Richard Clegg

Nonprofit volunteers that serve on boards are the backbone of the organization. They offer invaluable guidance, support, and resources. While most new board member orientations cover fundamental responsibilities, a recent interaction with a CEO candidate in one of my executive searches highlighted a powerful framework for maximizing board impact.

Nonprofit boards often find themselves stuck in a rut, performing the same old tasks with the same agenda month after month, with little impact. This "old work," as described by board expert Richard Chait in his 1996 article "The New Board Work of the Nonprofit Board," remains highly relevant today. I had the opportunity to rediscover this valuable resource in my files, and it reaffirmed that boards have the potential to move their work toward a more impactful and relevant approach.

Every nonprofit organization builds its success on well-defined strategies. But what happens when those strategies, once so promising, start to show cracks? Knowing when to adjust the strategies in your strategic plan and when to give your strategy time to play out can be a critical turning point for the leadership of your organization. How can you tell if something is amiss?

Have you ever wondered why are some board members not engaged or even showing up to your meetings? Board meetings are a necessity for nonprofit organizations, but too often they can be boring, dry, and uninspiring.

They don’t have to be.

I used to have a New Year's resolutions ritual. Same goals, same treadmill drudgery, same disappointing results. Someone once said “insanity is doing the same thing, over and over, and expecting different results.”* What if I turned my consulting expertise and experience toward my personal goals? Could strategic planning finally be the solution to getting healthier? With my notepad and a new insight, I explored my health goals like I was facilitating a nonprofit’s strategic planning process.

Living in the Midwest, it can get cold in the winter months. Real cold. One of the essential clothing items are gloves. Not just any glove, but a great glove. A glove should fit snugly but comfortably, without being too tight or too loose. I often go for gloves that are well insulated, yet stylish, and comfortable to wear. Ultimately, the best glove will depend on your individual needs and preferences.

Nonprofit organizations often offer similar services. What separates them from each other?  Is one more worthy of someone’s time, talent, and treasure? Whether its market share, philanthropic funding, or even policy and program volunteers—nonprofits are standing in a sea of others whose missions may look quite similar from the outside. How does your organization stand out?

Do your board members regularly ask inquisitive and challenging questions? Does your board have a culture that promotes dialogue and debate?

An often-overlooked strategy of effective boards is to create and/or nurture a true culture of inquiry. Great boards engage members in a way that truly enlists their collective skill sets, thoughts, and differences of opinion. Dialogue with debate is a great thing to have in board meetings. Open discussions that include diverse perspectives position the board to make the best choices.