LESSON 22 – The Most Underrated Board Position

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 McKenna is our guest blogger this week for the first of three lessons in "Part 7: Boardroom Best Practices.”

LESSON 22 OF 40 - The Most Underrated Board Position 

The position of the board chair is pivotal to a healthy board.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: Election of the board chair should be based on the same criteria used in the selection of deacons in Acts 6—good reputation, practical wisdom, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Good reputation is required because the chair is always the face of the board and in times of crisis or change, the face of the institution or ministry. Practical wisdom is essential for keeping the Big Picture before the board as issues are debated, initiatives are considered, and outcomes are assessed. First and foremost, the chair must be filled of the Holy Spirit in order to lead by discerning the mind of Christ, assuring the guidance of the Spirit, and obeying the will of God. 

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 22, pages 110-114: 
• The board chair must have the character of being first among equals in integrity, trust and humility.
• The board chair has no inherent authority or power. The board itself authorizes the chair to speak or act on its behalf. 

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
A board member once told me that an organization has a choice between a strong chair and weak CEO—or a weak chair and a strong CEO. Experience often proves him right. But should it be? Isn’t the goal for the most effective ministry to have a strong chair and a strong CEO? Have you been a part of that kind of team, or know of a ministry, that modeled that partnership? If so, was the board more efficient in its process and the ministry more effective in its outcomes? If you had no other choice, would you choose a strong chair and a weak CEO—or a weak chair and a strong CEO? Why? If a strong chair and a strong CEO is your preference, how can you work to achieve and maintain that goal?
 
THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DAVID McKENNA:

David McKenna is the retired President of Spring Arbor University, Seattle Pacific University, and Asbury Theological Seminary. He is Chair Emeritus of the Spring Arbor University Board of Trustees and Founding Chair of Bakke Graduate University. Author of more than 35 books, his ECFAPress book, Call of the Chair: Leading the Board of the Christ-centered Ministry, is a primary source for the selection, leadership, and assessment of the board chair in Christ-centered ministries. Board members will also appreciate the wisdom in Stewards of a Sacred Trust: CEO Selection, Transition and Development for Boards of Christ-centered Organizations.

TO-DO TODAY: 
• Review the criteria and process for the election of your board chair.
• Read “Maestro,” the final chapter in Call of the Chair.

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On April 25, 2018, watch for Steve Moore's commentary on Lesson 23, "Focus on Mission Impact and Sustainability: The 'dual bottom line' equips boards to address dead horses and sacred cows (or goats)."

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.

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LESSON 21 - Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem

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 Ashmen is our guest blogger this week for the third of three lessons in "Part 6: Boardroom Time-Wasters, Troublemakers, and Truth-Tellers.”

LESSON 21 OF 40 - Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem

When dysfunction reigns, healthy board members head for the door.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: In Lesson 21, we are introduced to six fictitious individuals who are all too real in many nonprofit boards. They end up in governance roles because of poor recruiting/vetting practices or cronyism, and are allowed to remain because those at the top lack the gallantry or diplomacy to address their disruptive and destructive behavior. 

This chapter calls out the fuddy-duddies, the goody-goodies, the know-it-alls, the power-grabbers, and the loose cannons. Moreover, it calls on board chairs to confront these underminers of progress in a timely manner for the sake of the organization. The underlying lesson is this: Having a scrupulous, courageous chair is paramount. 

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 21, pages 104-108: 
•  “What do the [dysfunctional members] have in common? They distract the board from its responsibilities. Other board members wonder, with so many dysfunctional members, is it really worth their time to serve on this board?”
• The insight: If you let your inept board members run free, they will eventually chase off the effective ones.  

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
I was recently asked by a NPO chair to spend an entire day meeting with his full board and CEO to help them do organizational triage. Their board was imploding. In fact, when I accepted the invitation, the ministry had 10 board members; when I arrived at the meeting location three weeks later, they were down to six—all dominant individuals who would gleefully launch into loud debate at the drop of a hat. Two of the members who resigned said they were tired of feeling bullied. The third said she was frustrated because nothing of lasting value was being accomplished. The fourth departed member gave no reason for leaving, but did say he wanted no further contact with the ministry.

