the role of the board, the corporate culture, etc. On some large boards, a mentor is appointed for each new board member. This person is available to answer questions and interpret the alphabet soup that makes up much of the discussion on boards.

Often orientation is handled by the Executive Director, sometimes the board chair or other board members participate. If it is a large facility or there are multiple facilities a tour is usually included. During my tenure as an executive director I always met individually with each new board member to discuss what they hoped to accomplish as a board member. If there were certain skills they wanted to develop or if they aspired to a leadership position on the board, I tried to provide access to leadership develoment opportunities for them.

Most organizations have some type of a Board Manual. While the contents can vary, the documents listed below can help new board members better understand their new role:

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 information is available, or give each board member a DVD with this information or present it as a podcast.

What about ongoing Board training? For years I have presented a 2 1/2 hour workshop entitled Building Better Boards which focuses on why boards exist and highlights legal, governance and individual responsibilities, as well as the board's role in fundraising, the board building cycle and effectiveness and accountability. At the end of the workshop, there is always a list - sometimes very short and sometimes very long - of steps the board can take to be more effective. The whole point of ongoing board training is that every board can do better and take their organization to the next level of achievement and performance.

Excellent boards do not just happen. They are built by design and careful attention to detail at every stage of the board building cycle. In the same way that colleges focus on student retention, boards must focus on member retention. It is not enough to identify, recruit and orient new board members, we have to keep them at the table and committed to the work of our organization. My next post will focus on the renewal phase of the board building cycle.

Until next time,

Pat

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The Board Building Cycle - Identifying Potential Board Members

2008-04-06T13:59:23Z

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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LEADERSHIP - Lessons from Lincoln

2008-03-22T13:28:02Z

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 a week was unrealistic. Or maybe I am just annoyed by the rash of spam that I have received in the comment section. Instead of comments pro or con on the posts, some lame brains are sending along gibberish that I have to read, delete and block. I'm opposed to spam - the kind that comes in the can and the kind that proliferates in our in-boxes. Having said that I don't want to write a post about spam or blogging either.

So I am going to write about leadership. On Thursday I had the opportunity to hear Doris Kearns Goodwin, renouned historian and best selling author. Based on her book "Team of Rivals: The Genius of Abraham Lincoln", she gave an hour long presentation "Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln." She is not only a prominent historian, and gifted writer but a warm and witty story teller as well. She captivated the audience of close to 1000 ( I did not do a head count, but the gentleman two seats away did and shared the tally with his wife and me. I asked her if he was an accountant or worked with numbers and she said no, He was German and that is the way his mind worked).

According to Ms. Goodwin, President Lincoln had only about 12 months of formal schooling throughout his lifetime, and also suffered terrible personal and political losses. Yet his ambition was to accomplish something worthy so that he could live on in the memory of others. She touched on the leadership traits that he possessed and how once elected he surrounded himself with his better-educated and better-known former politicals rivals because they were best suited for the roles and responsibilities he needed filled. Imagine that in today's political climate.

I can't do justice to her presentation, and I haven't read the book but the leadership traits ranged from a capacity to listen to different points of view but to be the final decision maker and stand behind the decision to acknowledging failures and mistakes and learning from them while sharing credit for success with others. Lincoln also shouldered blame for the actions of subordinates, was aware of his own weaknesses, understood the importance of not letting resentments fester. He would write what she called "hot letters" in which he poured out his frustrations but never mailed. He knew how to relax and enjoyed telling jokes and stories and loved attending the theater. Additionally, he was able to connect with people from all walks of life.

Humility, perserverance and seeing the best in everyone were key characterists of President Lincoln. Today's leaders in the public, private and non-profit sector would do well to emulate him and put his leadership lessons into practice.

Kudos to Ms. Goodwin for her elegant reminder of what true leadership is really about.

Until next time,
Pat

FLORIDA'S GULF COAST AND WESTERN NEW YORK - a world of difference

2008-03-15T16:41:04Z

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

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Individual Board Member Responsibilities

2008-03-09T20:28:13Z

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

TEN TIPS FOR GETTING THERE

2008-03-01T16:07:52Z

Since I was traveling this weekend and didn't have a lot of time to devote to the blog, I decided to try and find something I had already written. They say that everything old is new again and so I went way back in the archives and found a speech I had delivered to the Displaced Homemakers group back in March 1989. I'm not sure the organization even exists anymore, but if it does it is called Every Women Opportunity Center or at least that is what it was called the last time I heard about it.

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 were just coming to realize that "superwoman" was a myth and while you might be able to have it all, it was almost impossible to have it all at the same time!

The speech, which was about my non-traditional career path, focused on how sometimes we start down a road that someone else has chosen for us, how people come into our lives and change how we view the world and how we end up in a career that we might not have imagined for ourselves. Since I take my own advice about presenting information in more than one format, I of course had a handout. While the advice is almost 20 years old, and was focused on women who were trying to find their way in the world, I think it still has some relevance. So, here's the list....

TEN SIMPLE TIPS FOR GETTING THERE - WHEREVER THERE IS FOR YOU.
1.) It's okay to put yourself first
2.) Focus on a few things at a time
3.) Don't be afraid to try and fail
4.) Assess your current support system and if you don't have one, start building
5.) Don't be afraid to take credit for your ideas
6.) No one is as together as you think they are
7.) Everything you do (successfully or unsuccessfully) prepares you for the next challenge
8.) Identify women that you think are successfuly and talk to them about how they did it, or are doing it
9.) Support organizations that support women
10.) When you get there, don't forget those still trying to make it

While tip number one is all about you, number ten is about lending a hand to someone else who is on their quest to "there". I am very grateful to the many mentors and friends who have been a part of my support system. You know who you are and thank you very, very much.

Note to readers,
For a long time the post on Maverick Board Members was the most read entry. However, last week the post To Ask or Not to Ask - That is the Question seemed to strike a cord with readers. It was read 15 to 20 times as often as any other post. It appears that readers are very interested in their effectiveness as board member and want to get it right. If you have additional questions on board behavior, please post them in the comment section, and I will try and include answers in a future post I plan to write about individual board responsibilities.

Until next time,
Pat