Alyceum

Igniting Leaders, Inspiring Revolutions

Archives for October 2017

5 ways to start learning about the NFP sector

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I love it when a person decides that they want to give back to the community especially when they are not connected to the NFP sector in their day job. This may mean though that there is a lot of learning about the Not-For-Profit sector, community development and the sector in which you want to give back.

There is nothing better than meeting and talking to people, attending conferences and volunteering but where do you go to start reading more about the Not-For-Profit sector?

I’ve collated a top list to get you started!

 

1.   Pro Bono Australia

Pro Bono Australia publishes resources for the Australian community sector. Our website helps you connect with your community through news, career and volunteering opportunities, and the directory of the Not for Profit organisations.

I was privileged to be profiled as a Changemaker of the Week recently!

2.  Third Sector

Third Sector is a professional development hub for leaders of the Australian Not-For-Profit sector. It produces a magazine and online content.

3.  Generosity Mag

Generosity is a leading source of independent news, stories and information about giving in Australia. Part philanthropy roadmap and part ‘how-to’ manual, Generosity is a thought leader and commentator on developments and emerging trends in the area of philanthropy.

4. Peak Organisations

Peak organisations always have a range of events, resources and reports to inform the sector about the key issues and trends.

Here are a few of the peak organisations:

ACOSS – Australian Council of Social Service
Community Council For Australia
LASA – Leading Aged Services Australia
ACSA – Aged & Community Services Australia

5. Research Reports

There are a variety of research reports published about the NFP sector. Here are some great reports to begin with:

Contribution of the NFP Sector
2017 NFP Governance and Performance Study: Building long term strength
McCrindle Research
WA’s NFP Sector 2017: The First Report on Charities and Other NFPs in WA

 

SPECIAL OFFER: Let me guide you through the Board Ignition course!

If you sign up to the Board Ignition online course before the 3rd November, you’ll gain access to 4 live webinars to discuss the 8 modules of the course and answer all your questions about boards, leadership and the NFP sector.

If you really want to gain a board position in 2018, come join us for the ultimate accountability to participate and complete the online course!

Here are the details:

  • 4 webinars will be held Thursdays, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th November from 6 – 7pm WST
  • All calls will be recorded and be made available on the members portal

You must sign up any time BEFORE 3rd November 2017 to be eligible for the live webinars.

Go here right now to register and join us! 

 

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Board Ignition – New announcements

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I have TWO very exciting announcements and a time limited opportunity if you’re keen to join a board.

Introducing Lifetime Access for the Board Ignition Course 

Yes, that’s right.  Now when you buy the Board Ignition online course, you will gain access for the lifetime of the course!

No time limits!

No restrictions!

Come back time and time again and gain insights, connections and reflections to help you get your first community board appointment!

Let me guide you in the course!

To celebrate this new access – if you sign up before the 3rd November, you’ll gain access to 4 live webinars to discuss the 8 modules of the course and answer all your questions about boards, leadership and the NFP sector.

If you really want to gain a board position in 2018, come join us for the ultimate accountability to participate and complete the online course!

Go here right now to register and join us! 

Here are the details:

  • 4 webinars will be held Thursdays, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th November from 6 – 7pm WST
  • All calls will be recorded and be made available on the members portal

You must sign up any time BEFORE 3rd November 2017 to be eligible for the live webinars.

Go here right now to register and join us! 

Are you ready for your first Board appointment?

Check out our Board Ignition online course – a 8-module self paced online course designed to fast track your journey to your first board appointment.

Enrol now to get instant access to the course.

Still got questions? Read the course information page here.

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Why join a NFP Board? Four main motivators

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I’ve helped a lot of people find their first Not-For-Profit board appointment.  Everyone comes to it for slightly different reasons, but over the years I’ve seen a few themes appear. It’s vital that you understand why you are interested in a board position as it can impact the type of appointment that you apply for.

There are four main motivators I’ve seen – two are more personally driven and the other two are more professionally driven.

