by Susan Detwiler | Apr 25, 2016 | leadership
Last night I dined with the interim dean of a college. As we talked about the role of an interim, she pointed out that one of the most important questions an interim can ask “ actually ANY new executive “ is Why? Why? asked with genuine curiosity. Not why the heck would you ever do this? but just, why are things done this way?
Customs, traditions and ways of doing things build up over time until the original rationale is lost. The person who first instituted a procedure is no longer there. Circumstances, personnel, resources and society have changed, but the process has become so habitual that it’s just normal procedure.
The new CEO of Target, Brian Cornell, used this powerful question to completely remake the chain of stores over the two years he has been at the helm. At a time when so many department stores are having a hard time, Target is flourishing.
He did it by asking questions. With the advantage of being new, he was able to look into every aspect of the stores and ask questions to get at root causes. Going beyond finding those causes, though, he continued asking questions.
Looking at ourselves with fresh eyes isn’t always easy, but what if we put ourselves in the place of that interim or new executive, looked around, and asked, why?
If why sounds accusatory, there are other ways to ask:
- Tell me about this process. How did it start?
- What prompted us to start doing that?
- What are we trying to accomplish by doing this?
- How does doing this help our mission?
Note that US and WE and OUR, not YOU or YOUR, makes it about all of us and the organization, not a single individual.
Real curiosity is the key. Discovery — without first thinking you have a better way to do it.
For board members, this means listening to the newest members; encouraging them to be curious. And not being defensive when they ask. Join together in the discovery.
It’s the first step in letting go of what made you great, so you can envision new ways of creating change in your community.
Just like the real estate agent helps you see what you’ve overlooked for years, fresh eyes can help us see the procedures that have solidified into place until they are invisible to us. Only then can you change them.
Follow me at The Detwiler Group for more about nonprofit governance, education and strategic planning, or reach me at sdetwiler@detwiler.com.
by Susan Detwiler | Apr 12, 2016 | Strategic Planning
If you take the time to read this or other nonprofit board governance blogs, then there’s a good chance you have a strategic plan. In a lot of my previous posts, I’ve talked about keeping your organization on track with the strategic plan and how to keep your board focused on the plan. But I’ve never considered pointing out the necessity of having a plan at all.
Then along came this report from the Concord Leadership Group that just blew me away.
According to the Nonprofit Sector Leadership Report 2016, out of more than 1000 respondents in the nonprofit sector, 49% indicated they are operating without any knowledge of or access to a strategic plan. They either didn’t have a plan (29%), didn’t know if they had a plan (4%), or the plan wasn’t written down (19%).
If that’s the case, maybe it’s time to talk about why a plan is important.
Nonprofits with a written strategic plan tend to be bigger. You can’t meaningfully grow without knowing where you are going and how you are going to get there. Of the respondents in this study, 80% of those with budgets of >$5 million have a strategic plan.
Strategic plans help in employee evaluations. With a strategic plan in place and disseminated widely in the organization, employees know how their work fits into the larger picture. Their evaluations can then be based on how the work that they are doing is furthering the mission.
Strategic plans help communicate your vision to funders. Taking the time to articulate your vision and how you will accomplish it gives board members and staff practice in articulating that vision to potential funders. Developing it together keeps the message to all stakeholders consistent across the organization. According to the study, 77% of organizations with a strategic plan agreed that a unifying shared vision existed, versus 47% of those without a plan.
Strategic plans build sustainability into the daily life of the organization. By planning for the future, you are thinking about what it will take to achieve that future. As Sheila Bravo, CEO of Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement points out, that also means determining what is needed for your nonprofit to be sustainable in the future.
What would having a strategic plan make possible for your organization?
What would make it possible for you to HAVE a strategic plan, and to successfully execute it?
Exploring the answers to those questions is itself an exercise toward your future. I’m happy to have that conversation with you.
Follow me at The Detwiler Group for more about nonprofit governance, education and strategic planning, or reach me at sdetwiler@detwiler.com.
by Susan Detwiler | Mar 28, 2016 | governance
When you recruit for your board, do you tell them that all they have to do is show up to meetings, read some reports, and vote on some things?
