BOARD DEVELOPMENT COURSE LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION 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 : Maintaining the Momentum with Training What is board leadership succession? What is at Stake? Is it a policy, a procedure, a plan? Who’s responsible for board leadership succession? Creating a “Leadership Pipeline” Defining Leadership Attributes Articulating future board leadership needs What the organization needs to have in place Recruiting for leadership How to Start Succession Planning Checklist 1

What is board leadership succession?

What is at Stake?

Is it a policy, a procedure, a plan?

Who’s responsible for board leadership succession?

Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”

Defining Leadership Attributes

Articulating future board leadership needs

What the organization needs to have in place

Recruiting for leadership

How to Start

Succession Planning Checklist

What is Board Leadership Succession? It is an organizational mindset and commitment that does not leave leadership to chance: 4 Goes beyond standard Bylaws Grounded in the dynamism of nonprofit organizations Strategic approach to match skills and attributes with organizational needs Requires organizational commitment to developing the leadership bench It’s more about the future than now

It is an organizational mindset and commitment that does not leave leadership to chance:

Goes beyond standard Bylaws

Grounded in the dynamism of nonprofit organizations

Strategic approach to match skills and attributes with organizational needs

Requires organizational commitment to developing the leadership bench

It’s more about the future than now

What’s at Stake? Yvonne Harrison and Vic Murray, “The Best and Worst Board Chairs”, The Nonprofit Quarterly (summer 2007) Board Chairs Wield A Lot of Power Organizational success is directly related to the effectiveness of a board’s chairperson Board chairs have influence over other board members, CEO’s and management teams, and external stakeholders An Effective Board Chair… Is committed to action and exerts influence collaboratively Is a force for change Possesses both “Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence” Is a “conductor” not a “caretaker”

Yvonne Harrison and Vic Murray, “The Best and Worst Board Chairs”, The Nonprofit Quarterly (summer 2007)

Board Chairs Wield A Lot of Power

Organizational success is directly related to the effectiveness of a board’s chairperson

Board chairs have influence over other board members, CEO’s and management teams, and external stakeholders

An Effective Board Chair…

Is committed to action and exerts influence collaboratively

Is a force for change

Possesses both “Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence”

Is a “conductor” not a “caretaker”

What’s at Stake? Smooth Transition Incoming and outgoing leadership can overlap Competencies can be strengthened Trust built 7

Smooth Transition

Incoming and outgoing leadership can overlap

Competencies can be strengthened

Trust built

Is Board Leadership Succession a policy, a procedure, a plan? Language in the Bylaws that speaks to the issue and refers to a specific document Job description for the chairperson’s role that includes Specific responsibilities to the full board, individual board members, CEO and other key staff, and stakeholders Qualifications for the job A policy or procedural statement for use by the board, related committees and staff leaders Identification of board succession issues in the strategic plan 8 What ought to be in writing and approved

Language in the Bylaws that speaks to the issue and refers to a specific document

Job description for the chairperson’s role that includes

Specific responsibilities to the full board, individual board members, CEO and other key staff, and stakeholders

Qualifications for the job

A policy or procedural statement for use by the board, related committees and staff leaders

Identification of board succession issues in the strategic plan

Who is responsible for Board Succession Planning? Full Board Board Development/Nominating Committee Staff Leadership

Full Board

Board Development/Nominating Committee

Staff Leadership

Highly – rated Attributes Trustworthiness Intelligence Good Listening skills Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”: Defining Leadership Attributes 8 Low – rated Attributes Dictorial Critical Motivated by self - interest Yvonne Harrison and Vic Murray, “The Best and Worst Board Chairs”, The Nonprofit Quarterly (summer 2007) What would be on your organization’s list of leadership attributes?

Highly – rated Attributes

Trustworthiness

Intelligence

Good Listening skills

Low – rated Attributes

Dictorial

Critical

Motivated by self - interest

Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”: Articulating future board leadership needs 9 Important to come together around a list of “must-have” leadership competencies that embody specific attributes, such as Relationship competencies Commitment and action competencies Analytic skill competencies “ Willingness to create” competencies Ability-to-influence competencies

Important to come together around a list of “must-have” leadership competencies that embody specific attributes, such as

Relationship competencies

Commitment and action competencies

Analytic skill competencies

“ Willingness to create” competencies

Ability-to-influence competencies

Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”: What the Organization Needs to Have in Place A Well – Organized Board Attracts Leaders Timely and focused board meetings Commitment to delegation of responsibilities, transparency, and accountability Strategic plan in place and best practices identified Free flowing dissemination of information with senior staff Effective communication systems Procedures in place to reduce individual’s fears or reluctance to assume a leadership role

