Dear board volunteers . . . I’m sorry about so very much!

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These folks are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Members,

Over the last several years, we have accomplished much together. Our budget has nearly tripled, we serve nearly twice as many youth, and the community recognizes us as an effective and trustworthy not-for-profit. Despite our great successes, we certainly could have done more.

Rising short of our full potential, there are some things I need to share with you.

First, I am sorry that many of you came on the board and were not adequately engaged in the work of the board. Far too many of you just simply coasted along without more regular contact from me or the board leadership team. We wasted your potential.

Second, I am sorry that so many of you were not more thoroughly cultivated before you were brought on board. Far too many of you needed to be exposed to the message and the mission before you were brought on board. We didn’t stoke your passion and develop your commitment near enough.

Third, I am sorry that many of you were brought on board (and this is really hard to say) and never should have been invited in the first place. Too many times, we were bringing people on who just lacked the connectedness within our community. Too many times we were bringing people on who lacked the passion, lacked the ability to work as a team, or lacked the wisdom of life that could make all the difference. We brought you into a situation that set you up for failure.

Fourth, I am sorry that we have not committed enough time to exploring and understanding the board-staff relationship. The challenge of making sense of this complex relationship demands that we spend more time researching and examining best practices, adding to our wealth of knowledge and molding a strategic direction. We owe it to ourselves, our organization, our donors and our members, to become the most effective team possible. To date, we continue to find our “sweet” spot. We need to do more.

Lastly, I look forward to our coming years together. Like the members we serve, we have great potential for growth. So much has been done in such a short time. So much more needs to be done.

Let’s move forward having learned from our recent success, striving to realize our full potential.

Most Sincerely,
I’m sorry . . . so very sorry!

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post in a respectful manner.  If you want to submit an anonymous letter for consideration this month, please email it to me at the address in your signature block below.If you are a blogger looking to participate in this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival and want to learn more, then please click here.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteers . . . please do a better job with your recruitment efforts

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These folks are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will officially celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Volunteers,

Why ME?

After years of on again, off again volunteer work in the community, I was recently asked by a local not-for-profit to be a part of their resource development committee.  Planning, strategizing and fundraising have always been kind of a natural for me, so I eagerly accepted the challenge.  And what a challenge it turns out to be…

Getting involved with the organization was enlightening.  I met a lot of great people who had many terrific ideas.  There seemed to be an early interest from the RD committee in meeting and discussing these ideas, although it became readily apparent that the follow through was a bit lacking.  It also became apparent to me that there are several types of people, or bees, that flock to the not-for-profits:  Executive bees, Worker Bees, and Busy bees.

Now some explanation: The Executive bees, or E-bees are the the group of power brokers that get involved with the not-for-profits.  These are people in the community that have influence, wield formal authority, and are typically respected by their peers and fellow board members.  The E-bees guide or drive policy, typically bring some fundraising ability to the table, but aren’t going necessarily roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.  They definitely bring value to a not-for-profit.

So, the Worker bees, or W-bees, are still respected by their peers, this is the group that will roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.  Want to be able to spot a W-bee in a crowd?  It’s not too tough.  Go to the next big event.  Look for the board members that are setting chairs or moving tables.  Take a picture of the board member walking around selling the raffle tickets at the event. I’ll bet that you just found yourself a Worker bee.  Don’t worry, these are helpful bees to have around, in of course the right mix.

Now the Busy bee, or B-bees, are are interesting creatures, and they can be a little harder to identify.  B-bees, like the name implies, kind of roll around and oftentimes wind up in the mix with the E-bees and W-bees.  Often, they feel that they may have influence when in fact they have very little.  They may talk a good game, but their lack of follow through and lack of willingness to commit doesn’t make them a very good Worker bee.  B-bees like the activity found in the rest of the swarm but aren’t necessarily going to bring much to the table.  It has been my experience that Busy bees are responsible for the flurry of inactivity that occurs in not-for-profits.  Be careful when dealing with a Busy bee, because like all bees, they still have stingers.  And because of their lack of focus on the real issues at hand, they are always slightly more inclined to use those stingers than the E-bees or W-bees.  These bees often bring little to the hive and can be more bother than they are worth

OK, so why all the bee analogies?  Simple.  In order for not-for-profits to be successful, here has to be a healthy synergy with a good mix of the right type of volunteers. People all have to work together.  And there has to be the right mix of people to make all of that happen.  Like a beehive. Ultimately, of course, it the responsibility of the Board and the Executive Director to ensure that brought proper board development brings the right mix of volunteers together.

