BOARD DEVELOPMENT COURSE 3 SESSIONS | WEDNESDAY AUG. 27, SEPTEMBER 3 & 17 |10 – 11:30AM INSTRUCTOR ANNE ACKERSON This program is made possible with support from American Express Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency

Leading by Design : Building Your Board’s Human Capital The Cycle of Board Recruitment and Management The Board Development Committee Needs Assessment Identification Cultivation Recruitment Orientation and Engagement Training Evaluation and Rotation Ongoing Training 1

The Cycle of Board Recruitment and Management

The Board Development Committee

Needs Assessment

Identification

Cultivation

Recruitment

Orientation and Engagement

Training

Evaluation and Rotation

Ongoing Training

Board Recruitment and Management Cycle 2

Board Development Committee What is its role? What are its specific tasks? Who needs to be on it? How often will it meet? 3

What is its role?

What are its specific tasks?

Who needs to be on it?

How often will it meet?

Needs Assessment SWOT Vision-Values Discussion: Vision and Mission Statements, Strategic or Long Range Plan Skills/Experience Inventory of Current Board Identifying Your Organization’s Board Current Strengths and Future Leadership Needs 4

SWOT

Vision-Values Discussion: Vision and Mission Statements, Strategic or Long Range Plan

Skills/Experience Inventory of Current Board

Skills/Experience Inventory of Current Board 5 Board Member Name Diversity M/F Ethnic/Racial Age Profession/ Avocation Areas of Expertise Active with our organization in the following ways… Has ability to help our organization do…

Identification Matching needs to potential candidates Characteristics to think about: forward-looking, optimistic, comfortable with risk or uncertainty Using existing and new networks to identify potential candidates www.managerfactory.com “ I recently challenged my board to think more creatively about the nominating process by cultivating individuals who are interested in things that may not seem immediately relevant to our museum mission. This included people interested in preserving open space, fair trade enterprise and micro loans to poor people who want to start a business, the growing interest in "simple living" or "green lifestyles," character education for children, encouraging public/private partnerships, etc.” Starlyn D’Angelo, Director, Shaker Heritage Society How can you identify new and different board members for your organization? 6

Matching needs to potential candidates

Characteristics to think about: forward-looking, optimistic, comfortable with risk or uncertainty

Using existing and new networks to identify potential candidates

Cultivation A process that may require several interactions over varying lengths of time Tailored to an individual – Could Include: Multiple Conversations by phone and in person A tour of the facilities and meeting of staff Sitting in on board meeting Meeting board members Attending an event Museum of Modern Art 7

A process that may require several interactions over varying lengths of time

Tailored to an individual – Could Include:

Multiple Conversations by phone and in person

A tour of the facilities and meeting of staff

Sitting in on board meeting

Meeting board members

Attending an event

Cultivation Based on the Needs Assessment and Identification exercise, describe why a prospect is wanted and needed. Explain expectations and responsibilities – this is where a board member job description comes in handy Is the prospect interested and ready to serve? Does the prospect need more cultivation? What if the prospect says “no”? 8

Based on the Needs Assessment and Identification exercise, describe why a prospect is wanted and needed.

Explain expectations and responsibilities – this is where a board member job description comes in handy

Is the prospect interested and ready to serve?

Does the prospect need more cultivation?

What if the prospect says “no”?

