Back in 2008, I began my career in nonprofit leadership as a 29 year old Executive Director at Green Hill Therapy. Nearly fifteen years later, it was my great privilege to facilitate a strategic planning retreat on Friday with the outstanding Board and staff leaders of Green Hill. Green Hill Therapy is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential, using hippotherapy and aquatherapy to enhance outpatient occupational, physical and speech therapy services.
Enjoyed a wonderful day on Friday facilitating a retreat with the talented and committed Board of Pillar. Pillar’s mission is to provide supports to people with disabilities by promoting opportunity, choice, and connection to the community.
As the leader of the board, the chair plays a vital role in building and cultivating an effective team and promoting a healthy partnership with an organization’s staff. Certain attributes such as time availability, passion for the mission and strong interpersonal skills are undeniably essential for board chairs. Here are six additional characteristics of great board chairs:
Cultivate effective decision making
Nonprofit boards often confront difficult decisions that require thoughtful discussion and consideration of diverse points of view. Board members should feel empowered to share their perspective and even professionally disagree. At some point, however, the board must come to a consensus in order to provide meaningful direction that advances the organization’s mission. Great board chairs intentionally cultivate a culture that is inclusive of debate and discussion, and also conducive to effective decision making and progress.
Put board members in position to succeed
A board is a team of individuals with diverse skills, interests and perspectives. Board members find value and purpose in different aspects of their role. Some may be eloquent ambassadors for the mission, while others prefer to contribute in less visible ways. Great board chairs take the time to understand the unique value each member brings to the team and then intentionally seek out opportunities to put members in positions to be successful based on their talents and passions.
Facilitate meaningful meetings
Time is perhaps the most precious gift board members have to give. Whether the board comes together once a month or just a few times each year, it is essential that those gatherings be meaningful and productive. Great board chairs develop the agenda for the meeting thoughtfully and collaboratively with fellow board members and the executive. They also think critically about the facilitation of the meeting and who best possesses the skill and interest to do so effectively.
Focus on shared success
Board chairs are a bit like presidents — they hold the office for a limited period of time and often receive credit when things go well and blame when things go poorly. Great board chairs foster a culture of shared, rather than individual, success. They speak in terms of “our” success rather than “my” success. They recognize that the protagonist in the story is always the mission of the organization, rather than any one individual or leader.
Plan for succession
An important corollary to shared success is succession. Healthy boards rely on a steady stream of prepared and effective leaders. The cadence of governance also depends on building momentum from month to month and year to year. Boards that experience an inconsistent level of performance from one board chair to the next struggle to build the necessary momentum for lasting impact. Therefore, great board chairs keep a keen eye on succession, ensuring that the individuals to follow are engaged, prepared and excited to assume the mantle of leadership.
Ensure accountability
If you reflect on the most effective teams you have ever been a part of, one characteristic is seemingly mentioned more often than any other: accountability. Board members are accountable for their fiduciary duties. They are accountable for attending meetings. They are accountable for fulfilling the expectations the organization has created for its members. Creating formal and professional processes to track and ensure this accountability is a hallmark of a great board chair.
The board chair and executive director are pivotal partners in nonprofit organizations. Together, and with their respective teams, they hold the promise of what an organization can be and the impact it can have on the community. With preparation, support and intentionality, great board chairs can elevate an organization’s present impact and set it on a path towards sustainable success.
Through my partnership with Leadership Strategies, I was honored to spend the day facilitating a discussion of the Habits and Practices of Healthy Boards with the talented chapter leaders of the Appraisal Institute. The Appraisal Institute is a global professional association of real estate appraisers, whose mission is to empower valuation professionals through community, credentialing, education, body of knowledge and ethical standards. Leadership Strategies empowers groups to achieve impactful results and provides services like onsite training and public classes to further support you and your growth.
The decision of whether to form a new nonprofit organization or explore alternatives such as fiscal sponsorship is a difficult one, and requires thoughtful deliberation of how best to achieve your goals. Honored to join Home Grown Child Care and co-facilitator Amy Friedlander for a discussion of nonprofit formation and fiscal sponsorship.
Grateful to NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association — for the invitation to present at their conference in San Francisco today. Thoroughly enjoyed speaking on the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of Board members as well as trends in cooperative governance. NTCA proudly represents nearly 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.
Honored to spend time last week facilitating a retreat for the talented and committed Board members of CASA of Lexington. Their vision is a community where every child lives and thrives in a safe, caring and permanent home. They are getting there one child at a time!
Did you know we lose 10 school buses of children to unintentional drownings each year? Drowning is the single leading cause of death of children ages 1-4. Honored to spend time speaking with the Board of National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA). NDPA is dedicated to reducing the incidence of drowning and preventing tragedy around water.