Recently, one of the current board members met with me and explained that there had been some transition, and that there several vacancies on the board.  He was very excited to meet with me, and after only a few short minutes of conversation asked me “would you like to be on the board?“

I smiled and asked if he was serious. I didn’t ask because because I was flattered by the offer, but because I was so taken back by the way he asked me.  This was a Worker bee, who is very involved, very well intended, but had put no thought into why he asked me.  

When I asked him why he was so interested in recruiting me he said that it was because: 1) he liked me and 2) he liked some of the work I had done on the resource development committee.  I cringed.  This, I thought, is the exact reason that the board is in the trouble that it is in.

Boards and execs must make board development a number one priority.  There has to be a defined methodology to volunteer recruitment, and it has to have a basis beyond choosing friends and picking the “nice guys”.  

Pick a strategy and pursue it.  

How many E-bees should your board have?  How many W-bees does the board need?  Fundraising should be a key component to choosing board members. If prospects can’t fundraise, they may be better served working the beverage cart at the next golf outing.  How will you deal with the Busy bees?  Does your board have the stomach to truly self-evaluate, and then ask its members annually why they are there?  If not, be prepared for a hive full of Busy bees, and be willing to accept the problems that B-bees bring.

When new members are solicited, tell them why they were chosen. It may be their ability to raise money, their position in he community, or their exceptional skills as a Worker bee.  By identifying and sharing their desirable traits, you’ll make the board and volunteer recruitment process much easier.  Volunteers and board members will have a defined sense of purpose.

Most importantly, you’ll never put a volunteer in the position of asking themselves “Dear Board, why ME?”

Sincerely,
The Honey Bear of Volunteers

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post in a respectful manner.  If you want to submit an anonymous letter for consideration this month, please email it to me at the address in your signature block below.If you are a blogger looking to participate in this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival and want to learn more, then please click here.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteers . . . digging in your heels doesn’t help us!

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These folks are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.

I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Members,

We have spent the last six months discussing board member responsibilities, attributes and expectations.  We agreed in today’s climate, a healthy, engaged and responsive board is the foundation for sustainability.  In order for our organization to thrive and grow, a new kind of board leadership is a must.   Clear expectations were defined, a Governance Committee was established. 

Now as we are in “ execution” phase, there appears to be push back on the direction of the board, its structure and responsibilities. 

Honestly, this is so so  frustrating and am wondering why we (the board & me) spent six months developing a plan when there was no intention of using it.   This type of behavior is probably why you have had three Executive Directors in the past four years. 

I am committed to raising board engagement to a higher level and creating a meaningful board membership experience but I need your help.  If we truly want to impact the lives of the children we serve, we must change.  We have the right mission for the right reason, let’s not let our kids down.

I know that change is not easy, but we need to push forward towards a solution. Here are just a few simple suggestions that I have:

1. let’s move a few of our more resistant board volunteers off of the board and onto another task force or advisory council,
2. let’s shake up our board leadership,
3. let’s add a few fresh faces by recruiting two or three new board volunteers, and
4. let’s find a donor who is willing to make a challenge gift that is tied to implementation of our original plan.

Sincerely,
G. U. Dummie

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please be respectful and share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteers . . . I can’t do this all by myself.

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These people are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.

I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Volunteers:

First, let me say that I truly appreciate all the time, talent and treasure you give to our organization each year. That said, I must air my concerns regarding some practices that I see as undermining the functioning of our board and the ultimate success of our committees and fundraisers.

We have board committees designed to do work outside of the board meetings and then provide a written report to include in our board packet for review/approval at meetings. These committees are not functioning according to their design and reports are not being completed or submitted. As a matter of fact, few committees are even meeting unless I force the issue. Then I must type up the notes and follow-up on what is to be done.

New board members are learning the wrong way for committees to function. We developed the committee structure through a well thought out process….let’s use it.

You are all aware that we do not have a development person. So, it falls to me or the office manager to complete the tasks that you do not. While I understand that you are all busy, each committee chair could recruit community members to help with their committee. You can delegate and assign work to those folks. You can also check on your committee members completion of assignments.

