Effective Board Meetings Paul Hanscom, CAE Kathie Pugaczewski, CAE

Exercises: 1. List the top three issues facing your members 2. Board Self-evaluation

Ewald Consulting Association management and government relations firm: 25+ years Variety of client associations include: psychologists, economic developers, property managers, cardiologists, researchers, publishers, child care, trainers, fleet leasing dealers, well drillers…

Association management and government relations firm: 25+ years

Variety of client associations include: psychologists, economic developers, property managers, cardiologists, researchers, publishers, child care, trainers, fleet leasing dealers, well drillers…

Common Attributes of Effective Boards Buy-in to mission of organization Come to meeting prepared - read Understand role of staff and board Respect each other and keep each other accountable Stay strategic and out of the day-to-day Focus on relevant issues

Buy-in to mission of organization

Come to meeting prepared - read

Understand role of staff and board

Respect each other and keep each other accountable

Stay strategic and out of the day-to-day

Focus on relevant issues

“ People only change when confronted with strong leadership, crisis, or both. Therefore, unless you are willing to be at the whim of crises, strong leadership is the only reliable change force you have.” – Thomas Gibson

Realities of the Business Environment Time – People are busy/multiple priorities Attention economy – rapid growth of information causes scarcity of attention Technology – BlackBerries, blogs, MySpace, Facebook, instant messaging, LinkedIn…What’s next?

Time – People are busy/multiple priorities

Attention economy – rapid growth of information causes scarcity of attention

Technology – BlackBerries, blogs, MySpace, Facebook, instant messaging, LinkedIn…What’s next?

Given these realities, association leaders need to… Focus on relevant issues Plan effectively and efficiently Make the most of in-person meetings Connect between meetings Be accountable – don’t over commit Develop future leaders – mentorship

Focus on relevant issues

Plan effectively and efficiently

Make the most of in-person meetings

Connect between meetings

Be accountable – don’t over commit

Develop future leaders – mentorship

Generational Realities: Developing Future Leaders We need to engage Gen X and Y differently Mentoring Gen Y – participation episodic Invite Gen X and Gen Y on board even if they haven’t “paid their dues” Young Professional Groups Shorter and focused meetings…

We need to engage Gen X and Y differently

Mentoring Gen Y – participation episodic

Invite Gen X and Gen Y on board even if they haven’t “paid their dues”

Young Professional Groups

Shorter and focused meetings…

Why Do We Meet? Make decisions Share information Plan work Learn from one another Create buy-in Solve problems From Basic Facilitation Skills, American Society for Quality, Association for Quality and Participation, International Association of Facilitators, May 2002 Americans participate in an average of 25 million meetings every day.* * Doyle & Straus Study as featured by Sauer, Patrick J. Escape from Meeting Hell. Inc. Magazine. May 2004.

Make decisions

Share information

Plan work

Learn from one another

Create buy-in

Solve problems

Why are Meetings So Unbearable? Surveyed professionals who participate in meetings on a regular basis responded… Disorganization (27%) Peers who Interrupt (17%) Cell phone interruptions (16%) Sleeping in the meeting (9%) No bathroom breaks (8%) Peers leaving early/arriving late (5%) Others checking email (5%) Meetings that start late (4%) No written recap sent (4%) “ Ouch Point” study by Opinion Research USA featured by Schweitzer, Tamara. New Study Reveals Why Meetings Are So Unbearable. Inc. Magazine. May 2007.

Surveyed professionals who participate in meetings on a regular

basis responded…

Disorganization (27%)

Peers who Interrupt (17%)

Cell phone interruptions (16%)

Sleeping in the meeting (9%)

No bathroom breaks (8%)

Peers leaving early/arriving late (5%)

Others checking email (5%)

Meetings that start late (4%)

No written recap sent (4%)

“ 7 Sins of a Deadly Meeting” Arriving late and leaving early Meetings that are too long Getting off-topic Poor follow-through Diluted opinion sharing Insufficient preparation Stagnant/stale content Matson, Eric. The Seven Sins of Deadly Meetings. Fast Company. Issue 2. April 1996. Pg 122.

Arriving late and leaving early

Meetings that are too long

Getting off-topic

Poor follow-through

Diluted opinion sharing

Insufficient preparation

Stagnant/stale content

The Effect of Unproductive Meetings Surveyed professionals who frequently participate in meetings admit to... Daydreaming (91%) Missing meetings (96%) parts of meetings (95%) Bringing other work along (73%) Sleeping (39%) Network MCI Conferencing White Paper. Meetings in America: A study of trends, costs and attitudes toward business travel, teleconferencing, and their impact on productivity (Greenwich, CT: INFOCOMM, 1998), 3. on www.effectivemeetings.com

Surveyed professionals who frequently participate in meetings admit to...

Daydreaming (91%)

Missing meetings (96%) parts of meetings (95%)

Bringing other work along (73%)

Sleeping (39%)

How to Ensure a Successful Meeting Good reason to meet Firm start and finish times Clear expectations of participants Timed agenda with stimulating discussion items Skilled facilitation Walters, Jamie. Meetings 101: Was That a Good Meeting, or a Bad One? Inc. Magazine. January 2003.

