Joining the Team: Covering Your Board Bases

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JOINING THE TEAM: COVERING YOUR GOVERNANCE BASES

Emily Davis, MNM, CGT Emily Davis Consulting

May 5, 2014


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TURN ON YOUR TECH



How many of you are…

q Serving on 1 committee? q Serving on 2 or more

committees? q Interested in joining a board for

the first time? q Currently serving on 1 board? q Currently serving on 2 or more

boards?

QUICK POLL


60 seconds or less

Name & Board role

Question or

challenge

Org name & brief

description


OUTCOMES


MOTIVATIONAL VALUES

Answer this question, “What motivates me to sit on the XYZ Organization’s Board?” ① Get into pairs ②  Pick ONE card from the

deck ③  Share why you chose that

card ④  Switch



PERSONAL PLANNING


1.  Determine mission & purpose

2.  Select the chief executive

3.  Support & evaluate the chief executive

4.  Ensure effective planning

5.  Monitor & strengthen programs & services

6.  Ensure adequate financial resources

7.  Protect assets & provide financial oversight

8.  Build a competent board

9.  Ensure legal & ethical integrity

10. Enhance the organization’s public standing

10 BASIC BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES


ACTIVITY

How does the board as a whole perform the 10 responsibilities listed?

Rate the board as a whole on a scale

from 1 – 4. 4 = Outstanding

3 = Good 2 = Fair 1 = Poor


Set organizational

direction

Provide oversight

Ensure necessary resources

BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES


Strategic Priorities

Goals

Objectives

Action Items

•  Process not a document

•  Roadmap •  Three-years •  Input from board,

staff, stakeholders •  Narrative, resources,

implementation tools

WHAT IS IT?


Generative

Fiduciary

Governance as

Leadership

Strategic

WHY are we going to do it?

HOW are we going to do it? WHAT are we

going to do?

§  Scanning your external environment

§  Comparative advantage

§  Strategic plans

§  Confronting challenges in traditions & values

§  What matters most to us? §  What does this mean to

us? §  Meaning §  Framing the right issue

§  Tangible §  Operations §  Legal §  Results §  Resources

§  High performing board address all three

§  Great boards know the differences

§  Fundraising in all three


FEARS & HESITATIONS


WHY 100% BOARD GIVING??


GIVING PYRAMID


SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

New gifts

Annual donors

Midsize donors

Major donors

Planned giving


Prospecting Identification Preparation

Cultivating Build the Relationship

Engage the Donor Ask for the Gift

Stewarding Recognition Reporting Communicating Engagement

FUNDRAISING PROCESS


Diversity is key

Individuals

Special events

Foundation grants

Government grants

Corporate sponsorship

Earned income

Service clubs

FUND DEVELOPMENT


2013 SOURCES OF GIVING*

*Source: Giving USA 2014


YES!!

Yes, but not that much

No

3 POSSIBLE OUTCOMES



FEARLESS FUNDRAISING: A BOARD MEMBER

CHECKLIST!

Fundraising opportunities and responsibilities for

board members

Be honest. Be realistic. Take a risk!



Legal Hat

Ambassador Hat

Volunteer Hat

THE DIFFERENT HATS WE WEAR…


WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN AMBASSADOR?


GREAT ELEVATOR PITCHES


HAIL*

To greet or acclaim enthusiastically HONESTY Be Clear and Straight AUTHENTICITY Be Yourself INTEGRITY Be Your Word LOVE Wish Them Well

*Julian Treasure


ENSURE BOARD & ED ENGAGEMENT*

ED is displacing board

GOVERNANCE AS OBSERVATION

ED is in constructive partnership with board

GOVERNANCE AS

LEADERSHIP

ED is going thru the motions with the board

GOVERNANCE AS

ATTENDANCE

ED is displaced by board

GOVERNANCE AS MICROMANAGEMENT

ED ENGAGEMENT

BOARD ENGAGEMENT

* Source: Richard Chair et. al. “Governance as Leadership”


ACTIVITY TIME!

Write “board” in the space provided if you think it is a board responsibility.

Write “staff” if you think it is a

responsibility carried out by the staff.

Write “both” if you think it is a responsibility shared by staff and board.


Board Leads

Shares values thru policies that put mission in action

Hires, supports, assesses ED

Opens funding resources in community

Oversees financial due diligence

Recruits & retains new board members

ED Leads

Develops/ Proposes policy questions

Hires, supervises, motivates staff

Develops & implements programs

Shared Leadership

Strategic plan

Fundraising plan & strategies

Evaluations

Prep board meetings

SHARED LEADERSHIP



SAMPLE BOARD RECRUITMENT TIMELINE

• Review docs & past recruitment • Design self-eval Month 1

• Conduct self-eval & demo matrix • Design application, interview questions & outreach messaging Month 2

• Add to website • Share with networks Month 3

• Schedule & conduct interviews • Invite to board meeting Month 4

• Host at board meeting • Make recommendations Month 5

• Inform candidates • Schedule orientation • Intro board buddies

Month 6

• Debrief process • Gather feedback Month 7


WHAT MAKES ‘EM TICK

• Always YES • Wants to help everyone & everything

• Caution!

OVER-COMMITTED

• Need lots to stay engaged

• Don’t let them sit around

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

• Verbal & print

• Use titles & acknowledgment

LIKES RECOGNITION

• Stays focused & on track • Great for events • May get discouraged by others lack of support

ORGANIZER

• Lots of ideas for improvement

• Pair with an Organizer to keep things moving

CREATIVE

*Abigail Harmon



BOARD MEETINGS

AGENDA

•  Frequency •  Keep under 2 hours •  Focus on governance •  Strategic plan

priorities, goals •  Mission moments •  Recognition •  Consent agendas

FACILITATION

•  Quorum •  Attendees •  Roberta’s Rules of

Order •  Avoid

micromanagement •  Accountability •  Virtual vs. in person


FACILITATION TIPS


IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU

How does this serve the mission? Does it fit our strategic goals?

What’s our capacity? What does success look like?

Keep it high level!


CONFLICT MANAGEMENT


EVALUATION


PICTURE YOUR LEGACY

Select a card that answers the question: “What is the legacy you want to leave with the board?”



•  BoardSource •  4Good •  The Policy

Governance Model (Carver)

•  Council of Nonprofits •  Roberta’s Rules of

Order •  A Fundraising Guide

for Nonprofit Board Members

•  Nonprofit Board Answer Book

•  Creating Caring and Capable Boards

•  10 Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards

•  The Board Building Cycle

•  The Nonprofit Policy Sampler

RESOURCES


BOOK SIGNING!


DRAWING!

Books for sale & signing with a discount:

$39.95 + tax

Credit card & check


Emily Davis, MNM Emily Davis Consulting

(720) 515-0581 [email protected]

emilydavisconsulting.com

Joining the Team: Covering Your Board Bases

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