BONUS LESSON 41 – Summary and Index to 40 Blogs

Our final blog! Welcome to Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom Blog, a 40-week journey through the book, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Over the last 40 Wednesdays, we've featured 40 guest writers and their favorite snippet from the week's topic. Here are some final thoughts from Dan and John—and a click-on menu of all 40 bloggers and 40 lessons.

BONUS LESSON 41 - Summary and Index to 40 Blogs

Now...foster a ripple effect of enriching boardroom experiences!

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: As Busby and Pearson wrote in their introduction, “We are grateful for the growing number of boardroom resources (many highlighted in this book) that help boards focus on their ‘customer,’ mission and vision, policy issues, spiritual discernment, Kingdom outcomes, sustainability, and so much more. Today, every board member must be a lifelong learner."

They added, “We are prayerful that this book will be one of several catalysts your board will use to catch the vision for good governance. We are hopeful that you’ll help foster a ripple effect of enriching boardroom experiences that honor God. Like many, we believe that ‘as the board goes, so goes the organization.’” 

JUST A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE INSIGHTS from 40 lessons:
• “Would you trust a surgeon who stopped learning?”
• “Pious shoddy is still shoddy.” (Elton Trueblood)
• “If you need a volunteer, recruit a volunteer. If you need a board member, recruit a board member.”
• “Some motions should never gain unmerited oxygen!”
• “Never throw red meat on the board table.”
• “When dysfunction reigns, healthy board members head for the door.”
• “The actual achievement of audacious goals is very uncommon.”
• “When the Spirit nudges your board, does He hear a busy signal?”

Watch for more governance insights and resources coming in 2018 and 2019, including the updated Second Edition of Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, Lessons From the Church Boardroom, and (you-guessed-it!) More Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom.

CLICK-ON INDEX TO ALL 40 LESSONS:
ECFA is grateful to our 40 guest bloggers who shared their insights and color commentary on all 40 lessons over the last 40 Wednesdays. Click on one or two lessons—and share them with your board members today!

PART 1: THE POWERFUL IMPACT OF HIGHLY ENGAGED BOARDS
1) Wanted: Lifelong Learning Board Members (Ralph E. Enlow, Jr.)
2) Ask the Gold Standard Question (Tim McDermott)

PART 2: BOARDROOM TOOLS, TEMPLATES, AND TYPOS
4) Do Unwritten Board Policies Really Exist? (Bob Andringa)
5) Before the Board Meeting (Ed McDowell)
6) Eliminate Hallway Whining (Pat Clements)
7) Typos Matter! (Jim Galvin)
 
PART 3: NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD MEMBER HALL OF FAME
8) Listen to the Wisdom of Many Counselors (Wayne Pederson)
9) Serve With Humility and Experience God’s Presence (Reid Lehman)
10) Prioritize Prayer Over Problems (Jeff Lilley)

PART 4: EPIPHANIES IN THE BOARDROOM
11) Tap! Tap! Tap! (Steve Macchia)
12) Vision Growth Must Equal Leader Growth (Mike Pate) 
13) If You Need a Volunteer, Recruit a Volunteer (Dan Davis)
14) If You Need a Board Member, Recruit a Board Member (Bruce Johnson)

PART 5: BOARDROOM BLOOPERS
15) Cut Your Losses (George Duff)
16) Date Board Prospects Before You Propose Marriage (Terry Stokesbary)
17) Sidetrack Harebrained Ideas (Tami Heim)
18) Do Not Interrupt! (Holly Duncan)

PART 6: BOARDROOM TIME-WASTERS, TROUBLE-MAKERS, AND TRUTH TELLERS
19) Never Throw Red Meat on the Board Table (David Wills)
20) Apply for a Staff Position and You Can Deal With That Issue! (Rich Stearns)
21) Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem (John Ashmen)

PART 7: BOARDROOM BEST PRACTICES
22) The Most Underrated Board Position (David McKenna)
23) Focus on Mission Impact and Sustainability (Steve Moore)
24) Ministry Fundraising 101 for Board Members (R. Scott Rodin)

PART 8: BOARDROOM WORST PRACTICES
25) Align Board Member Strengths With Committee Assignments (Erika Cole)
26) Spotting, Catching, or Exiting a Falling CEO (Ed Morgan)
27) Report Once and Report With Clarity (Mike Pate)