Good reason to meet

Firm start and finish times

Clear expectations of participants

Timed agenda with stimulating discussion items

Skilled facilitation

Attributes of an Effective Facilitator Openness Honesty & fairness Consistency in actions Focus Active listening Accessibility Flexibility Assertiveness Enthusiasm From Basic Facilitation Skills, American Society for Quality, Association for Quality and Participation, International Association of Facilitators, May 2002 “ A facilitator focuses on effective processes (meeting dynamics) allowing the participants to focus on the content or the substance of their work together.”

Openness

Honesty & fairness

Consistency in actions

Focus

Active listening

Accessibility

Flexibility

Assertiveness

Enthusiasm

7 Common Ground Rules Attend all meetings and be on time ACTIVELY listen to and show respect for the opinions of others Follow the agenda – stay on track The only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked Ensure that credit is given to those to whom it is due No disruptive side conversations Cell phones, BlackBerries, and pagers off From Basic Facilitation Skills, American Society for Quality, Association for Quality and Participation, International Association of Facilitators, May 2002

Attend all meetings and be on time

ACTIVELY listen to and show respect for the opinions of others

Follow the agenda – stay on track

The only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked

Ensure that credit is given to those to whom it is due

No disruptive side conversations

Cell phones, BlackBerries, and pagers off

4 Positive Personalities Initiator – gets things started Reconciler –diffuses conflict Pathfinder – refocuses the attention of the group Supporter – finds the positive side www.getahead-direct.com/gwmt13-personality-types-meetings.htm

Initiator – gets things started

Reconciler –diffuses conflict

Pathfinder – refocuses the attention of the group

Supporter – finds the positive side

3 Negative Personalities Aggressor – questions and challenges everything Interrupter – like to hear their own voice Hijacker – brings a personal agenda www.getahead-direct.com/gwmt13-personality-types-meetings.htm

Aggressor – questions and challenges everything

Interrupter – like to hear their own voice

Hijacker – brings a personal agenda

4 Neutral Personalities Silent Participant – doesn’t contribute Talker – side conversations Joker – distracts others Instant Expert – manipulates conversation to gain control www.getahead-direct.com/gwmt13-personality-types-meetings.htm

Silent Participant – doesn’t contribute

Talker – side conversations

Joker – distracts others

Instant Expert – manipulates conversation to gain control

Managing Personality Types Identify personalities Rely on positives to guide the meeting Don’t let negatives dominate Seating arrangements can make a difference – split up factions www.getahead-direct.com/gwmt13-personality-types-meetings.htm

Identify personalities

Rely on positives to guide the meeting

Don’t let negatives dominate

Seating arrangements can make a difference – split up factions

Strategic Boards Get Results Positive Outcomes in issues that are important to members. Member Engagement Clear vision draws members to get involved. Specific Direction for the organization and for the industry’s future.

Positive Outcomes in issues that are important to members.

Member Engagement Clear vision draws members to get involved.

Specific Direction for the organization and for the industry’s future.

Governance Approaches “ Working” Board Model Policy Board Model Balanced Scorecard Model

“ Working” Board Model

Policy Board Model

Balanced Scorecard Model

“ Working” Board Model Board member responsibilities match functional areas Acute knowledge of the association Detailed knowledge of association initiatives

Board member responsibilities match functional areas

Acute knowledge of the association

Detailed knowledge of association initiatives

Policy Board Model Big Picture thinking Delegation with limitations Implementation by staff & volunteers Clarity of board/staff roles

Big Picture thinking

Delegation with limitations

Implementation by staff & volunteers

Clarity of board/staff roles

Balanced Scorecard Model Focus on strategic planning and action Emphasize monitoring & evaluation Highly structured

Focus on strategic planning and action

Emphasize monitoring & evaluation

Highly structured

Robert’s Rules of Order Four basic types of motions: 1. Main motion: introduce items for consideration. Can’t be made when any other motion is on the floor. 2. Subsidiary motion: change how a main motion is handled and is voted on before a main motion.

Four basic types of motions:

1. Main motion: introduce items for consideration. Can’t be made when any other motion is on the floor.

2. Subsidiary motion: change how a main motion is handled and is voted on before a main motion.

Four Motions (cont.) 3. Privileged motion: bring up items that are urgent about special or important matters unrelated to pending business. 4. Incidental motion: provide a means of questioning procedure concerning other motions www. robert srules.org/rulesintro.htm

3. Privileged motion: bring up items that are urgent about special or important matters unrelated to pending business.

4. Incidental motion: provide a means of questioning procedure concerning other motions

Consent Agenda Reduces discussion of details during the meeting Maximizes time for strategic matters Requires thorough preparation in advance of the meeting

Reduces discussion of details during the meeting

Maximizes time for strategic matters

Requires thorough preparation in advance of the meeting

The Next Step… Facing Your Top Three Issues

Facing Your Top Three Issues

Questions? Paul Hanscom, CAE paulh@ewald.com 651-290-6274 Kathie Pugaczewski, CAE [email_address] 651-265-7859

Paul Hanscom, CAE

paulh@ewald.com

651-290-6274

Kathie Pugaczewski, CAE

[email_address]

651-265-7859