Call/email/text your committee to stay in touch and remind them of their commitments. Get the job done!

When I am doing committee work, I am not doing the following:

• writing grants,
• completing billing or grant reporting,
• marketing the agency, or
• managing our staff and programs.

My job requires 50 hours a week to just keep my head above water. When I take on these other tasks, I am drowning.

I have no problem putting in the 60-70 hour weeks just before a fundraiser, but I cannot do this week in and week out in order to balance my every day responsibilities and those of the various committees. We need to work together to ensure the success of our organization.

With each board member renewing their commitment to their chosen committees, we can guarantee the success of each committee and fundraiser, so please do your part.

Let’s start this year with a great attitude and renewed motivation.

Sincerely,
One sleep deprived exec

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post in a respectful manner.  If you want to submit an anonymous letter for consideration this month, please email it to me at the address in your signature block below.If you are a blogger looking to participate in this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival and want to learn more, then please click here.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteers . . . There is no “I” in board.

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These folks are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Members,

I am thrilled that you hired me as your Execute Director and  entrusted me with developing this organization and moving us to the next level.  It remains an exciting opportunity for all involved. 

I have one little request to make:  please let me do my job without fear that you’ll undo the things I’m attempting to put into place.  It becomes difficult  when I begin initiating policies/procedures and practices that received BOD approval only to discover that there are conversations that occur outside the Boardroom that derail activities that are under way. 

It would also be helpful if each of you could remember that just because you have an idea or you have a strong reaction to something, you don’t necessarily get to have your way or make unilateral decisions.  We have processes for decision making within our bylaws and they are there for a purpose. 

Board meetings and committee meetings are venues for dialogue and discussion.  If you disagree, speak up so that you are heard.  If you oppose a decision, please respect your colleagues on the Board and honor the group decision.  If you continually  find yourself in disagreement with your colleagues on the Board, perhaps it is time to resign.  It could be a sign that your job as a Board member is now done.

Sincerely,
New-to-the-party Patty

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please be respectful and share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteer . . . Please invest in my potential and development.

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These people are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Up to that fun-filled day, I will publish real anonymous letters every day right here at DonorDreams blog.

I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board of Directors,

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to the mission of our non-profit organization. I am very proud of the tremendous strides that we have taken as a board and as an organization in the last three years. As you all know, developing our board into a high functioning and high profile board has been a key objective in our three-year strategic plan. We have worked diligently at achieving that objective by implementing a standing governance committee to focus on the core governance, composition, and performance of our board.

The governance committee has suggested, and you have adopted policies and procedures around assessing the performance of individual board members as well as the board as a whole. These actions have resulted in:

• 100% board giving for the last three years,
• the development of an annual special event that raises the necessary revenue to sustain our summer program that was formerly funded solely by federal grant dollars,
• 100% board member completion of the individual commitments on the Board Commitment Form,
• a 71% increase in reserve funds, and
• a 415% increase in giving for our annual campaign.

As they say, what gets measured gets done.

As we reflect on our amazing successes in board development, I can’t help but wonder why the same amount of effort has not been given to developing my capacity as the Executive Director of this organization.

It is difficult for me to comprehend why setting my annual goals, and assessing my performance, is only completed when I harass you enough to do it. Why can’t you ever get a task force together to complete this critical task, and why do you apply a rubber stamp to my recommendations? I am baffled by this because the vast majority of you are successful leaders in your respective business fields, and a number of you have built very successful companies.

I’m certain your road to achievement as a leader has included successfully establishing performance criteria and appraising the performance of your subordinates and employees. Similarly, I’m sure that our goal setting and performance measurement successes as a board have not escaped your attention.

Just imagine what we could accomplish together if you were to form a task force to come along side me in setting my annual objectives and completing a thoughtful performance appraisal and professional development plan. Take a moment to envision the amazing alignment we would have if the full board took sufficient time to review my goals and approve my performance appraisal and professional development plan.

Engaging the full board in this process would certainly take care of any misperceptions that exist about what the Executive Director’s role is vs. the board’s role.

Thank you for being deliberate in creating a high performing, high profile, strategic board of directors. Please consider taking the next step in our organization’s development by spending the necessary time to develop the leadership of the organization. I can promise you that you will not be disappointed with the return on your investment.

