A Mensch point of View
By Rebecca Youngerman
Consultant and leadership coach Rebecca Youngerman partners with nonprofits, philanthropies and businesses that wish to make bold change through their organisational culture. She has built and managed multiple international nonprofit boards. She is an international member of Mensch’s social change learning curriculum, The Mensch Academy.
Our board members are often the smartest and most successful community leaders with experience in navigating complex challenges across sectors and globally. They are the leaders so needed at a time defined by both crisis and possibility.
But we do not always set up these volunteer leaders to take full advantage of their skills and talent. Over the many years I have spent staffing, consulting to and serving on nonprofit boards, I have noticed that organisations do not regularly invest enough time, care and intentionality to shape healthy and productive board cultures, nor to shape roles that enable lay leaders to work productively, efficiently and joyfully. Crucial is clarity in what is expected of each board member, and everyone should understand the culture that represents the living values of the organisation.
Three tips for strengthening board leadership:
1 Be clear about where you want to go and who can help you get there
As you determine the direction you want to lead the organisation in, consider the existing alignment between your strategic priorities, resources, desire for growth, and your organisation’s appetite for change. The board will be more clearly positioned to make decisions through universally understood goals and criteria when they are on the same page.
2 Assemble the right people
Effective board leadership requires a commitment to both the work that drives the mission and to the people who make it happen. Having the right team in place positions the organisation for more meaningful work, greater impact and growth, and a more joyful experience.
When considering recruiting new board members, consider both the skills and expertise currently represented, and identify any gaps. Does your board draw on the expertise of leaders with diverse knowledge, lived experiences and identities, who together can help the organisation solve challenges in new ways? Identify people who will make your organisation one of their
top three philanthropic commitments, who can give in different ways of their time and talent.
Communicate the expectations of board members, and take time to develop and nourish your board’s sense of trust and their identity as a team. You may want to jump right into the work, but slowing down to understand the strengths of your board members will give your team the ability to work together more successfully, especially as moments of uncertainty and challenge arise.
3 Focus on committees
Committees are where much of the work of an organisation actually happens, and they allow for the identification of rising leaders. Having fewer committees with the right scope allows board members to focus on the organisation’s highest priorities, positioning them to contribute meaningfully. Committees such as finance, governance and nominating also allow the board to serve the organisation at a more strategic level, giving the staff space to run programmes and focus on the day-to-day work required.
When you recruit the community’s best leaders to your board, don’t take their abilities and intelligence for granted. Create the time to set them up with intention, and channel their talent in a way that means the most to your organisation’s mission and success.
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