Good afternoon San Diego! Honored to present a session today at the annual conference of The California Alliance of Child and Family Services. My session was entitled Mission Ambassadors: Developing Effective Advocates and Ambassadors. The California Alliance is the collective voice for organizations that serve children, youth and families. Grateful to be learning with and from so many talented and committed leaders.
The Woody Williams Foundation honors the life and legacy of its namesake — a Medal of Honor recipient — by recognizing and serving Gold Star Families and the legacy of their Loved Ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It was my great honor and privilege to again work with this outstanding organization in facilitating meetings with their Board of Directors. The impact of the Foundation’s work helps to raise public awareness about Gold Star Families’ enduring sacrifice and the ultimate sacrifice made by their Loved Ones.
Please join me at the Idaho Nonprofit Center virtual conference August 30 - September 1. I will be presenting a breakout session entitled Finding Your North Star Through Strategic Planning on Tuesday, August 30th. I would love to see you online!
Join me for a FREE upcoming event sponsored by Keela!
Nonprofits are always the first to step up when the need arises. Yet, for all the good that you do, there comes a time when you need to think beyond each campaign and giving season and work towards positioning your organization for continued, long-term success.
Join me on August 15th for Day 1 as me and my fellow panelists review tips on engaging your donor through the economic crisis, and how nonprofit leaders can mitigate the impact.
Thoroughly enjoyed speaking this week at the Summer Symposium of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. I enjoyed meeting and interacting with so many talented leaders while speaking on Principles in Board Governance as well as Strategic Planning for Boards. NTCA is building a better broadband future for rural America. NTCA’s members build and deliver broadband connectivity and operate essential services in rural and small-town communities across the U.S.
Leading a nonprofit is more enjoyable when you have a community of friends, colleagues, and fellow leaders around you to share the joys and challenges. Nonprofit Vision podcast is that community! With 2 new episodes published each month, join us as we discuss the issues that are most critical for nonprofit leaders today. Episodes are available on our web site at the link below or on your favorite podcast platform. Share the podcast with fellow leaders in your network as we continue to grow our community!
Had a great time yesterday facilitating the strategic planning retreat with the outstanding team from Kentucky CASA Network (KCN). KCN provides ongoing development, training, technical assistance, and resources to local CASA programs across Kentucky. CASA volunteers are community-based and are appointed by judges to serve in child abuse and neglect cases. Once assigned to a child, the volunteer researches the child's case, reviews documents, interviews relevant people, and makes a report to the court as to what is in the best interest of the child, in terms of services, placement, visitation, reunification, and permanency. You can get involved and make a difference in the life of a child. To learn more and explore volunteering visit Kentucky CASA Network or your state’s CASA web site.
A strategic plan serves as a roadmap to enable an organization to set priorities and measure progress. Honored to visit Artesia, New Mexico this week to facilitate a multi-day strategic planning retreat with the amazing team from Changing Lives Coalition. CLC provides youth resources to believe in themselves and a safe space to make empowering decisions.
A Board of Directors is a team, and teams perform best when members feel that they belong and are valued. Honored to lead a session on Building a Sense of Belonging: Inclusive Best Practices for Your Board as part of the 2022 AHIMA Leadership Symposium. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is the leading voice and authority in health information, wherever it is found. They work at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and business.
The bold goals and strategies you establish for your nonprofit are not meant to sit on a shelf, but rather can only be achieved by reviewing, reflecting on, and refining them regularly. Honored to continue our work with Warmshowers by facilitating their Board Strategy Retreat. Warmshowers is a community of touring cyclists and those that support them. Their platform provides the technology for reciprocal hospitality for cyclists and hosts across the globe! So excited to see the continued growth of this outstanding organization.
Leading a nonprofit organization is not only about what you know, but more importantly the ability to bring people together, elevate the voice of the community you serve, and learn with and from others. This fall, I am pleased to be leading a session as part of the inaugural Institute for Transformational Nonprofit Leadership Certificate through DCM Associates — a program that provides nonprofit leaders with the opportunity to develop these skills while connecting with a cohort of fellow leaders.
This program includes seven courses taught by nationally recognized nonprofit leadership executives, coaches, authors, and search consultants virtually over a three-month period in the Fall and Spring.
Each of the seven courses have two components: a one-hour recorded session that you can take at your own convenience from your office, home or mobile app, and a live interactive 90 minute session scheduled by each presenter enabling ample time to address each of the discussed topics discussed and answer any and all questions you may have.
Click below to learn more!
Nonprofit leadership is exhilarating, occasionally frustrating, and sometimes frighteningly lonely. The good news is you are not alone. The Nonprofit Vision podcast is your opportunity to hear from other nonprofit leaders, consultants, and others about topics that matter to you. Is there a topic you want to hear more about? Let us know! Join our online community, participate in the conversation, and subscribe to our Nonprofit Vision podcast on your favorite podcast platform.