Highly effective #nonprofit teams come together to develop strategy and focus on leading practices in governance. Enjoyed a great day with the Board and staff of Waterfront Botanical Gardens!
#board #strategicplanning
A strategic plan serves as a roadmap to enable an organization to set priorities and measure progress. It informs the direction of the organization, generates heightened engagement and ownership of the mission, and inspires staff, Board, volunteers, and the community to envision bold possibilities. While the final plan document may take a variety of forms, I have found that there are three keys at the outset to chart an effective strategic planning course:
Purpose:
Starting with the "why" enables an organization to understand the context and environment in which the planning will occur. Has a previous plan term expired? Is the organization preparing for an expansion? Is there an internal or external challenge confronting the organization?
People:
Any planning process is only as effective as the leaders who will embrace and own it. Who will you include in the planning? Who will "own" the planning effort? How will you capture the critical perspectives of internal and external stakeholders? Who will facilitate the process?
Process:
In order to respond quickly to new opportunities and flexibly adapt to changing circumstances, many leaders (myself included) now favor shorter strategic framework processes over formal long-term strategic plans. In consultation with their facilitator, nonprofit leaders should evaluate the planning processes that have worked well with their team in the past and the type of process needed to confront the challenges of today.
Against a backdrop of countless challenges for nonprofit leaders and Board members, strategic planning can sometimes seem like a daunting undertaking. However, if you begin with the 3 P's of Purpose, People, and Process, you can set your organization on a path towards a successful outcome. If you or your team are ready to think about strategy, let's connect!
CLICK HERE to read the rest of this month's e-newsletter from Nielsen Training & Consulting.
A thoughtfully executed strategic planning process informs, engages, and inspires a team to envision what is possible and plan intentionally to achieve it. It has been a pleasure to work with the leaders of The Pete Foundation over the past few months to facilitate their strategic planning process, which culminated in the approval of the plan today. The Pete Foundation rallies communities to champion youth mental health and wellness through normalizing the topic, promoting education and providing tools for healthy emotional development.
Effective facilitation is at the heart of any convening. From #Board and staff #retreats to #strategicplanning, effective facilitation allows the wisdom of participants to surface and enables the team to make effective decisions. Proud to have completed #TheEffectiveFacilitator course this week through Leadership Strategies, Inc.
The Association of Community Ministries (ACM) unites the ministries of #Louisville in order to enhance the effectiveness of their work and thereby improve the quality of life for people. Honored to spend today facilitating a strategic visioning session for these talented, passionate, and collaborative #nonprofit leaders.
Honored to celebrate the groundbreaking for a monument in Kentucky honoring Gold Star families. Especially honored to meet Hershel Woody Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Iwo Jima. This American hero has continued to serve his country by supporting the creation of monuments honoring Gold Star families around the country through the Hershel "Woody" Williams Medal of Honor Foundation.
With gratitude for those whose sacrifice has made this day possible. Thinking also of those whose work continues to serve military families and honor their memory. #HonorThem #MemorialDay
Join us this weekend as we #HonorThem. pic.twitter.com/72T24aBpC9
— Arlington National Cemetery (@ArlingtonNatl) May 25, 2019
When I facilitate a #nonprofit #Board or staff retreat, I focus on 3 key goals -- to inform, to engage, and to inspire those who attend. It is truly one of the most rewarding and enjoyable areas of my work. When planned thoughtfully and executed well, a Board retreat can be a key step in transforming or elevating a team. Check out the article below for some additional tips. If your Board or staff would benefit from this experience, let's connect!
https://boardable.com/blog/nonprofit-board-retreats-tips/
Had a great time co-presenting "Engaging Staff in Turbulent Times" today! A fantastic group of #nonprofit leaders came together as we discussed the role of signature strengths, gratitude, and best self stories in boosting morale and engagement.
#Leadership #PositivePsychology #Gratitude #ProfessionalDevelopment
Wendell Foster serves over 1,300 children and adults across 34 counties in Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Honored to facilitate a discussion group in #Owensboro yesterday hosted at this outstanding #nonprofit.
