The Myths and Magic of Nonprofit Boards

Understanding Appearances

Consider how nonprofit boards are organized, it is evident that most individuals do not fit the ideal profile of a nonprofit board member; however, they occupy these valuable seats on a nonprofit’s board. Let’s compare;

The “perfect” or “ideal” board member:

• A multi-millionaire and will not hesitate to make a 7-figure annual gift
• Walks, talks, and contributes 100% to the organization
• Charismatic, enthusiastic and tenacious
• Blends the attributes of Mother Teresa and Dale Carnegie
• Is pure of focus, bright of spirit, eager in heart

The “real-life” board member:

• Modestly wealthy and able to give seldom annually or only when asked
• Committed strongly to the organization, as well as other community boards
• Distracted, spread thin and very busy due to multiple obligations
• May well have a few of the Teresa/Carnegie attributes, but diluted to a 5% solutions
• Truly pure of focus, bright of spirit and eager in heart

What’s the main issue?
In nonprofit organizations, staff leaders have become lenient when it comes to the performance of their board members and, for example, their lack of commitment or insufficient community involvement; these individuals remain members even though their lack of effort leads to no group advancement and no achievements. Although developing a strong team-oriented group is hard work, it is simplified when all participants are motivated by the same purpose and/or benefits.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

Critical self-assessment is the most important step in the process of self-improvement. The next step in this process requires you to develop a system through which you can analyze and evaluate all of the information related to existing board members, such as:

• Name
• Address: indicates the geographical identity of each individual
• Age and gender: indicates whether “cronyism” is present or not.
• Community involvement: indicates whether the individual is associated with any other community-based organizations (i.e. the competition)

The key to a successful nonprofit is an active board development committee.

NOTE: It is important to evaluate whether the board development committee is ensuring that only qualified individuals are advancing through the recruitment process. Consider asking the following questions:

• What programs exist to honor the service of longstanding board members?
• Does board membership change year to year or bring any new perspectives to the recruitment process?
• How much research is done before proposing the candidacy of potential board members?
• How many individuals are considered for the vacancies available and how often are new board members added?
• Who is responsible for recruiting new board members and their integration into the organization?

Create a Climate for Magic

The recipe for building a winning team of board members consists of a few easy-to-follow steps. Remember, these steps are for board leaders who have already recruited new board members.

1. Clearly state the expectations of the board member position and identify the activities, tasks, duties and obligations of the role

2. Disclose benefits, rewards and all forms of recognition to the trustee, such as photos, press releases, preferred seating at events, ticket advantages and breakfasts with the CEO of the organization

Think about…
A wealthy trustee at a leading California medical center foundation who said, “My favorite perk for serving my board each year is our annual Christmas gift of a large pot of special honey, not available through any other resource. It’s so good that I struggle to make it last the entire year.”

3. New board members must be given comprehensive training and orientation. Once trained, a great deal of time and energy goes into ensuring that all board members have been assigned interesting tasks.

4. Encourage the “thrill of the race” in your board members and work towards building a team of individuals who look forward to attending well-planned meetings and open discussions. When every board member has participated in the process of establishing the organization’s goals and objectives, each one is more likely to develop a sense of ownership and approach tasks at work with vigor.

5. Evaluate your leadership by seeking out specific qualities that indicate whether an individual is suited for the role of leader. Your leader should be competent, considered talented, knowledgeable about nonprofits and enthusiastic about the leadership role.

Leadership must devote the time and energy needed to bring the team to victory!
Board leadership and staff must combine their efforts to give constant hearing to individual trustees. Thus, personal visits with a focus on listening are best. You can also:

• Find out what the trustees are hearing from community members and identify what the public thinks are the most important issues
• Take note of their suggestions for solutions and options for improvement, while noting how your organization can help

 

6. Teach board members how to fundraise. There are several keys to helping board members and trustees become successful fund-raisers:

• Be certain everyone is familiar with the cause and the history behind the organization
• Enforce a buddy system whereby the trustee is never left alone
• Provide as much prospect research as is appropriate and rehearse as much as possible!

REALITY CHECK!

Benefits of a creative staff and board leadership working in tandem:

• Development of a “sixth sense” for making brilliant, evocative assignments.
• Cheerleading team for the organization when the demand for social services for youths, the disadvantaged, seniors, homeless, ad infinitum, expands quickly
• Strength in numbers when fighting against important issues such as lack of access to health and rehabilitation services and art and cultural entities

THE TRUTH: People give to good causes because it makes them feel good! And, another truth is, people seldom give to any charity unless they are asked to give.

How do you get people to give?

The basic principles of a successful solicitation are as follows:

1. You must make the ask! You must do it in PERSON!
2. Ask the prospect to “consider” making a gift
3. Indicate a range for the prospect to “consider”
4. No is an acceptable answer – the prospect’s “no” is nothing personal
5. Let your words and body language demonstrate your enthusiasm for your cause, whatever the answer
6. Always leave the door open for a return
7. Say “thank you for letting us tell you of our needs” and ask if you may return at another time
8. It is not acceptable not to make the ask
9. Stay in touch with good prospects and provide updates as needed
10. You must make the ask – in person!

Good-bye is a hard thing to say

“If you lack motivation on the board, it may mean a change in leadership is called for. It is not an easy course of action; it is always traumatic” says Fisher Howe.

Restructuring a board may be necessary; however, there are some different ways to go about making this evaluation. A helpful first step can be spending time with board members in order to gage the environment in the group. For example, consider planning a retreat where the mission statement, the current issues and the establishing of goals and objectives are all addressed.

The facilitator needs to pay attention to the following organizational aspects:

• Holding the reins tightly throughout the retreat and maintaining the group’s focus on work-related issues and/or achievements
• Developing a report or summary of the retreat for all participants so that important concepts are not forgotten or overlooked
• Organizing tasks so that all participants of the retreat are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Agendas and reports should be distributed before meetings.

Meetings need to be brief, packed with information and dialogue, and start on time.
Everyone should have an opportunity and be encouraged to participate.

This is the end….

When it comes time to say farewell to board members, whatever the reasons, have a well-established policy of maintaining their connection. Equally important, it is important to honor their time in service and their achievements in the workplace. Other suggestions to better handle a farewell may include creating an “alumni” group through which individuals who have moved on can still connect with existing board members and others who have also moved forward in their nonprofit careers.

To meet the challenges in today’s environment, we need collaborative teams with clear visions, strong hearts and vigorous spirits. The effort and time the process takes are the most profound and productive investments any nonprofit organization can make.

To learn more about The Huddleston Group, please visit our website at www.thehuddlestongroup.com or email me at ron@thehuddlestongroup.com