Covering Your Governance Bases

/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
Follow the conversation…
@AskEmilyD
#governance
#leadership

#governance
#leadership
WHO AM I?
•  Nonprofit professional
•  Founder
•  Board member
•  AFP Author
•  MNM
•  21/64 Consultant
•  BoardSource CGT
•  Donor
•  Translator

#governance
#leadership
30 SECOND CHALLENGE
•  Name
•  Organization & role
•  1 thing you are hoping
to get from today
AGENDA
•  Board roles &
responsibilities
•  Shared leadership
•  Examples

#governance
#leadership
WHAT ARE YOUR FEARS?

#governance
#leadership
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

#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?

#governance
#leadership
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

#governance
#leadership
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
#governance
#leadership

THE DIFFERENT HATS WE WEAR…
#governance
#leadership
Legal Hat
Ambassador
Hat
Volunteer
Hat
#governance
#leadership

#governance
#leadership
BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES:
LEGAL HAT
Duty of Care:
•  Use best
judgment
•  Pay attention
•  Ask pertinent
questions

#governance
#leadership
LEGAL HAT
Duty of Loyalty:
•  Mission first
•  Avoid conflicts of
interest
•  Put aside personal
& professional
interests

#governance
#leadership
LEGAL HAT
Duty of
Obedience:
•  Staying true to
the mission
•  Obey the law
(public &
organizational)

#governance
#leadership
AMBASSADOR HAT
•  Be an advocate
•  Share info with org
•  Separate personal
& organizational
opinions
•  ED is the
spokesperson

#governance
#leadership
VOLUNTEER HAT
Board member
(staff accountable
to board)
vs.
volunteer
(accountable to
staff)

#governance
#leadership
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

#governance
#leadership
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
E
D
E
N
G
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
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
#governance
#leadership

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

#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 &
acknowledg
ment
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

#governance
#leadership

#governance
#leadership
BOARD
RECRUITMENT &
RETENTION
THAT ROCKS!

#governance
#leadership
•  Unclear expectations
•  Lack of commitment
•  Low engagement
•  Work load issues
•  Under valued
•  Under utilized
WHAT ARE THE
CHALLENGES?

#governance
#leadership
•  Commit adequate
resources
•  Adopt a mutually-
beneficial mindset
•  Conduct assessments
•  Provide regular and
appropriate recognition
SUCCESS FACTORS

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
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

#governance
#leadership
•  Skills & expertise
•  Demographics – age,
ethnicity, gender
•  Networks
•  Wealth & access to
wealth
•  Relationship to mission
BOARD ASSESSMENTS

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
•  Current & past board
members’ networks
•  Staff
•  Volunteers
•  Donors
•  Individual, corporate, &
private donors
•  Government officials
•  Community foundation(s)
REACH OUT

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
•  What language will you
use for notification?
•  How will you notify
declined candidates?
•  How will you notify
recommended candidates?
•  Explain next steps
NOTIFICATION

#governance
#leadership
EVALUATION
•  Feedback from board
candidates
•  Debrief among entire
board
•  Debrief in board
development committee
•  Make necessary
revisions / improvements

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
•  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

#governance
#leadership
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

#governance
#leadership
•  Roberta’s Rules
•  Mission moment
•  Facilitation, time keeper
•  Minutes
•  Devil’s advocate
•  Other?
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

#governance
#leadership
•  Critical for success
•  In-services or required
professional development
•  Hire outside facilitator
•  Examples:
o  Financial management
o  Communications
o  Fundraising
o  Leadership
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

#governance
#leadership
•  Improve the overall quality of
board service & experience
•  Recruitment process
•  Professional development
•  Manage strategic planning
•  Organize social activities
•  Evaluate
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

#governance
#leadership
•  Share successes
•  Connect successes to
board efforts
•  Highlight individual board
member accomplishments
•  Proper recognition at
term’s end
•  Stay connected
RECOGNITION

#governance
#leadership
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

#governance
#leadership
Emily Davis, MNM
Emily Davis Consulting
(720) 515-0581
emily@emilydavisconsulting.com
emilydavisconsulting.com
emilydavisconsulting.com/blog

Covering Your Governance Bases

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