The Best Board Meetings Ever?

Jay Love — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:45:00 GMT

I am betting those of you on any NPO board might read this post.

The various roles that any board fulfills for a nonprofit organization can be quite varied. For those of you who serve on multiple boards like me, seeing what the structure and topic schedule for board meetings is always insightful. To be honest, I am a bit amazed about how varied the board meeting agendas are.

Too often I think NPO board meetings are based upon tradition rather a combined group think by the board and executives of the organization on how to best use the board. Let’s together ponder this key question:

If we are provided the immense combined intellect, experience and talent of 12 to 25 dedicated individuals 4-10 times a year for 60 to 120 minutes how can we best utilize it?

It is my strong suggestion that this question be actively debated by the board at least once per year. Such debate, in and of itself, could be the foundation of a superb board meeting. Think about this question I have asked board chairmen and executive directors:

Do you have any board members who go through an entire board meeting without responding to a true open-ended question or without offering one bit of a strategic idea?

I have seen it happen more times than not. Such a reality is more than sad when you think of what is sitting under-utilized on the sidelines. If the only words spoken are to approve the minutes or to second an executive committee motion, what do you think will run through that board member’s mind if there is an avoidable conflict for a future board meeting?

Completely engaged, motivated and energized board members are some of the most powerful change agents in the world! They can literally move mountains or at least finance the movement of them...

Think back to your favorite class in high school, college or graduate school. Was it a pure lecture or were you actively participating and/or engaged on several levels? The same comparison can easily hold true for board meetings.

Why not try something outside the norm by striving to engage each and every board member? In the process you just might ignite a passion that will endure long after the board term is over. If the meetings are stimulating, fun and perhaps even exciting, you may never go back to the "old way".

Ten Final thoughts and ideas I have seen work well:

1. Focus on strategic items.
2. Leave operational items to the staff of the charity.
3. Engage as many of the group as possible each meeting.
4. Brainstorm and/or dream often.
5. Utilize a few minutes of each meeting to focus on the mission via a real life example or testimony (if you grab the heart early in the meeting, you have the mind and soul throughout).
6. Fundraising is a joyful word not a bad word. Share stories of success, perhaps even have a donor share what giving meant to them (have the tissues ready if you find the right donor to share...).
7. Error on the side of fun versus boring.
8. Survey your board members annually. Most will tell you what they like, dislike or desire.
9. Hold a formal board orientation for new members.
10. Assign a mentor to each new member and ask them to have lunch prior to the first board meeting they are to attend.

Below are a couple of links to resources that might be helpful:

www.gt.com

www.governancematters.org

If you have a minute please share (without any organization names of course) either your best or worst board meeting experience by a quick email to me at jay.love@etapestry.com. I promise to share them in a future blog post.Such sharing might be insightful and fun!

The Jay Love Blog : meetings

The Best Board Meetings Ever?