PART 9: HOLY GROUND AND OTHER LOCATIONS
28) Slow Down and Wait on God (Jerry White)
29) Think and Pray Outside the Box—and the County! (David Curry)
30) The Truck Driver Was No Match for the Faith-Filled Board Chair! (Gregg Hunter & Ed McDowell)

PART 10: BUILDING A 24/7 BOARD CULTURE
31) Cut the Cord! Invite Board Members to Exit When They Don’t Live Your Values (Al Lopus)
32) Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship (Rick Alvis)
33) "Good Is the Enemy of Great" (Thomas Addington) 

PART 11: BOARDS THAT LEAD AND BOARDS THAT READ
34) Envision Your Best Board Member Orientation Ever (Michael Batts)
35) Is Your Board Color-Blind? (Danny de Armas)
36) Decrease Staff Reporting and Increase Heavy Lifting (Bob King)
37) Don’t Stretch Credulity With BHAGs and Stretch Goals (David Schmidt)
38) Great Boards Delegate Their Reading (Kent Stroman)
39) Invest “10 Minutes for Governance” in Every Board Meeting (John Walling)
40) A Board Prayer (Dan Bolin)

FOLLOW THE ECFA GOVERNANCE BLOG:
Visit ECFA’s Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations blog, written by John Pearson, and inspire your board to be lifelong learners.

Visit the Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom webpage and order extra copies for your board members.

ORDER THE BOOK

LESSON 40 – A Board Prayer

Welcome to Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we're featuring a guest writer’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Dan Bolin is our guest blogger this week for the seventh of seven lessons in "Part 11: Boards That Lead and Boards That Read.”

LESSON 40 OF 40 - A Board Prayer

“Dear God…Let me tell stories and provide statistics that represent accurately.”

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: Board governance is a significant and sacred trust; therefore the spiritual integrity of the board (individually and corporately) is paramount. Pursuing godly ends is not enough—boards must embody godly means as well. Organizations that claim the name “Christian” must align both their purpose and practices with God’s design. 

Boards of Christian nonprofits generally seek God’s direction for the purpose they pursue, but too often they fail to act with grace and humility in their practices. Failing to pursue godly purposes or failing to lead in God-honoring ways are equally dangerous and ultimately destructive to the soul of the institution.  

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 40, pages 202-206: 
• “Help us to remember that few decisions are worth the divisions caused by dominant winning or belligerent losing.”
• “Help us to seek your glory and not ours.”
• “Grant us the joy of arriving at adjournment closer to one another because we are closer to you.”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
Years ago, I participated in a board meeting where the tension was so pronounced, the consultant provided all of us with adhesive strips to wear across our noses. Throughout the meeting, those strips reminded us to “breathe right.” We were inexorably reminded that the most significant challenge was not to make our point or win our argument—the real test was to express our deeply held positions with grace and truth.

Serving a Christian nonprofit, whether as a board member or as a senior leader, requires dependence upon God. Ultimately, we are stewards who serve God, our constituents, and one another. We must ask God for His wisdom, strength, courage and peace to steward well the ministry entrusted to us.  

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DAN BOLIN:

Dan Bolin is retired but continues to speak and write as the president of Refueling in Flight Ministries, a small nonprofit committed to encouraging the Christian community. Dan strives to provide hope, inspiration, and truth to those living life in this busy and demanding world. Dan led three Christian nonprofit organizations during his career. He served as the CEO of Pine Cove Christian Camps for 14 years, president of KVNE and KGLY Radio for nine years, and international director of Christian Camping International for 11 years. He has served on the boards of numerous Christian organizations and is the author of eight books, including How to Be Your Daughter's Daddy: 365 Ways to Show Her You Care, and How to Be Your Little Man's Dad: 365 Things to Do with Your Son (with Ken Sutterfield).

TO-DO TODAY: 

• Send a copy of “A Board Prayer” (Lesson 40) to the members of your board and ask them to read it three times before your next meeting.
• Put a star by the bullet points that your board is doing well. In your next board communication, thank them for living out those aspects of godly, board governance.
• Put a check mark by two or three bullet points where you would like to improve personally. Begin to pray for wisdom, strength and courage to change. 

NEXT WEDNESDAY: Bonus Blog #41!
On Aug. 29, 2018, watch for the final commentary by Dan Busby and John Pearson, including an index and links to all 40 blogs. 