Sincerely,
ROI Roger

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please be respectful and share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Dear board volunteers . . . A few observations and requests from a new member.

DonorDreams blog is honored to be hosting the May 2013 Nonprofit Blog Carnival. The theme this month is “Dear board volunteer . . .” and the idea is “If you could write an anonymous letter to a nonprofit board about something they do that drives you crazy, what would that letter look like and what suggested solutions would you include?” If you are a blogger and would like more information on how to participate and submit a post for consideration, please click here to learn more.

I wanted to expand the Nonprofit Blog Carnival concept in May. So, I reached out to real non-profit people and asked them to also write an anonymous letter to their board volunteers. These people are executive directors, fundraising professionals, board members, donors, community volunteers, consultants and front line staff. I promised everyone anonymity in exchange for their submissions.

We will celebrate May’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Up to that fun-filled day, I will publish real anonymous letters every day from real non-profit professionals right here at DonorDreams blog.

I hope you enjoy this real look at real issues that our community deals with on a daily basis.

Here is today’s letter:

Dear Board Members:

I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to be serving with each of you and to be of service to this fine organization. I consider my board service to be a privilege. I hope each of you feel the same way.

I do have some observations after serving on this board for the past seven months. They are as follows:

• Madame Board chair, respect your fellow board members. While you were a teacher during your professional days, you are no longer dealing with students. Your fellow board members, or at least this board member, is a professional. Treat me as you would like to be treated. If you are having a bad day, please keep that to yourself. Frankly, I couldn’t care less if you are crabby. Do you really want that fact recorded in our board minutes?
• Let’s try and have some fun with our board service. Our organization does not deal with life and death situations. It’s ok to interject some humor in or discussions.
• We need to hold our CEO accountable. Setting stretch goals, providing regular feedback on performance and completing a written performance evaluation is important to our work and central to us meeting our outcomes. Let’s not shy away from having the difficult and uncomfortable conversations with our CEO. We will be a better organization in the long run as a result.
• While fundraising is not central to our mission there is not one single reason why we cannot develop a culture of fund and friend raising in our organization.
• WE NEED A STRATEGIC PLAN. Let’s plan our work and work our plan.
• Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest are here to stay. Our clients use social media. We need to be optimized across multiple communication channels. A website is great, but it’s no longer enough. The sooner we understand social media, the sooner we will reap the many benefits it has to offer us.
• Just because an organization is 4X larger or 4X smaller than we are, does not mean that we can’t learn from them.
• Can we please try to recruit fellow board members strategically?
• Can we do something socially as a board so we can get to know one another?

That’s all for me. Just some random early observations from your newest board member. In spite of the above, each of you, in your own way, has energized me around our mission and the importance of our work.

All the best,
The new guy

If you have some advice for the author of our anonymous letter, please be respectful and share it in the comment box at the bottom of this post. If you are a blogger looking to participate in this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival and want to learn more, then please click here.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Should we compensate our non-profit board volunteers?

Those of you follow this blog know that I’ve been unpacking old boxes of “stuff” in my basement for the last few weeks. There is a small mountain of boxes from my last place of residence. It is stuff that was deemed unimportant at the time of unpacking, but important enough (for whatever reason) not to throw away. As I’ve encountered old non-profit training materials and memories, I’ve shared some of it here at DonorDreams blog.

Last night, I rummaged through another two boxes in an effort to get ready for garbage day on Monday. As I unpacked and recycled more stuff, I came across a March 2004 edition of BoardSource’s “Board Member” magazine. The cover story was titled: “At What Cost? The Board Compensation Debate.”  James Orlikoff wrote the proponent article “Yes! In the Accountability Era, Board Members Must Be Paid.” Kevin Murphy wrote the opponent article “No! Paying Boards Is a Solution in Search of a Problem.”

I remember reading this pro-con piece almost a decade ago and I found myself firmly in the “Heck No!” camp. However, I’ve softened over time and enjoyed re-reading this article last night (especially because it took me away from the job of unpacking boxes . . . LOL).

Here is the thesis of Orlikoff’s proponents argument:

“In today’s challenging, complex, and litigious environment, board compensation may soon emerge as a key component of effective governance.”

Here is the thesis of Murphy’s opponents argument:

“. . . compensating board members not only undermines public confidence in the sector, but also begins to erode the underpinnings of our governance system. The media attention to compensation scandals makes one thing clear: With board member compensation, the potential abuses outweigh the potential benefits.”

