Fulfilling a role or just filling a seat

Fulfilling a Role or Just Filling a Seat?
Developing your Board's Capital in Challenging Times
Instructor: Anne Ackerson
THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS, A STATE AGENCY

What we’ll cover today:
Building a board to meet your organization’s challenges
Strategies to blend and build competencies
The role of the Board Development Committee
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It’s Tough Out There!
competition
too few resources
high expectations
keeping audiences engaged, growing and coming back
what else is making you want to tear your hair out?
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Are Our Boards Up to the Task?
right skills?
right attributes?
right support?
right culture?
How many of you feel you’ve got the right mix of talent and systems and environment in place for your board to do its best work?
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Board Development Committee
Needs Assessment

Ongoing Training

Identification
Evaluation

Rotation
Cultivation

Training
Recruitment

Engagement

Orientation
5

Board Development Committee
What is its role?
What are its specific tasks?
Who needs to be on it?
How often will it meet?
6

Needs Assessment: Right Skills and Attributes
Identifying Your Board’s Current Strengths and Future Leadership Needs
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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
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Talent Identification
Matching skills and attributes to potential candidates
Characteristics to think about: forward-looking, optimistic, comfortable with risk or uncertainty
Using existing and new networks to identify potential candidates
Image from: www.managerfactory.com/.../social_network.jpg
How can you identify new and different board members for your organization?
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Cultivation
A PROCESS THAT MAY REQUIRE SEVERAL INTERACTIONS OVER VARYING LENGTHS OF TIME
Tailored to individual
Could include
Multiple conversations by phone and in person
A tour of the facilities and meeting of staff
Sitting in on a board meeting
Meeting board members
Attending an event
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Recruitment
Based on your research
Describe why a prospect is wanted and needed
Explain expectations and responsibilities
Is the prospect interested and ready to serve?
Does the prospect need more cultivation?
What if the prospect says “no”?
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Orientation
Make orientation of new board members
(or prospects) a formal activity
Orientation should include:
Overview of the organization
Tour of facilities
Observation of programs
Overview of the board and staff
Board Member Handbook – a handy reference for new and veteran board members
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Engagement
Pair up newbies and veterans

Involve all board members in committees or task forces right away

Ask for one-on-one help; opinions

Hold them accountable

Thank them often
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Checklist of Items to Include in aBoard Member’s Orientation Packet/Handbook
Section I: Organizational Background
Section II: Governance
Section III: Finance
Section IV: Policies
Section V: Staff /Key Volunteers
Section VI: Program
Board Member’s Bookshelf Bibliography
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Training
Formal
Conferences, seminars or workshops
In-house speakers
Field trips
Retreats
Joint meetings with other cultural organizations
Short “tutorials”
Informal
Distribute mission/issue-related articles
Post-board meeting get-togethers
Drop-in opportunities to observe programming
Website area just for board members
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Evaluation
Who and What Needs to be Evaluated?
The board as a whole
Committees
Individual board members
What are the tools?
Assessment forms
Strategic or Long-range Plan
Annual workplans
Board member job description
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Two Words About Board Member Rotation
DO IT!
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Questions?Comments?
Session 2 | Webinar Wednesday, June 30, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Getting Beyond the "Bored" Meeting
You've probably been there: the report-driven board meeting that keeps you looking at your watch or stealing glances at your smart phone; or the board meeting that is so over-the-top with ideas that you leave it dazed and confused. These are two ends of one continuum known as the board meeting. Where does your organization fit?This webinar will look at some basics, like what board meetings should accomplish, building meaningful agendas and dashboards, and using breakouts, facilitator and conversation recorders.
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Fulfilling a role or just filling a seat

by nysarts on Jun 17, 2010

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Fulfilling a role or just filling a seat — Presentation Transcript