This document provides an overview of strategies for effective board recruitment and engagement. It discusses developing a recruitment process including defining expectations, identifying ideal candidates, conducting outreach, and onboarding new members. The document also covers ensuring board effectiveness through regular self-assessments, strategic planning, clarifying roles and responsibilities, effective meetings, communication, and ongoing education. The goal is to recruit and retain high-quality board members who are actively engaged in governing the organization and advancing its mission.

1. @AskEmilyD
POSNER CENTER
BOARD RECRUITMENT
(AND ENGAGEMENT) THAT ROCKS!
MAY 31, 2016
Emily Davis, MNM
President, Emily Davis Consulting
Senior Governance Consultant, BoardSource

2. @AskEmilyD
TURN ON YOUR TECH
@AskEmilyD
@PosnerCenter
#governance

3. @AskEmilyD

4. @AskEmilyD
60 seconds or less
Name
Question
Desired
Outcome
A LITTLE ABOUT YOU…
HI!

5. @AskEmilyD
AGREEMENTS & PARKING LOT

6. @AskEmilyD
Why did
you join?
What
hesitations
did you
have?
Why would
you leave?
Why do
you stay?

7. @AskEmilyD
PERSONAL PLANNING
Passion for mission
Organizational lifecycle stage
How many boards will you sit on?
Board terms
Type of board
Board size, demographics
Financial support
Clarity of expectations

8. @AskEmilyD
RECRUITMENT
Great board
member retention
begins with a great
recruitment
process!

9. @AskEmilyD
WHO HAS…
q A defined recruitment process?
q A regular recruitment schedule?
q A governance and/or nominating
committee leading the process?

10. @AskEmilyD
EXPECTATIONS
Board descriptions
Time commitment
Financial commitment
Recruitment process
Orientation
Committee roles
Ongoing education
Board activities
Terms & term limits

11. @AskEmilyD
BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Set
Organizational
Direction
Ensure
Necessary
Resources
Provide
Oversight
*BoardSource

12. @AskEmilyD
BASIC BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
Determine mission & purpose
Select the chief executive
Support & evaluate the CEO
Ensure effective planning
Monitor & strengthen programs &
services
Ensure adequate financial
resources
Protect assets & provide financial
oversight
Build a competent board
Ensure legal & ethical integrity
Enhance the organizations good
public standing
*BoardSource

13. @AskEmilyD
OUTSTANDING
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
ACTIVITY
How does the board as
a whole perform the
10 responsibilities
listed?
Rate the board as a
whole on a
scale from 1 – 4.
*BoardSource

14. @AskEmilyD
STRATEGIC
PLANNING
Process, not a document
Three-year road map
Stakeholder input
Narrative, resources, &
implementation tools
Strategic Priorities
Goals
Objectives
Tactics

15. @AskEmilyD

16. @AskEmilyD
GATHER
INFORMATION
BOARD ASSESSMENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
COMMITTEES
MEETINGS

17. @AskEmilyD
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
What is our capacity?
What does success look like?
What matters the most to us?
How does this serve our mission?
How does it fit our strategic goals?
How might this be a challenge for us?
Why is this important right now?
Why should we consider other options?
Why is this relevant to our stakeholders?
*BoardSource

18. @AskEmilyD
OBSERVATION LEADERSHIP
ATTENDANCE MICROMANAGEMENT
BOARD & ED ENGAGEMENT*
E
D
E
N
G
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
BOARD ENGAGEMENT
*BoardSource

19. @AskEmilyD
WHO LEADS?
BOARD
[With ED support]
EXEC
DIR
[With Board advice]
BOTH
[50/50 Split]

20. @AskEmilyD
SHARED LEADERSHIP
BOARD LEADS
SHARED
LEADERSHIP ED LEADS
Strategic
Plan
Funding
Strategies
Evaluation
Board
Meeting
Prep
Policy Questions
Staff Hiring &
Oversight
Develops,
Implements, &
Oversees
Programs
Chief Fundraiser
Operations
Reporting
Create &
Review
Policy
ED Hiring &
Oversight
Connections
to Funding
Financial
Due
Diligence
Board
Recruitment
& Retention
*BoardSource

21. @AskEmilyD

22. @AskEmilyD
HATS WE WEAR
LEGAL AMBASSADORVOLUNTEER
Connections
Resources
Communications
Duty of Care
Duty of Loyalty
Duty of Obedience
Board works for staff
Avoid micromanagement
*BoardSource

23. @AskEmilyD
ENSURE HUMAN & FINANCIAL RESOURCES
CEO
Board Members
Supporters
Policies
Planning
Board Giving
Prospecting
Cultivation
Stewardship
*BoardSource

24. @AskEmilyD

25. @AskEmilyD
Identify
Cultivate
Recruit
Orient
Involve
Educate
Evaluate
Rotate
CELEBRATE!
*BoardSource

26. @AskEmilyD
WHO LEADS?