One reason for my recent defection from the opponent’s camp is that I see many municipalities compensating their city council members. In my hometown of Elgin, Illinois, a citizen who gets voted onto the council received a $1,000 monthly stipend, the ability to participate in the city’s health insurance program, and a few other small perks.

I honestly don’t think the issue of compensation undermines public confidence in our municipal institutions, and I don’t see any erosion to the underpinnings of the governance system.  In other words, I am looking at an empirical example and don’t see any evidence of what the opponents to board compensation argue.

Sure . . . the city of Elgin is not a non-profit board of directors, but it also isn’t a for-profit board either.

So, let’s look at a handful of arguments put forth by the proponents:

• A lot is asked of non-profit board members, and compensation is a way to reward such work and create an incentive to do a quality job.
• For-profit board members are compensated, and non-profits might need to start doing the same thing in order to compete.
• Adding compensation to the picture might contribute to a more rigorous board recruitment and evaluation process.

Orlikoff ticks off 10 reasons for compensating non-profit board members, and after reading each argument I find myself shrugging my shoulders and saying “Hmmm . . . maybe.”

However, in my opinion, I am left wondering if compensation might change the dynamics around “engagement” of non-profit board members.

While I have not yet formed an opinion, if someone could show me that non-profit board members would be more engaged in activities like fundraising, financial management and board governance issues, then I might joyfully jump into the proponent’s camp.

I know that some of you might be scratching your heads right now thinking it is illegal to compensate non-profit board members. The simple answer is that it is not illegal to do so. It is just a little more complicated.

According to this BoardSource article, two percent of non-profits currently pay their board members (mostly large and complex organizations), and 25% of foundations pay their board members. Joanne Fritz at about.com answered this question in her post titled “Can a Nonprofit Compensate It’s Board Members?“

So, here I sit again in the middle of a good debate. While I understand board compensation alone won’t improve non-profit board governance, I am left wondering if it isn’t part of the solution.

What are your thoughts? Would adding a small stipend create a change in recruitment efforts? Year-end evaluations? Meeting attendance? Committee meeting attendance? Fundraising? Engagement? What are some of the problems we might create by opening this ‘can of worms’?

Before you share your thoughts in the comment box below, please consider the following quote from American business man James Casey.”

“The basic principle which I believe has contributed more than any other to the building of our business as it is today, is the ownership of our company by the people employed in it.”

I dunno . . . let’s talk about it.  Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

The key to your non-profit’s success? LEADERSHIP!

Welcome to O.D. Fridays at DonorDreams blog. Every Friday for the foreseeable future we will be looking at posts from John Greco’s blog called “johnponders ~ about life at work, mostly” and applying his organizational development messages to the non-profit community.

In a post titled “Dr. Pepper’s Shadow,” John talks about:

• how we view leaders,
• how our leaders’ words and deeds are hugely influential, and
• how leaders can have an unintended impact on all types of situations.

I know that I’m oversimplifying John post, but everything he says points to how important leadership is to any organization. Like it or leave it . . . I believe it is likely the biggest factor in determining your successes and failures.

I’ve worked with non-profit organizations that have great programs, great mission, great vision, great staff, great systems, great policies and practices and great history, but they find themselves “in the tank” because leadership is lacking. As John talks about in his post, the leaders in my example are casting a “long shadow” and its impact is negative.

I’ve also worked with non-profit organizations that have serious gaps and deficiencies. They lack resources, their technology is bad, their systems and policies are poor or nonexistent. . . and they seem to overcome all of it. In these cases, it is always the leader who makes a huge difference.

I’m also not just talking about a non-profit organization’s executive director. I’m also referencing board leadership.

The reason I am on a leadership kick this morning is because of an online article I read a few weeks ago about J. C. Penney at NPR.com.

Here is the story in a nutshell:

• J.C. Penney’s hires a new CEO.
• The new CEO boldly casts a new vision and changes everything!
• Everyone follows the new CEO. (He has a LONG shadow)
• The new strategy doesn’t seem to work and a lot of money is lost.
• The board fires the new CEO and stock prices go up as investor confidence rises.
• The board hires the previous CEO and stock prices go down.