Developing a highly effective nonprofit Board is hard work, but can also be engaging, interactive, and rewarding. Honored to present "From Vision to Reality: Leading Practices in Board Governance" and facilitate discussion groups at last week's American Bar Association #conference. #AccessToJustice #ejc19
Louisville #nonprofit friends - please join me and Tony Zipple of ZB Consults next Friday, 5/17 for a fantastic, interactive workshop "Engaging Staff in Turbulent Times." Drawing on current research from positive psychology, you will learn about strengths-based leadership, building a growth mindset in your organization, and implementing strategies for helping you and your staff to be more effective… and happier at work. Tickets available at the link below and hope to see you there!
What Makes an Exceptional Board Chair?
Leading a highly effective nonprofit requires cultivating and balancing many important relationships. Perhaps the most vital relationship in any organization is the partnership between the Board Chair and CEO. Like any relationship, developing the chemistry to make this partnership thrive takes hard work by both parties. While ample resources exist that address the "mechanics" of the Board Chair role -- setting an agenda, running a meeting, calling for a vote -- frequently we overlook some of the more subtle skills that define a truly exceptional Board Chair. Likewise, many Board leaders who strive to be exceptional may feel as though they are navigating a confusing maze without a map or GPS. That is why I thoroughly enjoyed a recent article entitled "Lessons Learned as Board Chair" written by Rick Moyers, immediate past Board Chair at BoardSource. I hope you too will enjoy this article and perhaps even share it with members of your Board. I would love to hear your thoughts on what makes an exceptional Board Chair. Click below to email me your thoughts, insights, or ways we can keep the conversation going to empower truly exceptional Board Chairs.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of this month’s newsletter!
Spring is a great time to think about growth and development, which can be both scary and energizing. How will you grow as a #leader today? How will your organization develop and evolve to translate its vision into reality?
#MondayMotivation #LetsTalk
The development of a compelling strategic plan requires a team that is "all in." Honored to facilitate the kickoff retreat with the talented Board of Kentucky CASA Network today.
Having spent the week facilitating focus groups across the State of Kentucky, I am reminded of the power of truly listening to people.
Excited to share that I will be leading 2 workshops at this year's Blue Ridge Institute for Community Service Executives in July. My workshops will be:
"From Survivor to Amazing Race: Intentional #Leadership for Dynamic #Boards"
AND
"Build Your #Board into a Championship #Fundraising Team "
Who else will be attending?
http://blueridgeleaders.org/
Harassment and misconduct is a very real issue that nonprofit fundraising professionals and other leaders confront regularly. This is a thoughtful and well written article from the leaders of BoardSource and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP-IHQ) with practical and important recommendations for nonprofit organizations.
"No donation—and no donor—is worth taking away an individual’s respect and self-worth while turning a blind eye to harassment."
Kentucky friends - On May 17, Anthony Zipple Sc.D., MBA. and I will be presenting a workshop entitled, "Engaging Staff in Turbulent Times." Tickets are only $10 and available at the link below. Join us for an engaging and interactive morning!
About the Event:
Rapid change, uncertainty, and fluidity are the defining characteristics of our world today. While this kind of turbulence presents great opportunities, it can be stressful for us and our staff. Keeping our staff engaged and focused on doing great work in this kind of environment can be challenging.
This workshop will discuss the importance of staff engagement and provide practical tools for improving staff commitment and organizational optimism. Drawing on current research from positive psychology, you will learn about strengths-based leadership, building a growth mindset in your organization, and implementing strategies for helping you and your staff to be more effective… and happier at work.
In 2008, a national study, “Ready to Lead?”, produced by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation, and Idealist.org, found that three out of four #nonprofit executive directors planned to leave their positions within three years.
Does your #nonprofit have a #successionplan in place that the Board is comfortable with? Are you in the midst of a #leadership transition? If you would like to further discuss your organization's transition planning, let's connect!