covering your governance bases (ccdea)

/emilydavisconsulting /AskEmilyD

JOINING THE TEAM: COVERING YOUR GOVERNANCE

BASES

Emily Davis, MNM, CGT Emily Davis Consulting

May 6, 2014 Colorado Conservation District Employees

Association #governance #leadership


#governance #leadership

TURN ON YOUR TECH

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@AskEmilyD




WHO AM I?

•  Nonprofit professional •  Founder •  Board member •  AFP Author •  MNM •  21/64 Consultant •  BoardSource CGT •  Donor •  Translator



30 SECOND CHALLENGE

•  Name •  Organization & role •  1 thing you are hoping

to get from today

AGENDA

•  Board roles & responsibilities

•  Shared leadership •  Examples



WHAT ARE YOUR FEARS?



10 BASIC BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Determine mission & purpose

2.  Select the chief executive

3.  Support & evaluate the chief executive

4.  Ensure effective planning

5.  Monitor & strengthen programs & services

6.  Ensure adequate financial resources

7.  Protect assets & provide financial oversight

8.  Build a competent board

9.  Ensure legal & ethical integrity

10. Enhance the organization’s public standing


ACTIVITY

How does the board as a whole perform the 10 responsibilities listed?

Rate the board as a whole on a scale

from 1 – 4. 4 = Outstanding

3 = Good 2 = Fair 1 = Poor #governance

#leadership



BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1.   Set Organizational Direction

2.  Provide

Oversight 3.  Ensure

Necessary Resources

ü Long-term planning (strategic plan)

ü Philosophical direction

ü Not tactical

ü What does the board NOT do?




1.  Set Organizational Direction

2.   Provide

Oversight 3.  Ensure Necessary

Resources

ü Program

ü Financial

ü Risk management

ü Legal & moral oversight

ü ED evaluation




1.  Set Organizational Direction

2.  Provide Oversight 3.   Ensure Necessary

Resources

ü  Identify resources needed

ü  Establish how resources are acquired

ü Determine how committee will actively participate in resource development

ü  Financially – contribute, access &, org stability


WHY 100% BOARD GIVING??

•  Demonstrate personal commitment

•  Gives confidence to ask others

•  Encourages foundations to give

•  Creates board “ownership” •  Board is ultimately

responsible for financial stability of organization



THE DIFFERENT HATS WE WEAR…


Legal Hat

Ambassador Hat

Volunteer Hat




BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: LEGAL HAT

Duty of Care: •  Use best

judgment •  Pay attention •  Ask pertinent

questions




Duty of Loyalty: •  Mission first •  Avoid conflicts of

interest •  Put aside personal

& professional interests




Duty of Obedience: •  Staying true to

the mission •  Obey the law

(public & organizational)



BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: AMBASSADOR HAT

•  Be an advocate •  Share info with org •  Separate personal

& organizational opinions

•  ED is the spokesperson



BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES: VOLUNTEER HAT

Board member (staff accountable

to board) vs.

volunteer (accountable to

staff)



BOARD/ED PARTNERSHIP

•  Inherent tension – Both govern –  Intersection of

governance & management

– Board oversees ED’s work

–  Calls for clarity of mutual expectations

•  Requires respect for… –  Differences in roles –  Differing

responsibilities –  Personal styles

•  Needs regular communication

•  Benefits from board and ED assessments



ENSURE BOARD & ED ENGAGEMENT*

ED is displacing board

GOVERNANCE AS OBSERVATION

ED is in constructive partnership with board

GOVERNANCE AS

LEADERSHIP

ED is going thru the motions with the board

GOVERNANCE AS

ATTENDANCE

ED is displaced by board

GOVERNANCE AS MICROMANAGEMENT

ED ENGAGEMENT

BOARD ENGAGEMENT

* Source: Richard Chair et. al. “Governance as Leadership”


SHARED LEADERSHIP

Board Leads

Shares values thru policies that put mission into action

Hires, supports, assesses ED

Opens funding resources in community

Oversees financial due diligence

Recruits & retains new board members

ED Leads

Develops/ Proposes policy questions

Hires, supervises, motivates staff

Develops & implements programs

Shared Leadership

Strategic plan

Fundraising plan & strategies

Evaluations

Prep board meetings



ACTIVITY TIME

Write “board” in the space provided if you think it is a board responsibility.

Write “staff” if you think it is a responsibility

carried out by the staff.

Write “both” if you think it is a responsibility

shared by staff and board. #governance #leadership



WHAT MAKES ‘EM TICK*

*Abigail Harmon

• Always YES • Wants to help everyone & everything

• Caution!