A Well – Organized Board Attracts Leaders

Timely and focused board meetings

Commitment to delegation of responsibilities, transparency, and accountability

Strategic plan in place and best practices identified

Free flowing dissemination of information with senior staff

Effective communication systems

Procedures in place to reduce individual’s fears or reluctance to assume a leadership role

Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”: What the Organization Needs to Have in Place Expose potential leaders to the leadership comptetencies your organization ranks highly current or former outstanding board members innovative thinkers who will encourage them to stretch

Expose potential leaders to

the leadership comptetencies your organization ranks highly

current or former outstanding board members

innovative thinkers who will encourage them to stretch

Creating a “Leadership Pipeline”: Recruiting for leadership Armed with knowledge about the Organization’s current and future strategic directions (strategic plan) Leadership competencies necessary to achieve these directions Current leadership competencies that reside on the board (inventory) Policies and procedures in place to develop potential leaders Your Board Development Committee can initiate the cycle of identification, cultivation and recruitment. 14

Armed with knowledge about the

Organization’s current and future strategic directions (strategic plan)

Leadership competencies necessary to achieve these directions

Current leadership competencies that reside on the board (inventory)

Policies and procedures in place to develop potential leaders

Your Board Development Committee can initiate the cycle of identification, cultivation and recruitment.

How to start? If necessary, identify board champions to make the case for a succession planning strategy. Evaluate strength and scope of current Nominating/Board Development Committee; act on weaknesses Full Board/Key Staff/Key Stakeholder Discussion about Leadership Needs Tools Succession Planning Assessment: what’s in place/what needs to be developed? Assessment Action Plan: identify, assign and timeframe tasks Skills Inventory Strategic Plan

How to start?

If necessary, identify board champions to make the case for a succession planning strategy.

Evaluate strength and scope of current Nominating/Board Development Committee; act on weaknesses

Full Board/Key Staff/Key Stakeholder Discussion about Leadership Needs

Tools

Succession Planning Assessment: what’s in place/what needs to be developed?

Assessment Action Plan: identify, assign and timeframe tasks

Skills Inventory

Strategic Plan

Succession Planning Checklist Board Members 2008 Federation of Community Organizations & Non-Profit Sector Leadership Program, Dalhousie University Our organization has a strategic plan to which it is committed Board roles and responsibilities have been documented and reviewed Board Member job description Chair job description Conflict of interest guidelines Board members code of conduct Board committee roles descriptions The future skills and talent composition of the board have been assessed in light of the our organization’s future board leadership needs Organizational expertise Representation Community/issue knowledge Fund raising ability Commitment to goals We have a board recruitment plan We have a three year board recruitment/board succession outlook A standing recruitment or nominations committee is in place and reporting at least three times a year A board member prospects list has been developed and is up to date Our recruitment package is up-to-date Information on our board, board member duties and on the nomination or recruitment process is on our website We are using our committees as stepping stones for the board We have board development/education plan We will be conducting a board self-evaluation and will act on the results We have planned (x number of educational sessions/development opportunities for board and staff We have taken steps towards a more diverse and multi-generational board Our recruitment plan includes some diversity goals

Our organization has a strategic plan to which it is committed

Board roles and responsibilities have been documented and reviewed

Board Member job description

Chair job description

Conflict of interest guidelines

Board members code of conduct

Board committee roles descriptions

The future skills and talent composition of the board have been assessed in light of the our organization’s future board leadership needs

Organizational expertise

Representation

Community/issue knowledge

Fund raising ability

Commitment to goals

We have a board recruitment plan

We have a three year board recruitment/board succession outlook

A standing recruitment or nominations committee is in place and reporting at least three times a year

A board member prospects list has been developed and is up to date

Our recruitment package is up-to-date

Information on our board, board member duties and on the nomination or recruitment process is on our website

We are using our committees as stepping stones for the board

We have board development/education plan

We will be conducting a board self-evaluation and will act on the results

We have planned (x number of educational sessions/development opportunities for board and staff

We have taken steps towards a more diverse and multi-generational board

Our recruitment plan includes some diversity goals

NYS ARTS BLOG www.nysarts.typepad.com Webinars and Conversations on the BLOG! Ask questions Review Topics Share information Explore new ideas On to the Blog! Do you have one or two take-aways from these webinars that you intend to implement right away? If so, what are they? 14

Webinars and Conversations on the BLOG!

Ask questions

Review Topics

Share information

Explore new ideas

On to the Blog!

Do you have one or two take-aways from these webinars that you intend to implement right away?

If so, what are they?