27. @AskEmilyD
REVIEW BOARD JOB DESCRIPTIONS
MEMBERS AT LARGE
PRESIDENT/CHAIR
VICE PRESIDENT/CHAIR
SECRETARY
TREASURER

28. @AskEmilyD
STEP BY STEP
Evaluation Expectations Application Outreach

29. @AskEmilyD
WHERE DO YOU FIND CANDIDATES?

30. @AskEmilyD
NEXT GENERS
Millennials
Gen X

31. @AskEmilyD
STEP BY STEP
Evaluation Expectations Application Outreach
Vetting Selection Debrief

32. @AskEmilyD

33. @AskEmilyD
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Month 1
• Review docs & past recruitment
• Design self-eval
Month 2
• Conduct self-eval & demo matrix
• Design application, interview questions & outreach messaging
Month 3
• Add to website
• Share with networks
Month 4
• Schedule & conduct interviews
• Invite to board meeting
Month 5
• Host at board meeting
• Make recommendations

34. @AskEmilyD

35. @AskEmilyD
RETENTION & ENGAGEMENT

36. @AskEmilyD
ONBOARDING
ORIENTATION BOARD BUDDIES
Hello.
My name is…

37. @AskEmilyD
BOARD CULTURE

38. @AskEmilyD
WHAT MAKES ‘EM TICK
•Always YES
•Wants to help
everyone &
everything
•Caution!
OVER-COMMITTED
•Needs lots
to stay
engaged
•Don’t let
them sit
around
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY
•Verbal &
print
•Use titles
&
acknowled
gment
LIKES RECOGNITION
•Stays focused & on track
•Great for events
•May get discouraged by
others’ lack of support
ORGANIZER
• Lots of ideas for
improvement
• Pair with an Organizer
to keep things moving
CREATIVE
*Abigail Harmon

39. @AskEmilyD
INVEST IN LEARNING
TRAINING &
EDUCATION
NETWORKS &
ASSOCIATIONS
PRACTICE
LEADERSHIP

40. @AskEmilyD
MEETINGS:
None of us is as
dumb as all of us

41. @AskEmilyD
BOARD MEETING TIPS
Governance
• Board reports
• Strategic
priorities/goals
• Mission moments
• Ask questions
• Avoid
micromanagement
Facilitation
• Consent agendas
• Shared
responsibilities
• Giving
accountability
• Follow up
Participants
• Guests, Staff
• ED
• Board members
• Honor time

42. @AskEmilyD
COMMITTEES
TYPES
PURPOSE
MEMBERS
MEETING FREQUENCY
COMMUNICATION
WITH BOARD

43. @AskEmilyD
MEETING PREPARATION

44. @AskEmilyD
EXAMPLE: FINANCE COMMITTEE
Board asks strategic questions
Monthly, quarterly ED/Finance Committee reports on budget
Board participates in fundraising efforts to meet financial goals
Board reviews, asks strategic questions, amends, approves budget
ED/Finance Committee researches drafts budget for approval
Board requests annual budget

45. @AskEmilyD
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU
How does this serve the mission?
Does it fit our strategic goals?
What’s our capacity?
What does success look like?
Keep it high level!

46. @AskEmilyD
COMMUNICATION
“Change happens by listening and then
starting a dialogue, with the people who
are doing something you don’t believe is
right.”
- Dr. Jane Goodall

47. @AskEmilyD
RECOGNITION

48. @AskEmilyD
BOARD ENGAGEMENT PLANS
• What do you want to include?
• How will you create them?
• How do you hold yourselves
accountable?
• What challenges lie ahead?
• What does success look like?
• Board participation
• Committee participation
• Event participation
• Individual giving
• Fundraising activities
• Ambassadorship
• Resources have and need

49. @AskEmilyD
TAKE AWAY & COMMITMENT

50. @AskEmilyD

51. @AskEmilyD
Emily Davis, MNM
President, Emily Davis Consulting
Senior Governance Consultant, BoardSource
(720) 515-0581
emily@emilydavisconsulting.com
emilydavisconsulting.com