Or do you challenge them to be active participants?
In the for-profit world, it’s recognized that promoting human values can be inspirational. As Sue Bingham wrote in SmartBlog,
To create an inspired, high-performing workforce, leaders should promote five basic human values: positive assumptions, trust, inclusion, challenge, and recognition.
But you can’t cherry-pick among the values. Employees can’t trust each other if they’re not included in the conversations. They won’t be challenged if you have negative assumptions about their abilities. They don’t feel valued if you don’t recognize their passion and skills.
The same is true for your board members. If motivated employees achieve more when the bar is set high, how much more might this be true for individuals who volunteer for a cause in which they believe?
It begins with recruitment.
A board of motivated individuals starts before they join the board. How you recruit board members makes a difference in how successful your organization can be. When you first approach a prospective board member:
- Can you articulate the purpose of your organization “ your WHY?
- Can you articulate what the board is trying to do?
- Do you show prospective board members the latest strategic plan and ask what they think?
- Do you ask them how they want to contribute to its success?
- Do you tell them about the excellent people they’ll be working with if they join the board?
- Do you ask them to share what it is in their own life journey that makes them passionate about your cause?
Asking questions like these engages your prospective board members in the future of the organization. It sets them up to be active participants in the work of the board.
Then, at the start of their board service, give them the opportunity to share their answers with each other and the existing members of the board. Magnify the engagement and ask existing members to share as well. Far from a touchy-feely exercise, shared stories build trust and camaraderie that carries through to working together.
Then challenge them to set their bars high. Your new board members “ and the existing board members – are motivated to achieve the plans. Together, they can find ways to surpass any turbulence they might encounter in their execution.
For more tips about building an engaged board, strategic planning, and board-executive partnership, follow me at www.detwiler.com, or reach me at sdetwiler@detwiler.com.
by Susan Detwiler | Mar 15, 2016 | governance
You’re smart, you’re passionate, and you know a lot of people.
Chances are, sooner or later, you’re going to be asked to sit on the board of a nonprofit.
Now what?
Before you say yes, here are some conversation starters to help you make up your mind:
Tell me about the organization:
- Why do you exist?
- What’s your vision for 5 years from now? 10 years from now? What mountain are you trying to climb?
- What are you most proud of?
Tell me about the board:
- Who’s around the table?
- Does everyone have the same vision?
- Does everyone participate in making that vision a reality?
Tell me about your board meetings:
- What do you talk about at the meetings?
- How often do you talk about the future?
- Are your financial discussions about what you can’t do, or about what you’re going to do with the money you raise?
There’s nothing wrong with joining a board that desperately needs your help. You just might be the addition they need to turn the corner and begin imagining what they CAN do, instead of what they can’t.
And it can be exciting to join a visionary board. You have the opportunity to create the future with others who face forward.
Just be sure which one you’re doing!
by Susan Detwiler | Feb 22, 2016 | governance
Campaigns, Caucuses, Primaries & Promises¦¦
It’s the quadrennial Presidential election season, and everyone wants your vote.
While a contested election may be good for the country, doing the same for your nonprofit just distracts you from delivering your mission.
Especially if your entire organization is committed to the same mission and your whole board supports the strategic plan.
Then what makes a good nominee for president? What makes a good nominee for ANY officer on your board? These are the questions your nominating committee should answer.
Before asking WHO, figure out what your president needs to do the job.
Here are a few questions to start you off:
- What level of commitment and drive does our president need, in order to keep our plan on track?
- What skills does our president need to be able to keep our board focused on the future?
- What kind of president <-> CEO relationship will make it possible for us to achieve our goals?
- What specific knowledge should our president have upon entering the role, and what knowledge can be acquired on the job?
Only after answering those questions, should you start seeking a president from among your board members. Because then you’ll know how to evaluate whether they’re ready for the job.
Similar questions can be asked about any board officer position. What questions would YOU ask, before contemplating a new secretary, treasurer, vice president?
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