Orientation & Engagement Make orientation of new board members (or prospects) a formal activity Orientation should include: Overview of the organization – its history, programs, pressing issues, finances, facilities, strategic or long-range plan Overview of the board and staff – committees, board member responsibilities, bylaws, organizational chart, board and staff lists; resumes of key staff Board Member Handbook – a handy reference for new and veteran board members Pair up new and veteran board members to lessen the learning curve Involve all board members in committees or task forces; hold them accountable and thank them often 9

Make orientation of new board members (or prospects) a formal activity

Orientation should include:

Overview of the organization – its history, programs, pressing issues, finances, facilities, strategic or long-range plan

Overview of the board and staff – committees, board member responsibilities, bylaws, organizational chart, board and staff lists; resumes of key staff

Board Member Handbook – a handy reference for new and veteran board members

Pair up new and veteran board members to lessen the learning curve

Involve all board members in committees or task forces; hold them accountable and thank them often

Check List of Items to Include in a Board Member’s Orientation Packet/Handbook 10

Training Training is your opportunity to align the board around the organization’s culture and purpose Formal Conferences, seminars or workshops In-house speakers (staff or outside expertise you bring in to board or committee meetings) Field trips – tours of your own facilities or of others to examine an issue in depth or to benchmark Retreats Joint meetings with boards of other cultural organizations around a common topic Set aside 10-15 minutes at every board meeting for a short “tutorial” in some aspect of the organization Informal Distribute mission/issue-related articles for board members to read at their leisure; follow up with a post-board meeting discussion at the local watering hole Offer drop-in opportunities to observe programming Devote a section of your website to board member only news and information; keep it updated 11

Training is your opportunity to align the board around the organization’s culture and purpose

Formal

Conferences, seminars or workshops

In-house speakers (staff or outside expertise you bring in to board or committee meetings)

Field trips – tours of your own facilities or of others to examine an issue in depth or to benchmark

Retreats

Joint meetings with boards of other cultural organizations around a common topic

Set aside 10-15 minutes at every board meeting for a short “tutorial” in some aspect of the organization

Informal

Distribute mission/issue-related articles for board members to read at their leisure; follow up with a

post-board meeting discussion at the local watering hole

Offer drop-in opportunities to observe programming

Devote a section of your website to board member only news and information; keep it updated

Evaluation Who and What Needs to be Evaluated? The board as a whole – for its effectiveness as leaders, stewards and decision-makers Committees – for their ability to carry out their charge Individual board members – for their ability to meet the organization’s expectations What are the tools? Assessment forms Strategic or Long-range Plan Annual workplans Board member job description 12

Who and What Needs to be Evaluated?

The board as a whole – for its effectiveness as leaders, stewards and decision-makers

Committees – for their ability to carry out their charge

Individual board members – for their ability to meet the organization’s expectations

What are the tools?

Assessment forms

Strategic or Long-range Plan

Annual workplans

Board member job description

Two Words about Board Member Rotation 14

NYS ARTS BLOG www.nysarts.typepad.com Webinars on the BLOG! Ask questions Review Topics Share information Explore new ideas Next Session Wednesday September 3rd “ Maintaining Momentum with Training” On to the Blog! “ I recently challenged my board to think more creatively about the nominating process by cultivating individuals who are interested in things that may not seem immediately relevant to our museum mission. This included people interested in preserving open space, fair trade enterprise and micro loans to poor people who want to start a business, the growing interest in "simple living" or "green lifestyles," character education for children, encouraging public/private partnerships, etc.” What in your organization’s vision or mission statements could jumpstart a totally new conversation about talent identification, cultivation and recruitment? What do you see as the one or two steps you’d like to take immediately to make change in how you attract or engage new board talent? 14

Webinars on the BLOG!

Ask questions

Review Topics

Share information

Explore new ideas

Next Session Wednesday September 3rd

“ Maintaining Momentum with Training”

On to the Blog!

“ I recently challenged my board to think more creatively about the nominating process by cultivating individuals who are interested in things that may not seem immediately relevant to our museum mission. This included people interested in preserving open space, fair trade enterprise and micro loans to poor people who want to start a business, the growing interest in "simple living" or "green lifestyles," character education for children, encouraging public/private partnerships, etc.”

What in your organization’s vision or mission statements could jumpstart a totally new conversation about talent identification, cultivation and recruitment?

What do you see as the one or two steps you’d like to take immediately to make change in how you attract or engage new board talent?