Maximizing Board Effectiveness 2024 Webinar.pptx

1. Maximizing Board Effectiveness
James C. Galvin, Ed.D.

2. The story of the Mini Mart

3. Significant confusion exists about when
boards should act or stay out of the way

4. Your role is to capture useful ideas and best
practices to help your board improve

5. You suspect that your board is not living up
to its potential

6. You want your board to oversee and serve
the organization more effectively

7. Tools that can help you fix your board
1. Board types
2. Board principles
3. Board posture
4. Board policies
5. Best practices

8. Many kinds of boards: advisory boards,
patronage boards, fundraising boards

9. Basic systems theory

10. The black box metaphor

11. Determine where your board is currently at
and where it needs to be
MANAGING GOVERNING NAVIGATING
Executive Management Policy-Based Governance Transformative Governance
MORE
EFECTIVE
Micromanaging Microgoverning Status Quo Governance
LESS
EFFECTIVE

12. Many nonprofits need a managing board
MANAGING BOARDS
Executive Management
More
Effective
• Leadership team
• C-Suite skills
• Disciplined conversation
• High-level decision making
• Tactical planning
• Skillful delegation
Micromanagement
Less
Effective
• Intervening board members
• Hands-on approach
• Operational decision making
• Focus on administrative detail
• Present-oriented
• Short-range planning

13. Ex: Anonymous animal shelter board

14. Some nonprofits need a governing board
GOVERNING BOARDS
Policy-Based Governance
More
Effective
• Disciplined board members
• Proactive
• Results-oriented ends policies
• Clear limitations policies
• Strive for consensus
• Speak with one voice
Microgovernance
Less
Effective
• Policy-fixated board members
• Reactive
• Focus on wordsmithing
• Too little too late
• Unclear or missing ends policies
• Confusing limitation policies

15. EX: Independent hospital board

16. A few nonprofits need a navigating board
NAVIGATING BOARDS
Transformative Governance
More
Effective
• Breakthroughs
• Focus on the future
• Strategic leadership
• Generative thinking
• Learning the way forward
• Bold vision
Status Quo Governance
Less
Effective
• Guided by defaults
• Tweaking the past
• Change-adverse
• Focus on maintaining usual state
• Institutionalized processes
• Indecisive

17. EX: Anachronistic orphanage board
• Institution for developmentally disabled adults

18. Let’s talk: Where is your board at and
where do they need to be?

19. Tools that can help you fix your board
1. Board types
2. Board principles
3. Board posture
4. Board policies
5. Best practices

20. New international standards for governance
were released in 2021

21. ISO 37000 Guidance

22. 6.1 Purpose

23. 6.2 Value generation

24. 6.3 Strategy

25. 6.4 Oversight

26. 6.5 Accountability

27. 6.6 Stakeholder engagement

28. 6.7 Leadership

29. 6.8 Data and decisions

30. 6.9 Risk governance

31. 6.10 Social responsibility

32. 6.11 Viability and performance over time

33. Governance outcomes

34. Tools that can help you fix your board
1. Board types
2. Board principles
3. Board posture
4. Board policies
5. Board practices

35. Tools that can help you fix your board
1. Board types
2. Board principles
3. Board posture
4. Board policies
5. Board practices

36. Rob, pillage, and steal best practices from
other boards

37. Email eliminates the cost of postage and
unnecessary handouts

38. The consent agenda saves precious time
and eliminates dull reports

39. A dashboard of key indicators
communicates numerical data quickly

40. Standing committees should be used
sparingly

41. Begin and end each meeting with an
executive session

42. A special auxiliary group can provide a
variety of benefits including a pipeline

43. Hand signals help keep discussion on track
during the meeting

44. Conduct a process check at the end of
every board meeting

45. A private board website assures easy access
to all pertinent information

46. Use a web survey service to gather opinions
from staff, board, donors

47. Refreshments keep board members alert
and awake

48. Folding seminar tables work better than a
large, traditional board table

49. Hang time allows you to build
a caring community

50. Board retreats allow for relationship
building and training

51. Establish clear expectations regarding level
of charitable giving

52. Annual review for the executive should
focus on ends and limitations policies

53. An annual bylaw review prevents boards
from getting off track

54. Board self-assessment keeps boards fresh
and disciplined

55. A perpetual calendar will help keep a board
on task and policies fresh

56. A board orientation program helps new
members contribute sooner

57. Coaching can strengthen the board chair
and improve group process

58. Tools that can help you fix your board
1. Board types
2. Board principles
3. Board posture
4. Board policies
5. Board practices

59. You are feeling frustrated with your board
and want better governance

60. You can help your board live up to its
potential and become highly effective

61. G&A
www.galvinandassociates.com