ENTERPRISING NONPROFITS
Vicki Clark
Building the Capacity of Organizations
Memphis, TN
[email protected]
Board-Chief Executive
Partnership: The
Single Best Sign of a
Healthy Nonprofit
1. Mission impact
2. Organizational growth and
sustainability
3. Healthy, functional organization
4. Change as a constant
Key relationship with inherent
tension, even when positive,
since:
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Both parties do governance
Intersection of governance and
management
Board oversees chief executive’s
work
BOARD
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Articulates values
Hires Executive Director
Opens fundraising doors
Fiscal oversight
Selects and orients new
board members
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Strategic planning
Fundraising plans
Evaluations
Preparing for board
meetings
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Develops
policy questions for
the board’s consideration
Hires and oversees staff
Develops and implements
programs
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BOARDROOM
Mission-driven focus
on governance tasks
Board focused on
stakeholders
High functioning
board focused on
process, tasks, and
outcomes
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WORKPLACE
Mission-driven focus
on management tasks
Staff focused on
customers/those
served
High functioning staff
focused on process,
tasks, and outcomes
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2.
3.
4.
Constructive partnership
Clear expectations
Strategic thinking
Culture of candor
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6.
The board focuses on governance, not
management.
The board has “1” employee: the CEO
The CEO has only “1”employer: the board as a
whole.
The board creates committees to help accomplish
its own job, not the Executive Director’s job.
The board evaluates the ED annually.
The board conducts its own annual self-appraisal.
CEO Engagement
CEO
CEO
→ Is Displacing Board
→ Is In Constructive
Partnership with Board
GOVERNANCE AS
OBSERVATION
GOVERNANCE AS
LEADERSHIP
CEO
CEO
→ Is Going Through the
Motions with Board
→ Is Displaced by Board
GOVERNANCE AS
ATTENDANCE
GOVERNANCE AS
MICROMANAGEMENT
Board Engagement
Source: Richard Chair, et.al, “Governance as
Leadership”
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A positive, constructive attitude and well
developed emotional intelligence to work with the
board. Board-savvy Ex. Directors nurture the
board as a precious asset, and they welcome and
demand strong leadership.
Board savvy Ex. Directors are experts in highimpact governance. That means they not only
devote significant time and attention to working
with the boards, they develop significant
knowledge and expertise in the area of board
leadership. They understand what it means to be a
high-impact board, and how board culture, and
structure and processes play into producing highimpact governance.
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The ability to play an active role in helping the
board develop its capacity to produce high
impact governance. Board-savvy Ex. Directors
take accountability, along with the board, for
continuous governance and leadership
improvement. Good is not enough for these
board savvy staff leaders.
Board-savvy Ex. Directors pay very close
attention to keeping their working relationship
with board members fine tuned and healthy.
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Is always “on the same page” with the Ex. Director.
Board members are careful not to become involved in
operations, give direction to employees, or engage in
“behind the back” discussions.
Focuses on strategy and policy, not minutia.
Sets clear performance expectations with the Ex.
Director and provide candid feedback.
Understands the critical nature of confidentiality and
transparency.
Values governance participation and productivity.
Uses meeting time productively and efficiently and
ensures that steps to be taken following the meeting
are clear, concise and understood by all.
“Shared leadership with an invested thought
partner with leadership skills can cut so many
challenges off at the pass and propel your
organization toward fulfillment of your
mission more quickly, more clearly, and more
strategically.”
Joan Garry
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Facts-sharing
Ideas-sharing
Knowledge-sharing
Feelings-sharing
Give-and-take
1. Board Chair and ED are both “crazy” about the
mission of the organization.
2. Board Chair really wants and understands the
job.
3. Chair and ED plan Executive Committee
calls/meeting together.
4. Chair and ED plan Board Meetings together.
5. Chair and ED meet weekly.
1. Board chair didn’t want the job in the first
place.
2. ED doesn’t tell the Board Chair anything
meaningful.
3. Board Chair intrudes-micro manages ED
activities.
4. Board Chair actually wants the ED job.
5. Board Chair comes in
distrusting/disrespecting the ED
6. Executive Director believes the Board Chair’s
primary role is to “protect him/her from the big
bad other Board members.
7. Board Chair sees his/her role has providing cover
for the ED and to save him/her from the other
annoying board members.
8. Board Chair is not accessible to the ED when
needed
9. There is no regular communication in either
direction.
10. Board Chair delegates board and executive
committee meeting agendas and actual facilitation
of the meeting to the ED.
Board Chair Leadership
No micro-managing
Board Development
Initiation
Orientation
Sustainability
Preservation
ED (staff) Leadership
No micro-governing
Staff Development
Initiation
Orientation
Sustainability
Preservation
1. Make “’we’re in this together” Your Theme
Song.
2. Replay and Remix the Board and Executive
Director Position Descriptions
3. Flip The Board Agenda
4. Actively Seek Ways to Build Trust and
Fellowship
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"Coming together is a beginning, staying
together is progress, and working together is
success." - Henry Ford
No matter what accomplishments you make,
somebody helped you." - Althea Gibson
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do
so much." - Helen Keller
“If everyone is moving forward together, then
success takes care of itself." - Henry Ford