NYCON Presentation Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Boards April 7th Binghamton

Community Focus w Statewide Impact w National Network

April 7, 2011 | Binghamton, NY

Presented by:

Doug Sauer, Chief Executive Officer

[email protected] | 800.515.5012

Recruitment & Retention

Strategies for

Board of Directors

Key Learning

Objectives

• Recognize what motivates board members to excel in

their role & obligations

• Become aware of methods & tools for board strategic

assessment, recruitment, orientation, retention &

development processes

• Understand the importance, role & responsibilities of a

Board Development Committee

• Explore problem-solving strategies for improving your

board’s performance

Ask Yourself…

How did you first get involved on the board?

And, what motivates you to stay involved?

Board Members…

Give:

• Time

• Expertise

• Community/Constituent Perspective

• Credibility

• Influence

• Resources– Directly or Access to

– “Give, Get or Get Off”?

• Commitment to Excellence– Care, Obedience & Loyalty

May Get:

• Personal Satisfaction

• Commitment to Mission,

Cause, &/or Community

• Professional Growth or

Networking Opp’s.

• Benefit to Employer or Self

• Recognition

What is Board

Development?

• The process of creating, maintaining & improving the

functioning, effectiveness & productivity of board

leadership & governance

• It Goes Well Beyond Recruiting & Nominating!

Significant Trend in

Governance

Smaller boards aimed at

higher overall and individual

director & officer

performance

What Does A Board

Development Committee

Do?

• Develops strategic board development goals, short & long

term

• Assesses overall board functioning & composition in

relationship to those goals

• Regularly reviews board & officer job descriptions,

qualifications & performance expectations/standards

• Assesses individual board member & officer performance

• Manages communications with existing board members

& officers re: renewal of terms, retirement, etc.

Board Development

Committee (continued)

• Plans for multi-year leadership succession

• Recruits & nominates board & officer positions

• Designs & implements orientation along with

ED/CEO

• Encourages & coordinates ongoing development &

training opportunities

• Monitors & makes recommendations with respect

to ethical conduct

• Reviews bylaws & proposed amendments

Think About…

• How is your board organized to do board

development?

• How well does it work?

• And, what is the role of the ED/CEO?

Be Aware of…

• What your Certificate of Incorporation, Charter

and/or Bylaws may state with respect to

composition

• Contractual, licensing or accreditation

requirements & standards related to structure

or composition

Are you compliant?

Who Are Your Board

Assets & Weaknesses?

Perform an assets & needs inventory:

• Knowledge of & commitment to mission & org.

• Talents, specialized expertise & skills

• Board & leadership experience

• Influence, contacts, etc.

• Diversity & representation

– Ethnic, racial, religious, age, etc.

– Geographic, political, industry, etc.

• Consumer participation

• Other?

Examples of Measures

for Overall Board

Performance

• Progress with strategic goals, objectives & work plans

• How well do committees function?

• % of Board Members who attend board/committee meetings?

– Number of meetings you don’t have quorum

• % of Board that contributes $ annually & level of significance?

• Effective meeting management

– Duration of meetings

– Meeting productivity – actions & priorities

– Board vs. staff participation

• Board & Officer turnover

Examples of Measures for

Individual Board Member

Performance

• Time & expertise contributed

• Attendance (number & percentage)

• Constructive participation/engagement

• Influence & representation (activities or results)

• Donations (give or get)

• Attended training/development opportunities

• For officers & committee chairs, performed duties as

required

• Conflict of interest issues

Tips for Assessing

the Board, Officers &

Members

• Have clear goals & expectations for the organization & for

individuals

• Formally assess annually & consider doing so in writing

• If the bylaws or policies are obstacles or not conducive to

effective governance, propose changes

• Promote & protect confidentiality & handle sensitive situations

very carefully

• Share results with the board, but avoid unnecessary

personality-based discussions

• Don’t allow mission & performance to be adversely affected

by personalities, unhealthy relationships, etc.

From Assessment to

Nominations &

Recruitment

• What are the biggest challenges you

experience around the nominations

& recruitment process?

• What have been your most

successful strategies in identifying

new board members & why?

Plan Ahead: Design a

Nominations &

Recruitment Strategy

1. Know required process & timeframe (bylaws)

2. Consider multi-year goals & strategies

3. Identify individuals, groups & organizations whose

purpose, skills or contacts relate to mission, needs

& goals

4. Take the time to develop strategic relationships that

will support recruitment now & in the future

Plan Ahead (continued)

5. Develop the application (forms, interviews) & the

selection process you will use

• What do you want to know about prospective board

members?

