“Board Building” – Articles
Quick-Start Your Board in 2013: Here’s How!
Now that the holidays are behind us and baseball’s spring training has begun, it’s time to insure the board is fully engaged in its work. For some, that means reconvening the current board. For others, it means welcoming several new board members to their first...
Show Up–Step Up–Speak Up!
My golfing buddy Brian tells me professional golfers have just three rules for their caddies: show up, keep up, shut up. Golf pros usually aren't looking for advise unless they specifically ask for it. They only want their caddy to be there when required and do their...
It’s Still Not Too late
Leaders and Board Members: Starting to feel guilty you did not prepare or update a strategic plan for your orgnanization's next 24-36 months? Even thought it is mid-December you still have time to develop a strategy and a plan. Its not rocket science and when your...
A Bad Idea that Won’t Go Away
Board Chairs, Directors, and Executive Directors: Heads Up! I am pretty familiar with a substantial nonprofit that I think is making a big mistake. I see this happening from time to time in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. And the results of their doing...
Retaining High Capacity Directors
Paraphrasing an old joke- QUESTION: Know how to get a few good directors" ANSWER: Start with a lot of good directors. A couple of nonprofit boards I am somewhat familiar with are in the process of losing some good directors by their own personal choice, not due to...
Be Golden in 2013
Successful leaders are always looking for ways to increase their effectiveness and the impact of their organizations. So whether you are running a small or start up organization or if your firm had a tough 2012, now is the time to reboot and set yourself up for...
Who’s on First, What’s on Second?
Most nonprofit organizations run pretty well. I say pretty well meaning they are in the range of 5-6, with 10 being high. While they can always do some things better they are effectively serving their clients and working toward their vision. The ones I see that have...
Are You the Sage on Stage?
One of a leader's most important responsibilities to the organization and its staff is the development of subordinates. How do you handle this? Do you give others a chance to grow, to work on something a bit above their pay grade, to struggle with a complex issue? Or,...
Who Picks the New Directors?
I've been reading a lot about the recruitment of new nonprofit directors lately. It can be a controversial issue and unless your Board Governance Documents cover the process, it can lead to anything from hurt feelings to animosity. ED's and board presidents: How does...
Governance Part 2: Board Composition
What would be the ideal composition of your board? What skill sets should you have represented by board members that you can therefore leverage to your organization’s advantage? What does your board development committee look for in a board candidate? I’m currently...
Tough Calls Made…Easier?
I recently attended the Chick-Fil-A Leadercast one day Conference and hear Andy Stanley speak on making choices and decision making. He set up the scenario in which an important decision must be made, one that you, the leader must make...not your team. HE gave us...
Board Presidents That Don’t Bore
Over coffee with a friend who recently retired as a nonprofit board president, I learned how she kept board meetings lively and got her directors engaged right from the opening gavel. I had not served on this board so I was interested to learn her secret. Before she...
Read It and Reap!
I recently re-tweeted an interesting short article based on management guru Peter Drucker. The more I thought about it, though, the material is worth far more than a simple re-tweet. When I led a for-profit business and came across stimulating written materials, we...
Board Meetings That Don’t Bore!
Tired of ineffective board meetings and directors that show up unprepared? Have you had it with board members that sit around at meetings like so many potted plants? Maybe you have trouble just getting enough directors to show up to have a quorum! I don't like wasting...
Equipping Directors-101
For new board members, lead directors, and board presidents, I recently came across an excellent book. I’d consider it a “must read” and it applies to any board: for profit, nonprofit, secular, faith-based, public, private...whatever. I remember my early days on my...
The First 100 Days
Leaders have very little time to set a new tone, to begin installing a new DNA into an organization. The popular take on this is 100 days...give or take. That’s why I really like the way Theo Epstein and his new crew of leaders have literally torn into the Cubs...
Your New Best Friend-Governance
It seems to me almost all nonprofits whether faith-based or secular think if they can just hammer out a good Mission/Purpose Statement (What It Does), Vision Statement (What It Will Become), and Values Statement (What It Believes), then they have pretty much got...
7 Keys to the Right Kind of Board-Part 2
Last week I introduced this discussion about my friend having the right kind of board serving her organization. Briefly, I told her it depended on where her organization was in its life cycle and what it needs to succeed. Today, in part two I share more of my...
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