massaging egos and pushing buttons: how to build and sustain an advisory board that soars
DESCRIPTION
The key to a successful advisory board can often be traced to a leader who inspires, sets the pace, leads by example, or otherwise generates the energy to ignite others. Sometimes its the board chair, sometimes its a number 2, and sometimes its a school leader. When there are several who are aligned, a force can build. We'll explore ways to identify criteria that can make up strong AB members, how to find them and rope them in, and, most importantly, how to support and inspire them at levels that will make them lifers.TRANSCRIPT
So You Want an Advisory Board
That SOARS
Why Here, Why Now?
70% of our kids won’t graduate from a 2 or 4 year college... Bob Schwartz
It takes a Village – really it does, and too many of our kids don’t have strong villages.
Our Potential Business Partners are driven to do something meaningful… Daniel Pink
Our Potential Business Partners need to find or create their future labor force (17million)
Who are you and why are you here?
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Action PlanInspire toExecute
Follow-up
AB
District
School
Community
The Elements
What are yourneeds today?
Identify the top needs for the year⚫ Build/Strengthen a Board⚫ Internships⚫ Classroom Integration with Industry ⚫ Field Trips⚫ Fundraising⚫ _______________???
Are the Right Players on your Bus? Are they in the right Seats? Do you have a great driver? Who’s holding the map? Who’s asking why we’re going there? Who’s monitoring the fuel and tire pressure? Who’s fixing the brakes every month?
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Action PlanInspire toExecute
Follow-up
Leadership
Leaders Come in Many Forms⚫ Transformational – Martin Luther King Jr, Walt
Disney⚫ Transactional – Charles de Gaulle⚫ Charismatic – Bill Clinton, Adolph Hitler⚫ Servant Leadership – Ghandi, Cesar Chavez⚫ Quiet Leader – Abe Lincoln, Rosa Parks⚫ Competitive – David Cordish
It’s Not Just About Leader(s)
Dr. Meredith Belbin, 30 years ago, studied 1000’s of teams
Determined what made teams successful It’s all in the balance, based on our
tendencies to think, behave and interrelate with others when needed to perform tasks
It’s Not Just About Leader(s)
Dr. Meredith Belbin, 30 years ago, studied 1000’s of teams
Determined what made teams successful It’s all in the balance, based on our
tendencies to think, behave and interrelate with others when needed to perform tasks
Cards on the Table
Pick a card, one card, that most represents the value you bring to your team, your board.
The Matrix
In the Top 3Balance of Working StylesCommunity DiversityIndustry RepresentationExpertise
THE MATRIX Prinicpal Director Teacher AB Chair AB Chair AB Treas AB Sec AB 1 AB 2
A. Puts NAF in top 3
B: Most Natural Roles
C: Diversity
D: Industry
E: Skills
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Action PlanInspire toExecute
Follow-up
Recruiting - Lock the DoorsGet in a room and lock the doors; create an actionplan to identify who and strategize steps to recruit
Determine Chain to Tom. Connect First. Determine passions, style, talents, needs, buttons.Offer value added help to them, their companiesGo for “That One Thing”.
That One Thing
just one, to start
Example: We need aMarketing Person Networking: Where???
⚫ Just like dating – go where you have a passion
⚫ LinkedIn Agencies Local larger companies have CMO’s Should I go direct? Board members who work with agencies and
give them $$!!!
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Action PlanInspire toExecute
Follow-up
Goals
“The Scenario” Insurance and Financial Services Academy – Opened Fall 2009 Large, dynamic Advisory Board headed by 2 co-chairs Experienced, charismatic Principal Task oriented committee; silos No goals, plans or direction
“The Results” Great intentions! Poor execution! Lack of focus; disinterest Little progress
22
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
Academic Achievement Culture Thematic Experiences
Graduation and College Matriculation
Workforce Readiness for IFS Career
Goal
Activity
Tutoring
Tutoring
Tutoring
Tutoring
Activity
Cultural/behavioral contract
Reward System
Branding
Reward System
Activity
Job Shadowing
Career Assessment
Strategies for Success Class Speakers (11/12th Grade)
Capstone
Outcome
Increased academic performance
Increased performance – GPA
Increased performance – GPA and SAT
Increased academic performance – GPA, CAPT, and PSAT
Increased desire to model cultural behaviors
Increased desire to model expected cultural behaviors
Students model corporate culture
Outcome
Students and parents understand expectations for attending HS, Inc.