Here are two personal reasons for joining a board;

 

It’s all about the Cause

Life is about what we give – right!?  What causes do you want to give to?

Some people are passionately connected with a cause or causes.  It’s ALL about the cause for them.  They know exactly the type of organisation they want to give back to because it’s driven by the cause.  It may have affected them personally or affected someone close to them. They may be connected to the cause in their line of work and are keen to give back to a Not-For-Profit organisation too.  What are the issues that impact you personally or you are fired up about when you see them in the media?

What causes are you personally connected to?

 

Energise Me

Some people are looking to be connected to a board because it gives them energy in some way. It could be because of the events and activities involved, the cause and who it supports or the people that are engaged with the organisation.  Consider what gives you energy such as starting a new organisation or turning around an organisation that’s lost it’s way.  Perhaps it could be an innovative organisation or perhaps you love fundraising.

What energises and motivates you?

 

Ok, so there are the personal reasons why people join boards.

Here are two professional reasons for joining a board:

Learning Curves

Some people are keen to learn as much as they can from a board position. They are keen to put their leadership skills into practice and learn from the opportunity of being on a board. Being on a board can be a huge learning curve about strategy, governance and finances.

You can also learn a lot about yourself in the board room such as meeting behaviours, persuasion, team dynamics and more. You can also learn about the cause of the organisation (for example, mental health, aged care or the environment), the Not-For-Profit sector and community development.

What are you keen to learn more about?

 

Networking and Relationships

Some people are keen to develop their networks, to meet new people and develop deep relationships. On a board you can develop a whole new network of people from your fellow board directors, to the management and staff, to the stakeholders of the organisation.

Who do you want to meet?

 

So my question to you! What motivates you to join a board? Consider how your motivations may influence the type of board role that might be perfect for you.

 

25 questions to improve your emotional intelligence

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There is a lot of talk about the governance experience required by board directors to fulfil their duties on a board. What is talked about less so but is becoming more and more important is the ability for board directors to be emotionally intelligent in the boardroom.

Exceptional board directors lead with humility, respect, have the awareness of the impact they have on those around them and know when to speak and when to listen.

Need a reminder about what EQ is all about?  Emotional intelligence is described by Perter Salovey and John D. Mayer as:

The ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate amongst them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions.

Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ, he classifies emotional intelligence into five domains:

Self Awareness: Knowledge of your states, preferences, resources and intuitions.
Self Regulation: Management of your states, impulses and resources.
Motivation: Emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate reaching goals.
Empathy: Awareness of others’ feelings, needs and concerns.
Social Skills: Adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others.

Here are some reflective questions to ask yourself to develop your emotional intelligence as a board director or team member.

Self Awareness

1.  Honestly do you know the strengths and weaknesses you bring to the boardroom?
2.  How do you define yourself? Are these self perceptions accurate? How do you test these?
3.  Do you listen and seek opportunity to understand how others perceive your strengths and weaknesses?
4.  What are your personal values and are they aligned with the organisation you serve?
5. Do you rate yourself as a continual learner? Would others have the same view?
6. Do you act with humility rather than arrogance?

Self Regulation

7.  Are you respectful in your language and actions to your fellow board directors, staff and stakeholders?
8.  Are you able to keep calm during conversations?
9.  Do you listen openly to other’s points of view?
10.  Do you notice when you’re frustrated during conversations?

Motivation

11.  Do you truly understand what motivates you to serve on a NFP board or in your work team?
12. Do you serve the long term interests of the organisation rather than your own concerns or short term objectives?
13. Do you act from a place of authenticity?
14. Are you self motivated to serve on a board or at work?
15. Do you set and aim to reach goals personally and as a collective on the board?

Empathy

16. Do you put yourself in the shoes of the people you serve?
17.  Do you understand the values, strengths and goals of your fellow board directors or team mates?
18.  Do you share the workload equally on the board?
19.  Are you willing to see how others perceive situations and decisions to be made?
20. Do you work hard to be trustworthy?