OVER-COMMITTED

• Need lots to stay engaged

• Don’t let them sit around

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

• Verbal & print

• Use titles & acknowledgment

LIKES RECOGNITION

• Stays focused & on track • Great for events • May get discouraged by others lack of support

ORGANIZER

• Lots of ideas for improvement

• Pair with an Organizer to keep things moving

CREATIVE


CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

•  Don’t be afraid of conflict! •  What is the process for

conflict resolution? •  Don’t take it personally •  What is best for the

mission? •  How will you demonstrate

excellent leadership? #governance #leadership


EVALUATION

•  Individual board performance •  Board performance: meetings,

decision-making, etc. •  Chair performance

•  Committee performance •  Executive Director performance

•  Organizational performance #governance #leadership



BOARD RECRUITMENT &

RETENTION THAT ROCKS!



•  Unclear expectations •  Lack of commitment •  Low engagement •  Work load issues •  Under valued •  Under utilized

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?



•  Commit adequate resources

•  Adopt a mutually-beneficial mindset

•  Conduct assessments •  Provide regular and

appropriate recognition

SUCCESS FACTORS



•  How would someone new experience your board culture?

•  What do you want your board culture to be?

•  How can you model great leadership?

•  Do others inside and outside of the organization see great leadership?

BOARD CULTURE



RECRUITMENT PLAN

Preparation •  Job descriptions •  Letter of commitment •  Board assessment •  Prospect lists •  Language (application,

invitations) •  Point person •  Outreach efforts

Application •  Prep application •  Deadlines •  Call to action •  Notification •  Meeting invite •  Board buddies •  Decision making



•  Skills & expertise •  Demographics – age,

ethnicity, gender •  Networks •  Wealth & access to

wealth •  Relationship to mission

BOARD ASSESSMENTS



•  Contact info •  Professional role(s) •  Education •  Nonprofit experiences •  Skills, background, expertise •  Interest in the org •  Leadership role(s) •  Committee interests •  Board leadership knowledge •  Motivation(s) for joining

APPLICATION ELEMENTS



•  Current & past board members’ networks

•  Staff •  Volunteers •  Donors •  Individual, corporate, &

private donors •  Government officials •  Community foundation(s)

REACH OUT



•  Prepare consistent questions •  Interview in teams of two •  Education about organization •  Dialogue to determine fit •  Identify any conflicts of interest •  Answer candidates’ questions •  Follow up on application •  Confirm commitment (time,

treasure, talent) •  Explain next steps

INTERVIEWS



•  Match candidate with assessment •  Discuss with board development

committee / entire board •  Learn about work ethic, past work •  Trust your gut! •  Invite final candidate(s) to a

board meeting •  Seek complete board approval

CANDIDATE DUE DILIGENCE



•  What language will you use for notification?

•  How will you notify declined candidates?

•  How will you notify recommended candidates?

•  Explain next steps

NOTIFICATION



EVALUATION

•  Feedback from board candidates

•  Debrief among entire board

•  Debrief in board development committee

•  Make necessary revisions / improvements



•  Overview & History •  Philosophy & Values •  Programs & Resources •  Fundraising Overview •  Board Structure & Resources

o  Description & Expectations o  Communications o  Board manual

•  Letter of commitment •  Committees •  Board Buddies

GREAT RETENTION = GREAT ORIENTATION



•  Time to socialize – have fun! •  Mission moments •  Board reports & consent agendas •  Rotating responsibilities •  Financial & volunteer accountability •  Follow up action plans •  Minutes distributed within one week •  Remote meetings (with guidelines) •  Always snacks, food!

EFFECTIVE MEETINGS



BOARD REPORTS

•  Committee name & month •  Necessary votes, board

discussion items •  Goal progress related to

strategic plan •  Summary of meeting

discussion •  Timeline & important

dates •  Next meeting

•  Keep focus on governance

•  Save meeting time

•  Share planning responsibilities

•  Committee & project reports one week in advance



•  Roberta’s Rules •  Mission moment •  Facilitation, time keeper •  Minutes •  Devil’s advocate •  Other?

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES



•  Critical for success •  In-services or required

professional development •  Hire outside facilitator •  Examples:

o  Financial management o  Communications o  Fundraising o  Leadership

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT



•  Improve the overall quality of board service & experience

•  Recruitment process •  Professional development •  Manage strategic planning •  Organize social activities •  Evaluate

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE



•  Share successes •  Connect successes to

board efforts •  Highlight individual board

member accomplishments •  Proper recognition at

term’s end •  Stay connected

RECOGNITION



RESOURCES

•  BoardSource •  4Good •  The Policy Governance

Model (Carver) •  Council of Nonprofits •  Roberta’s Rules of

Order •  A Fundraising Guide

for Nonprofit Board Members

•  Nonprofit Board Answer Book

•  Creating Caring and Capable Boards

•  10 Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards

•  The Board Building Cycle

•  The Nonprofit Policy Sampler



Emily Davis, MNM Emily Davis Consulting

(720) 515-0581 [email protected]

emilydavisconsulting.com emilydavisconsulting.com/blog

covering your governance bases (ccdea)

Government & Nonprofit