Lessons

Lessons from the TS Board Project - Part I:

It was last December that I announced my Nonprofit Board Project. The subtitle to the Board Project was "Moving from Talk & Ideas to Action & Results". In the past year I have learned quite a lot from my experiences with the Boards that I worked with (and still work with). Much of what I have learned will be covered in a series of articles that I am writing for publication (see below), but I wanted to share some of the lessons learned with you as they may prove helpful to those of you in the nonprofit sector who work with nonprofit boards.

Many of you who are familiar with my work know that I am a management consultant and I approach my work with the nonprofit sector from a business perspective. But, the first lesson learned was that my work with these nonprofit boards was not just that of consulting but also that of coaching as well.

The Lessons Learned:

Boards Can Be Effective - If they can come to believe that they represent a board of leaders - individuals who see a problem, are committed to fixing the problem and can see a world where the problem no longer exists - they can become effective, because then they begin to believe in their real purpose for meeting, i.e., to carry out the organization's mission.

Board Chairs are at their worst when they fail to lead - When board chairs begin to manage or be the boss rather than be the leader of a group of leaders, the board members are simply reduced to follower-status and the opportunity for growth and effectiveness diminishes.

An aversion to Conflict remains the Board's most formidable enemy - Even the most dominant Board Chair or Executive Director can be made to listen if the board members are willing to push back. But more often than not, board members refuse to exert themselves for fear of rocking the boat and causing conflict. In each of these cases the mission suffers.

A Strategic Approach to Board Member Recruitment can be Painstaking But it is Fruitful and Necessary - The rule is simple: the first responsibility of any board is to govern; the primary governance role for the board is to be strategic; and, the first strategic consideration is to effectively recruit strong board members. Unless board members are recruited to meet the strategic needs of the nonprofit, the ability of the nonprofit to serve the mission and vision of the organization are constrained.

Small Nonprofits Depend Too Much on Private and Community Foundations and on Government Agencies - I have heard that "the primary role for the board of directors is to raise money for the nonprofit" and I have also heard that "board members should give, get or get off." I adamantly disagree with each of these propositions. The role of the board member in fundraising is a matter of board policy and strategic considerations. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that the board members should not be involved in fundraising - they should. This begins with developing relationships with supporters. Keep in mind that 80% of all funds raised by nonprofits in the United States come from individuals.