There is a lot going on with this story, and I suspect John can carve two or three different blog posts out of it. However, I will point to the one obvious thing . . . “LEADERSHIP! Everyone places tremendous importance on this idea and that person casts a long shadow!”

Now there are all sorts of ideas floating around about leadership. Servant leadership, situational leadership, democratic leadership, charismatic leadership, bureaucratic leadership, and the list goes on and on. There are also all different kinds of leaders.

One point of view on leadership that I’ve become enamored with in the last few years comes from organizational psychologist and management consultant, Noel Tichy, who has worked with a number of troubled and successful companies throughout the years. Here is what he has to say about successful organizations and leadership in the introduction of his book, “The Leadership Engine“:

“The answer I have come up with is that winning companies win because they have good leaders who nurture the development of other leaders at all levels of the organization. The ultimate test of success for an organization is not whether it can win today but whether it can keep winning tomorrow and the day after. Therefore, the ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he or she teaches others to be leaders and builds an organization that can sustain its success even when he or she is not around. They key ability of winning organizations and winning leaders is creating leaders.”

Uh-oh . . . I may be starting to border on another hot topic and age-old question . . . “Can leadership be taught or are leaders born?” John tackled this question (with regards to a servant leadership paradigm) in his post titled “Born, Not Made“.

I going to stop here and remain at 50,000 feet with my original observations:

• leadership is important,
• everyone looks at the leader and they cast a long shadow, and
• leadership seems to be the great equalizer (and it can make or break your organization).

Does your non-profit organization have great leaders sitting in the CEO and board president’s chairs? How do you know if they are great leaders? Have you ever seen a great organization with bad leadership at the helm? Do you have a “point of view” around leadership like Noel Tichy or John Greco? If so, what is it?

Please use the comment box below to share your thoughts, opinions and experiences. We can all learn from each other.

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

Boys & Girls Club of Elgin about to have their “Lion King moment”

Welcome to O.D. Fridays at DonorDreams blog. Every Friday for the foreseeable future we will be looking at posts from John Greco’s blog called “johnponders ~ about life at work, mostly” and applying his organizational development messages to the non-profit community.

In a post titled “Born, Not Made,” John questions an assumption he made early in his professional career about whether or not leaders are born or made. He also introduces the concept of “servant leadership” and sets it apart from other ideas pertaining to leadership. John frames the central question as: “Can caring, and a willingness and commitment to serve, be learned and/or developed?“

This November 2012 post came back to me because I’ve had “leadership on the brain” for the last few weeks.

On Monday, April 15, 2013, the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin will have its “Lion King moment” as it holds its new executive director on high and introduces her to the community. Click here or on the YouTube video below to remember what that moment looks like.  ;-)

Her name is not Simba. It is Cathy Malkani. I’ve known her for more than a decade. She has been an executive director of a Boys & Girls Club before. She and I worked together at Boys & Girls Clubs of America on a 3-year project in Indiana called the Lilly Endowment Capacity Building Initiative. She was the leader of that project.

Cathy isn’t just a Boys & Girls Club professional. She replicated her leadership and success in other places like a homeless shelter named Hebron House of Hospitality in Waukesha, Wisconsin as their resource development director.

I’ve seen Cathy lead, and I’ve seen it up close and personal. While I think she is a “different kind of leader” — servant leader — the bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what I think. The reality is that the Elgin area community gets their opportunity in the next few weeks to make that assessment for themselves. Essentially, the Club (and Cathy) are entering into a critical period of time because:

“You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Having watched the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin’s board search for its new leader, I am struck by how important “process” was in making this decision. After all, if you believe that leaders are born and not made, then it becomes fascinating to watch a volunteer board do the following:

• identify and recruit an applicant pool,
• develop interview questions designed to tease out an applicant’s leadership skills, and
• ultimately decide who they will hoist above their heads and proclaim their leader.

I am also a believer that leadership is situational. So, I found it interesting to watch this non-profit board decide what their agency needs at this point in time and how they matched those needs up with a variety of different well-qualified candidates.

Do you think leaders are born? Or do you think they are made? Have you seen non-profit organizations go through an executive search? Do you have any observations or best practices to share from that experience? Please use the comment box below to share.

ALSO . . . please use the comment box to welcome Cathy and wish her well. Do you have any good advice about what her first 90 days should look like?

Here’s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com 
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847