This is a fresh look at board development. It is organizes in light of the various stages of a nonprofit. Heather Burton of Sage Consulting was the presenter.
2. Your Partner in Dialogue
(and why meâŚ)
⢠Product Marketing Director w/Sage
⢠Board, BookSpring
Past president, held officer roles for 4+ yrs
Responsible for performance evaluation process, staff dev.
⢠10+ years working for/with nonprofits
United Way, Hospice, Social Service Agency
⢠Charity Channel Chapter Author âAll A-Boardâ
⢠Special interest in leadership and developing people
Heather Burton
⢠Favorite food: Pizza (unfortunately)
⢠Twitter handle: @heathermburton
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3. Who I work forâŚ
3rd largest ERP solution provider to
businesses worldwide
The Sage Group, plc. (London: SGE.L)
6.2 Million Customers Worldwide
Over 32,000 Unique Not-For-Profit
Customers in North America
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4. Nonprofit
2
Lifecycle
Dream Team Current Reality
Bridging the
Gaps
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6. Basic roles, responsibilities
Define, protect and advance the mission
Organizational ambassadors
Safeguard assets (human, financial ,property)
Recruit, hire, support & review the ED
Ensure adequate resources to carry out the mission
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9. We are a mix
We are of leaders,
responsible âdo-ersâ, and
Weâre and connectors
passionate! responsive We put our
money
where our
mouth is
Weâre
movers and We make the
shakers! time and
have the
energy
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11. Stages of a Nonprofit
Start-Up
(Incubation)
Decline Adolescent
(Stagnation) (Growing)
Mature
(Stability)
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Adapted from: The 5 Life Stages of Nonprofits, Judith Sharken
12. Organization vs. Board
Mode Organization Board
Start-Up Establish programs, secure Hands-on, operational, focused on
funding, prove viability mission/program delivery
Adolescence Additional paid staff, grow Less day-to-day, various committee
community awareness formation to fill staffing gaps
Mature Strategic growth, improved Shift to governance/strategy focus.
operations, diverse fundraising Fundraising and board recruitment
become priority
Decline Shift in community needs, loss Disengaged board or disagreement
of funding, lack of strategy or on organizational future, high-turn
vision over
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13. Trick is in the Transition
Start-Up
Clarify board member roles, responsibilities (Incubation) Formalize board recruitment process
Create formal governance structure Develop orientation & mentor program
Focus on policies
Decline Adolescent
(Stagnation) (Growing)
Re-energize or develop new board Institute an annual board evaluation
Explore partnerships with others Enhance board fundraising capacity
Engage third party to mediate conflicts Mature Enhance board committee structure
(Stability)
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Adapted from: The 5 Life Stages of Nonprofits, Judith Sharken
14. Nonprofit
2
Lifecycle
Dream Team Current Reality
Bridging the
Gaps
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16. Common Complaints
Lack of participation,
engagement
Founder Syndrome
Forgetfulness
Over commitment
Weak leadership
Stray from the core
Drama/Gossip
Lack of time
Great ideas, Lack of understanding
no follow through
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17. Hereâs where it gets funâŚ
In which stage is your organization?
Do your board pains map to a transition stage?
Is your âdream teamâ in alignment with your stage?
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18. From my viewâŚ.
(Perspective)
Uncertain job market or loss of job
Family demands
Little time, but want to contribute in a meaningful way
Not my only interest/passion
Donât want another full-time âjobâ
Do take responsibilities seriously
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19. From your viewâŚ.
(Perspective)
Youâve agreed to serve on the board
Many hands make for light work
The organization needs your expertise
Give it, get it, or get off
Difficult to serve many masters with many personalities
Do appreciate that you are volunteers
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20. Nonprofit
2
Lifecycle
Dream Team Current Reality
Bridging the
Gaps
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21. The best executive is the one who has
sense enough to pick good men [women]
to do what he [she] wants done,
and self-restraint to keep from
meddling with them while they do it.
- Theodore Roosevelt
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22. True
leadership is
rare, even in
for-profit Leadership is
organizations. not about title,
itâs about action.
Great leaders
in one life cycle
may not be
suitable for the
Leaders are next.
willing to make
the tough calls, Leaders care
but explain why. about people
first, and believe
that everything
else falls into
place
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23. Board Leadership
The right leaders at the right stage make all the difference
Inspire, set the tone, and set an example
Comfortable with tension
Willing to challenge and be challenged
Manage to the stage of your organization
Able to balance short-term vs. long-term decisions
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24. Find your superstars
Sometimes leaders come from unlikely places
Support board members to take roles that grow them
â Sometimes the âday jobâ isnât what theyâd like to do
Donât make assumptions
Enforce succession planning
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26. On-boarding Example
Meeting
Committee
with board
alignment
dev chair
Visit x Financial
programs pledge
Attend x Board Assigned a
board
Approval âbuddyâ
events
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27. 60 Minutes is too short!
43 Authors, Brilliant!
Nominated for the 21st Annual Terry
McAdam Book Award of the Alliance for
Nonprofit Management
Bob Carter, chair-elect for the Association
of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), writes,
"This is surely the book I wish I had decades
ago."
To purchase YOU and Your Nonprofit go to
this link: http://bit.ly/iHpQoP
â My referral fees will be donated back to
More about Board
BookSpring (www.bookspring.org)
Engagement!
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28. If Iâve Done Nothing ElseâŚ
Expectations vs. stage of organization
Find your superstars
Push with patience, but be willing to be pushed
Incremental, sustainable change
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