Apply education to a real life situation
Identify specific career options and interests
Outcome
Increased awareness of IFS careers
Model Professional Behavior, Demonstrate Success of HS, Inc.
Reward System
Mentoring
Increased desire to model expected cultural behaviors
Provide connection between school and workplace
Classroom SpeakersRelate classroom concepts to real examples
Identify behaviors and strategies for success in the workplace
Internship (11/12th Grade)
Understanding of workplace cultures and workforce skills
Classroom SpeakerIdentify applications of classroom material to the business world
Mentoring Provide connection between school and workplace
Increased desire to model cultural behaviors
Reward System
Classroom Speaker Identify applications of classroom material to the business world
“The Solution” – Advisory Board Framework
Goals – Best Practices
Plan an annual retreat
Engage school principal and leaders –What’s the
Vision!
Align all stakeholders to meet goals of the academy
Engage teachers and staff in planning
Be mindful of scope creep – don’t overreach
Communicate!
www.naf.org – For Business Partners Resources
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Inspire to Execute Action Plan
Follow-up
What can stop a group of talented, dynamic individuals from moving forward?
Create Raving Fans – not just good board members Platinum Rule
⚫ Our Need to Matter, to be the hero – silent or visible
Connect them with Students, progressively⚫ To feel their own impact
Progressively encourage them to engage others⚫ To feel their leverage
Creating Raving Fans – not just good board members
Touch them, regularly but not too much Provide tools and events to make it easy for
them to engage: tours, breakfasts… Provide options: full board, committees,
councils Structure – together, create clear tasks &
direction for your board members
Cycle of Effective Teams
Assess Goalsand
Current TeamIdentify roles
Recruit
Action PlanInspire toExecute
Follow-up
Scenarios:⚫ Great board, no leader⚫ No clear leader⚫ Competing for ideas⚫ Board meets regularly, nothing gets done⚫ Board has ideas, can’t implement⚫ We’ve identified folks
Follow-up Evaluate your successes and challenge areas Document your stories and share! Celebrate small successes along the way Communicate often with stakeholders The fly wheel effect…
Recruiting a Marketing PersonProfessional Associations
AMA: www.marketingpower.com Business Marketing Association (BMA)
www.marketing.org National Hispanic Professional Organization
(NHPO) www.nhpo.us www.prsa.com
And look at other boards – we love board savvy and experience!
Recruiting a Marketing Person
Board Matching Organizations and Sites www.serve.gov www.allforgood.org www.volunteermatch.org www.bvumaryland.com
Recruiting- Not just filling seats
Step 3: -What is your strategy? - Who should ask?
Degrees of Separation Social Media: LinkedIn
- What to ask for?Direct/Indirect invitation to an event
Summary List areas of Board focus What one action will you take to move your
board forward? What actions or activities will you
recommend to your Board? Did we meet the learning objectives?
Learning Objectives for this Session
Successful academies typically have one or more leaders who inspire, set the pace, lead by example, or otherwise generate energy to ignite others. Sometimes it’s the board chair, sometimes it’s a director, and sometimes it’s an administrator. When several are aligned, a force can build. We’ll identify a range of personal leadership characteristics & styles, structure your board & encourage engagement, ways to find igniters and rope them in, and tools to inspire, support and keep strong board members engaged…
Network of industry supporters AB co-working Inter AB Include all students in all programs – failing Internships should not be first experience
with students Parent participation; conferences, classes,
open house, important role Speaker bureaus Alumni - sm
Communication Culture Club = mindset understanding Share curriculum with boards Students involved – leadership in groups, fb, AB interraction with students Teacher Internships, AB in school Administration committed and particpating