Board assessments allow nonprofit Board members to reflect on their performance and share additional areas of support needed. I was thrilled to join Tom Kelly of Million Dollar Nonprofit for a conversation on his podcast about Board assessments and priority setting. I share advice on how nonprofits can assess and elevate their boards for long-term success.
Discover:
⚡️Why regular board assessments are a must for nonprofit sustainability.
⚡️The 3 D’s of great board members: Doers, Donors, and Door Openers.
⚡️Tips for growing beyond a “friends and family” board.
⚡️Best practices for recruiting and fostering accountability.
⚡️How strategic planning ties into effective board assessments.
Whether you’re leading a small nonprofit or a large organization, this episode is packed with practical insights to help strengthen your board and boost your impact.
🎧 Tune in to learn why assessing and optimizing your board’s performance is key to your nonprofit’s growth.
Nonprofits thrive because leaders collaborate to learn with and from each other. It is great to be in Washington DC to lead a session on Board Assessment at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement Capacity Building Conference.
Join me on September 19, 2024 in Washington, D.C. for the Capacity Building Conference sponsored by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. I will be leading a breakout session entitled “Is Your Board Ready for a Checkup? Enhancing Impact Through Board Assessment.” We will explore Board Assessments as a tool to identify and address performance issues early. Learn about various assessment types, benefits, and challenges to enhance your Board’s effectiveness and impact. Click below to register and hope to see you there!
Like any team, most nonprofit Boards will go through periods in which they are clicking on all cylinders and periods in which performance or effectiveness may dip. It was an honor to lead a session on Board Assessments at the NTCA Summer Symposium in Lake Tahoe this week. I also had the opportunity to facilitate a panel discussion on Board engagement and effectiveness. NTCA proudly represents more than 850 independent, family-owned and community-based broadband companies that are building and delivering connectivity and essential services in rural and small-town communities across the U.S.
Boards are not able to set priorities or address challenges unless they first have a mechanism for identifying them. By providing Board members an opportunity to hold a mirror up to their own performance, a Board Assessment provides a safe and effective means of identifying priority areas and surfacing challenges effectively. Enjoyed spending the day with the talented and committed Board of Child Care Associates facilitating their Board Champions Assessment TM and discussion.
For more information on Board Assessments, please click on our recent article linked below. If you would like to discuss our Board Champions Assessment TM for your Board, let’s connect!
In Part 1 of this 2-part blog series, we explored the value of a Board Assessment as a tool for enhancing the health and performance of your Board. In Part 2, we will look at various methods of Board Assessment and address frequently asked questions to maximize the impact on your Board.
As with any project, when contemplating a Board Assessment, it is importnt to begin with the end in mind -- namely, what are you hoping to achieve through the effort? Generally speaking, assessments fall into one of two categories:
Individual Assessment
In an individual assessment, Board members reflect on their own performance as a member of the team. This provides an opportunity for members to consider questions such as:
Where have I made the most impact on the Board?
What experiences have I found most rewarding?
What aspects of governance have I found most challenging?
How do I feel my talents could be better utilized to benefit the team?
Often, you will find that Board members evaluate themselves far more critically than anyone else, but there is value in the enhanced self awareness. The benefit of an individual assessment is that Board leaders and the CEO gain vital insights into how best to put each member of the team in the best position to succeed.
Team Assessment
In a team assessment, Board members reflect on the performance of the team as a whole. This provides an opportunity for members to consider their view of the Board’s performance and effectiveness in key governance areas such as:
Policymaking
Planning
Fundraising
Ambassadorship
Financial and Programmatic Oversight
The Board can also weigh questions such as:
How do we feel about the size of the Board?
Do our meetings make good use of members’ time?
Is our committee structure aligned with our strategy?
Often, the greatest value of this process lies not in the instrument itself, but in the discussion that follows, as Board members take greater ownership of the leadership and functioning of their team. The Team Assessment also serves as a great tool for Board members to establish clear, actionable priorities and focus their efforts on defined opportunities for greater effectiveness.
Next, let’s address some frequently asked questions relative to Board Assessment:
How often should a Board undertake this assessment process?
I am a proponent of Boards undertaking a reflective or evaluative exercise of some kind on an annual basis, or at least every other year. Remember, there are different types of assessments, so you can vary it up and do an individual assessment one year and a team assessment the following year.
When is a particularly good time for a Board Assessment?
An annual Board retreat or the outset of a strategic planning process each represent a great opportunity to check-in on the health and performance of the Board. However, there is no bad time to step back and reflect on the effectiveness of the team!
How much time and effort should I spend researching various Board Assessments?
While you will find some meaningful differences between the various nonprofit Board Assessments available, you will find far more similarities. In my view, the greatest value of the assessment process lies in the facilitated discussion whereby the Board reflects on the results and establishes priorities. Therefore, time and effort is often better spent identifying a facilitator or trusted partner to guide your Board through this process in an effective way.
Whether you choose an individual or team assessment, your Board will find value in exploring ways in which they can tangibly improve their performance and culture as a team. If you have additional questions about Board Assessment, or would like to explore bringing the Nielsen Training & Consulting Signature Board Champions Assessment to your organization, please reach out to us at gregory@nielsenconsults.com.
Boards play a vital role in fostering a culture of evaluation. Healthy Boards embrace opportunities to reflect on their performance and establish clear governance priorities. Enjoyed facilitating our proven Board Champions Assessment (BCA) Tm yesterday with the outstanding team from Allegany Franciscan Ministries.