Associations play a vital role in bringing people and groups together around common interests and shared values. I enjoyed facilitating a dynamic discussion on Board governance with the talented Board team from DirectEmployers Association. This Association provides superior HR technology and expert guidance that can be leveraged by employers, State workforce personnel, and other partners.
Nonprofits thrive when leaders and those who support them learn with and from each other. It is one of the things I love most about working with nonprofits — being part of a learning community driven by curiosity. I recently presented a skill building workshop on Board governance for the talented team from Hudson Ferris. In the workshop, we discussed topics including:
💡Defining expectations for Board members
💡Identifying the skills, talents, and perspectives needed on the Board
💡Leveraging committees and meetings effectively
💡Navigating boundaries between Board and staff
It was an exciting and interactive discussion and I thank the team from Hudson Ferris for inviting me to share my thoughts. Hudson Ferris is a boutique fundraising firm based in New York City with 50 years of professional development experience.
Over the past few months, we have thoroughly enjoyed partnering with the Board of Great Kids, Inc. in their search for a new CEO. We are thrilled to share their announcement that David Bird has been selected as the new CEO of Great Kids. The selection follows a comprehensive national search.
David shares a deep passion for the Great Kids mission to support and empower children and families. He has 16 years of leadership experience in business development, marketing, client experience, and strategy. His passion is leading and coaching teams to reach their maximum potential.
"As I met team members, interacted with products and strategy, and observed the enthusiasm and passion that the organization demonstrated, I knew that I wanted to join this team in a more direct way. I am honored to lead and support the continued growth and impact in communities across the US and internationally." - David Bird
Great Kids, Inc. (GK) creates early childhood education curricula and training for home visiting programs that support families and is an international leader in early childhood development. With three decades of experience in results-driven program implementation and management, they offer evidence-based curricula and tailored training to support successful program outcomes.
If you would like more information on how NTC can partner with you in your organization's next executive search, please contact us!
Pets4Life Louisville provides animal wellness resources and information to under-served pet families. Programming is modeled after the Humane Society of the United States’ Pets for Life initiative. I enjoyed the opportunity to spend yesterday with the Pets4Life Louisville leadership team facilitating a strategic planning session. Check them out Louisville friends!
From strengthening relationships to aligning on our strategic goals, a Board retreat empowers an informed, engaged, and inspired team. It was a privilege to facilitate a retreat last week with the outstanding Board and senior leadership team from Pillar. Pillar’s mission is to provide supports to people with disabilities by promoting opportunity, choice, and connection to the community.
Nonprofits thrive when leaders are empowered and supported to learn, grow, and deepen their engagement in governance. The Welborn Baptist Foundation focuses heavily on nonprofit excellence and supports the professional development of nonprofit leaders in their community. It was so exciting to be back in Evansville, Indiana last week to lead another cohort of incredible leaders in our Board Champions 201 program. This interactive session provides an opportunity for Board members to explore the habits and practices of effective governance, reflect on their strengths, and emerge more energized, engaged, and prepared to excel.
HOLA — an Evansville, Indiana nonprofit — was created to enhance appreciation of cultural diversity and promote the successful inclusion of Latinos in the community. The organization has evolved over its 20 years to reflect the needs of the growing Latino community. and currently focuses on promoting the success of the Latino community in the areas of education, careers, businesses, and financial literacy. I had such a wonderful time facilitating a Board retreat with the incredible leaders of HOLA focused on engaging and equipping Board and staff members for success in fundraising.
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.
Milestones deserve to be celebrated, especially when they are as significant as Great Kids Inc marking 25 years of impacting the lives of children and families. I was honored to facilitate a multi-day staff retreat with this amazing team and join them for the celebration of their 25th anniversary. The Great Kids vision is to live in a world where all children feel safe, secure, loved, valued, capable, and curious. Their programs support parents to grow the essential parenting and life skills that will empower them to provide their children with a safe, loving home and the inner strengths to reach their highest developmental potential.May they have many more!
CASA of Midwest Kentucky supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused, neglected, and dependent children so that they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. They are on an exciting path to advance their mission over the next few years and I thoroughly enjoyed facilitating their strategic planning retreat this week.
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!
Nurses are a vital part of our healthcare system, and we all benefit when they are supported through policy, data and innovation. It was an honor to deliver the keynote at the NCBSN annual conference in Chicago last week on “Measuring Impact.” NCBSN speaks on public health matters, advocates for critical public policy, regulates the profession of nursing and creates solutions for a better tomorrow.
*Special thanks to Erika Shoffner of Shoffner Consulting Group who authored this article
Many leaders recognize areas for growth but struggle to take the first step. While your leadership perspective is essential, it’s crucial to remember that your employees’ experiences are equally important. Their diverse roles, tenure, and individual backgrounds shape their perceptions of the workplace in unique ways. This means there's often a misalignment between your understanding of the company culture and the reality experienced by your team.