Social Skills

21. Do you commit to working respectfully with your fellow board directors?
22. Do you reach other to develop a strong relationship with your fellow board directors?
23.  Do you make time to have conversations outside of the boardroom to deepen your relationship with your fellow board members?
24. Are we committed to working as equals in the boardroom?
25. Do you act with a positive attitude?

Emotional intelligence is a critical component of an effective board. Are you actively cultivating the skills of emotional intelligence?

 

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Finding the right board role for you

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I can’t tell you the joy you can get from finding the right board role for you. It can give you energy, new networks, new learning and understanding, the opportunity to connect to a higher purpose, not to mention the impact that you can create!

Board roles are also a long term commitment. Many board roles come with a 2 or 3 year commitment (check the terms of reference!) and it can be expected that you take on more than one term. So before you run into that long term commitment you might want to do some thinking about the right board position for you.

So where do you start? What should you think about? How do you find the right board position so you can make a difference in the world?

“To move forward, you have to give back”
Oprah Winfrey

There are many considerations to take into account when finding the right board role for you. These considerations can include your passions and interests, the time you have available, the skill set you can bring, the size and age of the organisation and the core business of the organisation.

Let’s explore these considerations further.

Passions and Interests

Ultimately it is useful if you have a passion for the NFP you are supporting. So what gets that fire in your belly? You may have this passion before you get involved or you may develop this passion from getting to know more about the cause. Consider the issues that affect you, your family, your local community or explore the issues that you see in the media. Most often board positions are a voluntary effort so it must be something you are willing to dedicate significant time and effort. Let’s explore what you’re passionate about!

What passions and interests do you have?

Time Available

It’s handy to do a personal audit of the time you have available to commit to a board role each month.. Some board roles may take 5 – 10 hours a month while others might need this per week. Understand the time required by the board. In the latest NFP Governance and Performance Study, the majority of board directors suggested time needed for their board role was 2 to 5 days a month (about 17 – 40 hours). Consider if you can be flexible and utilise some of your work week to do the board tasks necessary – this may be a conversation to have with your manager. Otherwise, what days/evenings do you have free to commit to meetings, events and board preparation?

What time do you have available for a board role?

Skill Set and Mix

Board composition is a key issue for many boards. Bringing together the right skills, demographics, diversity, networks and value. What value can you bring to a board and is it required for the organisation you are interested in? Some boards will require more traditional skills such as governance, legal or accounting whereas other boards might need more emerging skill sets such as entrepreneurship, marketing, culture and funding models. Check out the current board, chair and management team as these are the people you will be working closely with on your board journey. Consider if it is the right fit for you.

What value can you contribute?

Size and Age of the organisation

Smaller or start up organisations might require a more hands on director who might deliver on some operational tasks within the organisation such as running events or writing fundraising applications. Maybe you want to be involved in the evolution of a totally new organisation or perhaps you’d prefer an established organisation with a rich history and tradition. Depending on the age of the organisation can mean a very different experience at a board level. It can take a lot of personal insight to consider what the right organisation might be for you. Consider what experiences give you energy and think about the board to match that.

What organisation would suit you?

Core Business of the Organisation

Depending on your interests you may be best suited to different types of NFPs. There is such a range of organisations that you can volunteer for. Have you thought about service delivery organisations, business associations, fundraising, advocacy or industry peaks. You can contribute to organisations in your local area, state, national or even international organisations. There are a range of causes too – environmental, youth, elderly, disabilities, friendship, mental health, arts, sport just to name a few. There is such a depth and breadth of organisations out there – go and explore the diversity of the NFP sector! Read, network, connect and volunteer to gain insight and experience.

What type of activity interests you?

It’s time for some serious reflection now!

Don’t run into the first position that’s offered your way if it’s not the right fit. Spending some time to find the right match will be better in the long run for you and the organisation.

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

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15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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