Subscribe to this blog by submitting your email (just above the date/day). Visit the Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom webpage and order extra copies for your board members.

ORDER THE BOOK

LESSON 39 – Invest “10 Minutes for Governance” in Every Board Meeting

Welcome to Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we're featuring a guest writer’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. John Walling is our guest blogger this week for the sixth of seven lessons in "Part 11: Boards That Lead and Boards That Read.”

LESSON 39 OF 40 - Invest “10 Minutes for Governance” in Every Board Meeting

We are all guilty of bringing our delightful dysfunctions into every new board experience.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: In Lesson 39, we’re reminded that the number of years served on boards may not be a good indicator of meaningful board experiences. That’s why board members must be lifelong learners. Consequently, many boards enhance the board member experience by featuring a “10 Minutes for Governance” segment in every meeting.

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 39, pages 197-201: 
• Richard Kriegbaum: “Leadership is a complex field and no one resource can meet all the needs of every leader in every situation.”
• “Every board member carries unhealthy baggage into your meeting that passed as normalcy in a previous boardroom.”
• “In every board meeting, we want to remind board members that good governance does not happen by osmosis.”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
Over the last six years, the board of directors at Christian Community Credit Union has invested 10 minutes at each board meeting to enrich our governance competencies. Every board member takes his or her turn at facilitating this governance refresher exercise. And—we set an iPhone alarm so discussion (always lively!) stops at 10 minutes.

Typically, the 10 minutes is allocated as follows:
• 3 minutes of content from the facilitator
• 4 minutes of discussion (in groups of two or three)
• 3 minutes of group reports (1 minute each)

The facilitator prepares a one-page handout (from a standard template) and includes one or two discussion questions. The 10 minutes fly by—but it’s always a stimulating experience!

This year for our “10 Minutes for Governance” exercises, each board member is selecting their favorite chapter from Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom. I’m on deck at this month’s board meeting and will focus on “Lesson 27: Report Once and Report With Clarity”—a common struggle for every board I’ve served on! (Read Mike Pate’s commentary on this lesson here.)

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JOHN WALLING:

John Walling served 45 years at Christian Community Credit Union, including 39 years as President & CEO. He retired in 2017. He has also served on other boards, including Payment Systems for Credit Unions, Inc. (PSCU). In 2012, his credit union peers from the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues honored John with the "Unsung Hero Award" for his "valuable and significant contributions ‘above and beyond’ to the credit union movement within the state of California." Walling is married to Dr. Mary Lou Walling, a retired educator, and they enjoy frequent family gatherings with their two daughters, sons-in-laws, four grandchildren, and a grandson-in-law.

TO-DO TODAY: 

• Pilot test “10 Minutes for Governance” at your next two board meetings. Then evaluate whether you should add this to your standard agenda.
• Assess whether differing assumptions about board governance roles and responsibilities has created misalignment among your board members.

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On Aug. 22, 2018, watch for the commentary by Dan Bolin on Lesson 40, "A Board Prayer: Dear God...let me tell stories and provide statistics that represent accurately."

Subscribe to this blog by submitting your email (just above the date/day). Visit the Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom webpage and order extra copies for your board members.

ORDER THE BOOK

LESSON 38 - Great Boards Delegate Their Reading

Welcome to Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we're featuring a guest writer’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Kent Stroman is our guest blogger this week for the fifth of seven lessons in "Part 11: Boards That Lead and Boards That Read.”

LESSON 38 OF 40 - Great Boards Delegate Their Reading

Deputize a “Leaders Are Readers Champion.”

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: Lesson 38 reminds us that great resources for board effectiveness are easily within reach outside the boardroom.

The authors promote the idea of turning the governing body into a “learning board.” And why not? Every worthy endeavor deserves mastery of the basics. Why wouldn’t we hold an equally high standard when it comes to the charitable organizations that have such a great impact around the world? 

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 38, pages 193-196: 
• G. K. Chesterton’s choice of Thomas’ Guide to Practical Shipbuilding as his #1 pick for a book to accompany him in a most challenging situation.
• “The board chair can inspire individual board members to read and report on a helpful governance book.”
• “Learning boards inspire everyone to read the same book prior to the annual board retreat.”
• “… your journey can be enhanced by the books you read (or listen to). Inspire your board to read!”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
As I’ve worked with and served on numerous boards, one observation has repeatedly smacked me in the face: Precious few of us have any formal preparation for the task we’ve accepted (serving on a governing board). No wonder there’s so much frustration with the work!

