Improving Board Effectiveness

by Elizabeth Simpson, do good Consulting

Non-profit organizations face many challenges, both on staff, among volunteers, and on the board. Focused and strong leadership from the board can lead to a high-functioning, results-driven organization.

A board of directors – whether small or large – needs cohesion in a variety of ways. On paper, a board shares a common purpose, but each member needs to believe that every other person on the board is an asset to the shared goal, and that the goal is, in fact, shared by all. Often board members fail to recognize how much they have in common with each other, or don't fully see the variety of skills that their fellow board members have, instead focusing on differences and divisions. In this environment, meetings can become full of interpersonal grievances and agenda items overrun by petty disagreements. When this happens, it is often difficult to turn things around to improve the effectiveness and commitment of the board of directors.

Putting energy into aligning the Board's vision, not only of the organization, but of itself, can go a long way towards making your Board more effective. Taking time for a few simple activities to build cohesion is an excellent investment. Here are three simple exercises to improve your Board's commitment and effectiveness to your organization.

Exercise One: Clearing The Air (10 minutes)
This activity is not shared with the entire group; it is an individual activity. Start by having each board member write down on pieces of paper any outstanding “grudges” they have with others in the room. Be specific: who did what and when. Be sure to have them describe what a video camera would see, not an opinion (“She was late to the meeting today” versus “She's disrespectful”). For each grudge, have members:

1. Name their part in creating or perpetuating the situation ("I've never said it's important to me that we start on time").
2. Identify what next step they could take to change the situation in the best interest of the board ("Tell her I'd like to start on time and ask if that's something she can do").
3. Give themselves a timeframe and method to make that step ("I'll ask her by phone tomorrow").

Exercise Two: Share the Vision (2 minutes per board member)
Go around the room and have each member describe the role of a board member and what their vision for the organization is. Take notes on a flip chart for all to see. Set a time limit or have a “timer” as necessary. Be sure to review the commonalities when everyone is done.

Exercise Three: Discovering Our Resources (30 seconds per member)
Create a list with the names of all your Board members. At your next meeting, distribute a copy to each member and have them anonymously write one skill or attribute each board member brings to the Board. Collect the anonymous lists, and outside of the meeting, combine the lists and distribute them so that each member gets a list of all “their” skills and attributes. If you have time, read the lists at a future meeting.

After doing any of these exercises, consider going around the room so each person can say one word about how they feel. Board members often report feeling more confident in the group's abilities, a greater sense of teamwork, and increased sense of being valued.

Improving each member's perception of their board will push them to go the extra mile and truly move your organization forward!

For more information on Board Development, Teambuilding, and related issues, click here. To schedule a training, contact do good Consulting at dogood@dogoodconsulting.org or 217-778-1687.

Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute

by Collette Niland, Ph.D., Assistant Dean & SESI Director, UIUC

Just as summer gears up and most are planning vacations and time off, dozens of local non-profit leaders will instead gather on Fridays and Saturdays over a three-week period to learn more about how social entrepreneurship can lead to healthier, stronger non-profit organizations serving our community.

On June 8, UIUC’s College of Business launches its first Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute (SESI), a three-week “training academy” to develop the business acumen of non-profit leaders. SESI provides community organizations with free business training to better help them accomplish their missions. The Institute also provides participating community organizations with a team of students who will work with the organizations over the summer to help incorporate their new business ideas and training into their existing operations. In addition to covering such topics as non-traditional advertising, project assessment, fundraising, donor relations and communications, SESI also takes organizations through the process of developing a mission-based business plan. Finally, the Institute introduces organizations to the field of social entrepreneurship, allowing them to investigate whether developing a for-profit venture to fund their non-profit mission may be a good fit.

SESI is funded by the Chancellor’s Civic Commitment Task Force and the Academy of Entrepreneurial Leadership. The Institute’s faculty includes staff members from across campus, including Janet Bercovitz, Mike Pratt, David Sinow, Kevin Jackson, Cindy Geerdes, Ann Abbott, Stephen Anderson, and Sarah Menninger. Consultants from the local community who specialize in non-profit management have also joined the Institute’s faculty, including Laura Huth and Amber Marks of do good Consulting and Tim Miles of the Wizard of Ads.

SESI seeks to take the intellectual capital available at the university and to use it to give back to the community and to educate the student interns on societal problems, instilling in them a life-long commitment to civic engagement. UIUC’s College of Business is committed to creating future business leaders that will have a positive impact on the communities in which they do business.

Participating organizations include the East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center, Ten Thousand Villages, YWCA of the University of Illinois, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club, Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois, Salt & Light Ministry, Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County, A Woman’s Fund, the Center for Women in Transition, and CU Citizens for Peace & Justice.

The institute will include a number of prominent guest speakers including a keynote address at its opening dinner by Peter Brinckerhoff, author of "Social Entrepreneurship: The Art of Mission Based Venture Development."

SESI stands to be a long-term gift to the Champaign-Urbana Community and the rest of the state. To participate or volunteer to help with the Institute, contact Collette 217-333-2740 or cniland@uiuc.edu. To learn more, click here.

Group Profile: Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

by Jennifer Knapp, do good Consulting

“We want to teach kids to be kids, to help them overcome the negative influences in their lives,” Andre Arrington, Executive Director of the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club told me last week. “We are here to serve children, especially those who are disadvantaged, and motivate and inspire them to be productive citizens.” Who can’t agree with that goal?

The Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club offers kids many programs and activities in which to get involved. Programming areas include Character & Leadership Development, Health & Life skills, Education & Career development, Art, and, of course, Sports & Recreation. The group’s main focus is during the after school hours when parents are often still working and kids need a place to be. Kids can be a part of these programs for just $5 a year!

More significant than their list of services, though, is the creative approach The Boys & Girls Club takes to serving kids. For example, Arrington explained their Smart Girls “sol hot: saving our lives hear our truths” program for young girls. Girls create a story, song, or video about who they are, what they have overcome, and what they need others to know about them. By publicly sharing these stories, the girls find a way to create and vision their future, providing them with guidance and hope.

While the Club is in the business of serving kids, they also provide an opportunity for adults to have life-changing experiences. For programs to function, they need a steady supply of volunteers. “We are always looking for others willing to be on the front lines and get involved in kids’ lives,” Arrington reports.

The purpose of the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club is simple. They are a place where kids can be kids. A place that gives the kids in our community opportunities, hope, and skills for the future. A place where kids and volunteers know they can make a difference.

To learn more about the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club, go to www.dmbgc-cu.org or call (217) 355-KIDS.