Instead of relying solely on your instincts or generic leadership programs to solve this complex challenge, consider a data-driven approach. An organizational assessment can provide invaluable insights into your workplace's strengths and areas of improvement. By understanding your employees' perspectives, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your improvement efforts.
Organizational assessments go beyond simple surveys; they offer a comprehensive analysis of your workplace culture. They can uncover hidden challenges, identify areas of high employee engagement, and reveal patterns that might not be apparent through casual observation. By delving deeper into the employee experience, you can uncover opportunities to boost morale, increase productivity, and foster a stronger sense of belonging.
Remember, a successful workplace is built on a foundation of trust, open communication, and employee well-being. By prioritizing your employees' perspectives and taking action based on their feedback, you can create a more positive, productive, and sustainable work environment for everyone involved.
These confidential and anonymous assessments support your efforts in a number of ways;
Employees often hesitate to share their honest feedback with leadership due to various reasons. Factors such as job security, fear of retaliation, or simply discomfort can hinder open communication. Additionally, each employee's experience is unique, influenced by their role, department, and tenure within the organization. Organizational assessments provide a valuable tool to gather this diverse range of perspectives and present the information in a clear, actionable format.
Determining where to focus improvement efforts can be overwhelming. With limited time and resources, it's easy to feel paralyzed by the sheer number of potential changes. An organizational assessment provides a clear roadmap by identifying the most critical areas for improvement and by discussing which are most important to your employees. By prioritizing issues based on their impact, you can strategically allocate resources and achieve tangible results.
Employees are the true experts on the workplace experience. They possess invaluable firsthand knowledge of challenges and opportunities. By being transparent about the assessment, sharing the results with the workforce and involving employees in the solution-finding process, you tap into a rich source of innovative ideas. Collaborative efforts to develop and implement action plans not only drive positive change but also foster a sense of ownership and engagement among your team.
Organizational assessments are adaptable to fit your unique needs. While there's a general framework, you can tailor the process to align with your company's values, leadership principles, or specific goals. Typically, these assessments are conducted in group settings of 10 to 15 people, but one-on-one interviews can also be effective.
From assessments to planning, facilitation to retreats, NTC and our team of talented partners are here to help you translate your vision into reality. To learn more, contact us using the button below.
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Erika Shoffner is a consultant based in Central Pennsylvania with 20 years of experience in human resources, business management, organizational development, talent management, facilitation and training. Erika focuses on developing and implementing talent management programs, performing organizational and environmental workplace assessments, leadership coaching and development, facilitation, training and HR support. To learn more, visit Shoffner Consulting Group
Since 1984, CASA of the River Region has trained and paired volunteers to be the voice for abused and neglected children in Family Court. It was an honor to facilitate a strategic planning retreat with the talented leaders of this organization yesterday. I encourage you to learn more about CASA, find your local program, and explore how you can change a child’s story.
3 years ago I was honored to facilitate the strategic planning process for Evansville Goodwill Industries, whose mission is to help people, families, and communities thrive through the power of relationships, education, and work. Yesterday I got to visit with these talented leaders and see their incredible progress as I facilitated their Board Champions Assessment. Conducting a nonprofit board assessment provides a range of benefits that significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of the board and the organization as a whole.
Board meetings are most effective with a thoughtfully planned agenda centered around mission-focused strategic discussions and decisions. I so enjoyed sharing thoughts on strategies for effective Board meetings at the NTCA Summer Symposium in Savannah this week. As an added bonus, I had the opportunity to facilitate and engaging and informative panel discussion on Board governance with 3 talented Board members.
The Citizens United Court decision helped trigger significant growth in the number and impact of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations. I was honored to co-lead a continuing legal education seminar today for myLawCLE and Federal Bar Association on Social Welfare Organizations 501(c)(4): Permissible activities, obtaining status, and tax implications.
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.
We are excited to share that we have opened a search for the next great CEO of Great Kids, Inc.
Great Kids, Inc. (GK) creates early childhood education curricula and training for home visiting programs that support families and is an international leader in early childhood development. With three decades of experience in results-driven program implementation and management, they offer evidence-based curricula and tailored training to support successful program outcomes.
Under the supervision of the GK Board of Directors, this position is responsible for setting the strategic vision and ensuring the overall success of the organization. The next CEO will provide strategic leadership to the GK Leadership Team and manage progress toward GK strategic goals. This includes oversight of business development, human resources and staff development, administrative functioning, management of the production and distribution of quality GK products and services, and strong customer relationships.
Please click below to view the full description for this position, including compensation information and how to apply. The deadline to apply is July 22, 2024.