I love the remedy Busby and Pearson offer their readers. The simple practice of targeted reading provides board members with an ever-expanding pool of resources to enrich their service. Further, it deepens the interpersonal relationships of those who serve together to fulfill the mission of the ministry.  

I love this quote from the U.S. Navy Seals, “Under pressure you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard.” By being intentional about ongoing board member education, organizations are investing in their own preparation to “rise to the occasion” that will inevitably emerge—at the least expected moment. 

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY KENT STROMAN:

Kent Stroman, CFRE, is a published author, popular presenter, effective consultant and insightful thought leader. His purpose in life is to Equip, Inspire, and Encourage.  Kent is president of Stroman & Associates, a successful consultancy for major fundraising campaigns and board development. More importantly, he is the husband of one, father of three, and grandfather of eight! Kent’s books, Asking about Asking: Mastering the Art of Conversational Fundraising and The Intentional Board: Why Your Board Doesn’t Work . . . and How to Fix It are published by CharityChannel Press and available through booksellers worldwide.

TO-DO TODAY: 

• Appoint a “Leaders Are Readers Champion” and provide a modest budget for the resources needed for the task.
• Choose a book on governance for every member of the board to read in preparation for the annual board retreat.

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On Aug. 15, 2018, watch for the commentary by John Walling on Lesson 39, "Invest '10 Minutes for Governance' in Every Board Meeting. We are all guilty of bringing our delightful dysfunctions into every new board experience."

Subscribe to this blog by submitting your email (just above the date/day). Visit the Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom webpage and order extra copies for your board members.

ORDER THE BOOK

LESSON 37 - Don’t Stretch Credulity With BHAGs and Stretch Goals

Welcome to Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we're featuring a guest writer’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. David Schmidt is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of seven lessons in "Part 11: Boards That Lead and Boards That Read.”

LESSON 37 OF 40 - Don’t Stretch Credulity With BHAGs and Stretch Goals

The actual achievement of audacious goals is very uncommon.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: Stretch goals come easily and naturally for energized leaders, but buyer beware. Every stretch goal needs to be tested. Where does it fit into our overall plan? What is driving it? Why this stretch goal now? Because the CEO is new or wants to leave with a legacy milestone? The ministry needs a miracle?  

The board is responsible to be sure goals, big and small, come from sound strategic thinking processes guided by God’s Spirit.  

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 37, pages 189-192: 
• “Stretch goals are nearly impossible goals often proposed by the CEO—like a moon shot.”
• “So it’s no wonder that some ministries employ stretch goals as a magical formula to ‘resuscitate or transform an ailing’ strategy.”  

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
I recall a client leader who called an unscheduled breakfast meeting for his direct reports and me as consultant. He shared that in the middle of the night he couldn’t sleep—and in his wakefulness—had determined their organization should set a goal to quadruple their donations revenue. He was a passionate and well-meaning leader who for the most part was pragmatic.  But on this occasion, those of us who loved and respected him suspected his vision in the night was more likely the result of heartburn from the spicy dinner we all shared the evening before.

Stretch goals always need to be vetted and the board is on point to exercise its role appropriately to “trust but verify” what administration brings to it. This protects the staff and the ministry from disorder down the road.

Always—we must test motives and drivers when setting goals. Pride and fear can easily disguise themselves as bold leadership.
Proverbs 24:3-4 helps us here in vetting what seems like a stretch goal: “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts (TLB).”

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DAVID SCHMIDT:

David Schmidt is an organizational development consultant who has served nonprofits in the faith-based sector for the past 40 years. He focuses on equipping leaders and organizations to think strategically and lay plans that deliver measurable results. You can learn more about him at his Wise Planning website here.

TO-DO TODAY: 

• If there is a stretch goal floating around in your organization, this is a good time to “trust but verify.”
• How up to date and effective is your strategic plan? If it needs attention, get some outside help.  A strong, working strategic plan makes stretch goals easier to evaluate. 

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On Aug. 8, 2018, watch for the commentary by Kent Stroman on Lesson 38, "Great Boards Delegate Their Reading. Deputize a 'Leaders Are Readers Champion.'"

Subscribe to this blog by submitting your email (just above the date/day). Visit the Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom webpage and order extra copies for your board members.

ORDER THE BOOK