At the end of our time together, we mapped out a pathway to peace and purposeful governance—but whether they will faithfully follow it remains to be seen. My doubt stems from the fact that the board’s behavioral patterns were years in the making: controller-type people seeking their same kind to serve; never addressing the cause of turmoil, just trying to fix the ramifications of it (which repeatedly took them into operations). I’m praying for God to give the principal players a spirit of contrition and a full measure of courage to confront the improper conduct. It could happen, but the longer that dysfunction is left to fester, the harder it is to heal. 

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JOHN ASHMEN:

John Ashmen is president and CEO of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, providing vision, advocacy, and resources for some 300 personal-transformation ministries throughout North America. His book, Invisible Neighbors, is considered by many to be a how-to manual for followers of Jesus who are serious about meaningful engagement with poor and powerless people. John previously served as vice president with Christian Camp and Conference Association. He is a National Association of Evangelicals board member and on the steering committee of the Circle of Protection, an alliance of national Christian leaders focused on ending hunger and poverty. 

 TO-DO TODAY: 
• Determine if there has been any ongoing, underlying tension within the board and, if so, determine if it needs to be addressed one-on-one (chair and responsible person) or if it is pervasive and needs to be addressed openly during a board session.
• Make sure there is a good vetting system in place to ensure you get spiritually, intellectually, socially (i.e., mature social skills) qualified candidates for the board.  

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On April 18, 2018, watch for David McKenna's commentary on Lesson 22, "The Most Underrated Board Position" and learn why "the position of board chair is pivotal to a healthy board."

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 5 - Before the 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. Ed McDowell is our guest blogger this week for the second of four lessons in "Part 2: Boardroom Tools, Templates, and Typos."

LESSON 5 OF 40 - Before the Board Meeting

Collaborate, then wisely build the board meeting agenda.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: In Lesson 5, the underlying truth is that intentional and timely planning and collaboration between the board chair and CEO positions the board for maximum effectiveness. 

The better the collaboration and planning, the healthier the governance process and outcomes will be. As chair and CEO, think it through ahead of time. Give staff, task forces, and committees plenty of time to be prepared by making an agenda available with enough lead time.  

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 5, pages 21-25: 
• “Allow for reconnection” has great value.  Remember the board is a spiritual community gathered to govern a piece of God’s Kingdom. Connection with each other is a high priority.  
• “Provide time for heavy lifting” is an important concept in agenda planning. Make sure the most important discussion and issues on the agenda get the best time and energy of the board meeting. 
• “…bathe the agenda in prayer to allow the Holy Spirit to guide the board members during the meeting.” The agenda is the board chair’s and CEO’s discerning process for aligning with God, His purposes, His will.  Spend time in prayer that prepares the entire board for alignment with God and His intentions for the ministry.  

While a board agenda may seem mundane, it is the planning platform for Kingdom-based governance results. 

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
I currently serve in both the role of CEO and board chair for different ministries. Here’s what I have found—if the relationship between the two cultivates trust, it creates a conduit for effective planning and results.  

In preparing a good agenda, it is good for the CEO to bring to the board chair any updates on action items from previous meetings. Generative thinking together can also aid in the planning of a good agenda.  

Underlying this foundational collaboration is a relationship of mutual trust and spiritual integrity. It is the foundation on which good planning is built.

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY ED McDOWELL:

Ed McDowell is the CEO of Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center in Stanwood, Wash.  He also leads Thriving Boards, a board coaching initiative of the Christian Camp and Conference Association. Ed also does consulting with a special focus on board development and problem-solving with fresh perspectives. He and his wife, Bev, live in Stanwood, Wash., where they enjoy their family. 

TO-DO TODAY: 

• Do a one-question survey of the board via email:  On a scale of 1-5 (5 is very effective), “How effectively did we use your time in the recent board meeting?”
• Set up a planning session between the board chair and CEO regarding the agenda for the next board meeting.  
  

NEXT WEDNESDAY:
On Dec. 27, 2017, watch for Pat Clement's commentary on Lesson 6, "Eliminate Hallway Whining. The 5/15 report to the board takes just five minutes to read and 15 minutes to write."

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