6. Define & clarify Board/ED roles in contacting,

orienting & “making the ask”

Finding Board Members:

Consider Extending Your

Network

• Current board members’ networks or affiliations

• Stakeholders: Members, donors, consumers, etc.

• Consider their extended network

• Other nonprofits, churches or community groups

• Higher education & schools

• Government employees (check ethic laws/restrictions)

• General public: Do you open your process?

– Advertise/announce opportunities on your website,

professional association newsletters or websites, local

newspapers, online listings or matching services, etc.

Additional Strategies

• Check with local United Way, volunteer programs,

Online programs (i.e. Board Net), etc.

• Have non-board members serve on select committees (check bylaws)

• Appoint newer board members to board development

committee

• Involve experts, those with influence, others in an

advisory capacity

• Hold an open house

Prepare Before You Meet

with a Prospective

Member...

• Develop pertinent materials - Orientation starts now!

• Designate an initial contact person

• Use person who is most familiar

– If ED/CEO, involve a board member as well

• Develop your “pitch” - what tone will you set regarding

the board’s expectations of its members?

• Have them visit your organization initially or as a follow-

up

Be Prepared for

Questions

• Who are the other board members?

• What are your board meetings like?

• Are you fiscally sound & fiscally responsible? Can I have

a copy of the audit & IRS Form 990?

• Is the organization in a crisis? If there are financial

problems, what is the plan?

• What are the board’s major goals, challenges & plans?

• What is the time commitment, participation & expectation

standards?

More Possible

Questions…

• How/what can I contribute as a board member?

• What committees do you feel I should serve on?

• What opportunities are there for board learning?

• How effective are the programs?

• How does the board work with executive leadership &

staff?

• What are the relations between the organization and other

like nonprofits? Government? Business?

• Do you have directors & officers liability insurance?

Be prepared for more in depth questions specific to expertise

Sample Questions to

Ask Prospects

• What do you know about our organization & how does

our mission interest you?

• What motivates you to consider joining our team? (if

prospect has indicated interest)

• What are your previous board experiences & what is your

understanding as to how a board should function?

• Given our expectations, what, if any,

concerns or limitations do you have?

• How do you feel you can contribute

to our board team?

Recruiting “What

If’s?”

If they say “NO”• Ask why & if time is an issue; ask if they would join a committee

or be willing to consider the opportunity at another time

• Thank them, respect their decision & keep them informed

If they say “MAYBE”• Find out what additional info might aid their decision

• Offer opportunity to visit the agency, meet other board members

or to experience a board meeting

If they say “YES” • Let them know the timing & next steps in the process

• Make sure to follow up quickly

From Recruitment to

Orientation: Tools

• Welcoming, inclusive participatory environment

• Orientation Sessions

• One-to-one meeting with leadership

• Formal training sessions

• Meetings with key staff

• Pre-board service

• Board Mentor or “buddy” system

• Annual Retreat

• Ongoing support

• Board manual

Retaining Good

Board Members

Avoid the Revolving Door

Keys to Retaining Good

Board Members

• Respect & use each members’ skills, contacts &

time as effectively as possible

• Build structures & processes that are effective &

efficient

• Provide growth & leadership development

opportunities

• Strengthen working relationships

• Foster ties to mission

Retention Strategies

• Leadership stability - succession planning, grooming

& mentoring officers and committee chairs

• Modeling productive relationships - support effective

communication

• Strategic planning

– Have an engaged process

– Address board development issues & needs

• Working committee structure - tied to organizational

goals

Retention Strategies

Express Appreciation

Say Thank You

Board Retention

Tools

• Board Meeting & Committee Calendar

• Board Oversight Calendar

• Annual Retreat

• Routine Board Assessment & Training

• Regular Board Meeting “In-service”

• Strategic Meeting Agenda & Effective Meeting

Facilitation

• Keep Well-informed – “No Surprises”

Key Best Practices

Summary

• Create a Board Development Committee

• Clearly define officer & other leadership roles

• Organize a board assessment/evaluation process

& tools that are goal-based

• Run meetings well

Key Best Practices

Summary (continued)

• Do follow-up “check-ins” with board members,

especially those who are absent or appear dissatisfied

• Conduct exit interviews with those leaving board

• Consider non-traditional recruitment strategies

– Be willing to go outside of your comfort circles

• When recruiting, be positive but also be realistic &

transparent about the organization’s status, needs &

directions

• Formalize orientation process with comprehensive

materials & have key board & staff leader participate

• Promote ongoing board education & training

opportunities, both within & outside the organization

– Include governance goals & development in strategic plan

• Carefully define role of staff in process

• Celebrate board leadership, participation & achievements

Key Best Practices

Summary (continued)

Added Ideas, Comments,

Questions???