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boards

10 questions to ask before joining a NFP board

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I know, I know, you’re eager to join a NFP board.

But before you say ‘yes’ straight away to the board that’s just offered you a position, have you done your due diligence?

What is due diligence?

The dictionary definitions go something like…
• Action that is considered reasonable for people to be expected to take in order to keep themselves, others or property safe.
• The details examination of a company and it’s financial records, done before becoming involved in a business arrangement with it.

You must ascertain whether the board role is going to be a great decision for you, the board and the organisation. Accepting a board role is a long term commitment so ensure you understand the expectations, role and people so it’s a good fit for you.

Here are 10 questions to ask a prospective board to help you understand whether the board position is a right fit for you.

Ready for it? Here we go.

1. What are you looking for in a director?

Does your knowledge, skills, networks and time available fit with what the board is looking for? You want to make sure this is a long term commitment and confirm you are not only a good match, but the perfect one!

2. What’s the commitment expected?

A board will have Terms of Reference or Board Charter which defines the roles, responsibilities and processes of the board. This might be a good place to start researching and ask any questions you may have. You may also want to see a copy of the constitution too. Think about the time involved, meetings and preparation, any networking or fundraising you need to commit to and get a sense of the annual cycle of activities.

3. Tell me about the current directors – what are their roles? How long have they been on the board?

You want to get a good sense of the culture of the board. Are the current board directors active, interested and involved? Do they turn up on time and prepared for the meeting? Are they open to new ideas? Are they people you respect and maybe even admire? You will be working pretty closely with your fellow board directors so check them out and make sure it’s a good fit.

4. Does the organisation have a strong vision for the future and a strategy to achieve it?

Does the organisation know where it’s headed? Does it have a clear picture of where it wants to be in 1, 5 or 10 years time? What’s the current strategy to get there? You may also want to see the minutes of previous meetings to see if the discussions at meetings are aligned with the organisation’s vision and strategy.

5. What’s the current financial position of the organisation?

You will want to see the financial statements to see the financial health of the organisation. You want to make sure the organisation is solvent, has stable income streams and a clear budget, and have processes in place to review the financials regularly. You may also want to confirm what checks and balances are in place to ensure the validity of the information that is being reported to you as a board director.

6. Does the organisation have the appropriate insurances?

This can include insurance for the organisation as well as insurance to cover you as a director including Directors liability insurance, professional indemnity or fraud insurance. Confirm what levels of insurance is offered to board directors and if you must contribute to helping pay for it.

7. What’s the relationship between board directors and their stakeholders?

Organisation employees, politicians, funding bodies and end users – there are many types of relationships that board directors might have with the stakeholders of the organisation. Who are the stakeholders and what are the expectations of each of these relationships?

8. What’s the induction process for new board directors?

Ok, so you’re getting closer to making a decision, what’s the next steps look like? You will want access to all the board documentation, meet the staff and perhaps tour the facilities. If you’re a younger or less experienced director, you may want to be teamed up with a board mentor if possible to debrief board meetings to help expedite your learning journey.

9. Is there an evaluation process in place?

How do board directors evaluate their own performance and as a team? Is there a culture of learning and improvement? To be honest, some organisations might not have this in place, but it might be a great point to highlight in your discussions with them.

10. What resources are there to support me as a board director?

Training – formal or informal, ongoing mentoring, staff support or an honorarium may be offered to support board directors in their role. It’s a good idea to know what support is offered from the start and how it can be best used to support you in the role.

What other questions could you ask?

This list is a good starting point and definitely not an exhaustive list. You may have other questions depending on the organisation or the role. The point is not to take on a board role lightly, take your time and consider if it’s right for you. This will benefit you and the board in the long run.

Now over to you: Does it seem like the organisation is a fit? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

GET THE FREE GUIDE:
15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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Hot tip to get a board appointment

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Many people ask me…

  • What networking events should I attend to meet board directors?
  • How do I learn more about the NFP sector? and
  • How can I understand more about board governance?

Well, I’ve got ONE suggestion for an event that answers all three questions above!

All NFPs (associations) have this event and most will host this event every year (many will run them Aug/Sept/Oct every year).

Have you guessed what it is yet?

It’s an Annual General Meeting or AGM!

Now, what’s your first thought when you hear the word AGM? Boring? Pass? Or something similar?

Trust me, I’ve been to my fair share of yawn worthy AGMs but to be honest, I’ve also been to AGMs where the organisation has at least tried to be interesting. Some organisations will try and have their AGMs done in 30 minutes flat and other organisations involve lunch and a keynote speaker.

BUT…

What is one of the main orders of business at an AGM?

Board nominations and elections!

Who attends AGMs?

Board directors!

So AGMs can be a very interesting place to network, observe and learn. There will usually be copies of the Annual Report where you can read about the achievements of the last year and plans for the future. You might also learn more about the organisation’s constitution such as what’s the objectives of the organisation, who can be a member, who can be a board director and how are board directors voted in.

So what AGMs can you attend?

  • Think about all the organisations of which you are a member of such as community organisations, industry associations, member-based organisations or sporting clubs. You should receive notice of the upcoming AGM as a member.
  • Think about organisations you could become a member of. Once you are a member, you will receive the newsletters, invitations to events and you will have the opportunity to vote in the board elections.
  • Some organisations may open their AGMs to the public and you will be able to observe the proceedings such as peak bodies. These events are great as they may have CEOs and board directors of a number of organisations attending.

With AGM season looming for many organisations, get yourself to a few and see what happens!

Now over to you: Have you been to an AGM before? Or are you planning on attending one this year? Head to the Alyceum Leaders group to share your thoughts!

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

GET THE FREE GUIDE:
15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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What boards are really looking for in a board director

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I’m always curious – what makes someone a really exceptional board director?

In today’s environment, board knowledge and understanding is a given.

Knowing governance, strategy, the financials? Yes, you should. This is a given.

So what makes someone exceptional? I think it’s mostly about the boardroom behaviours that you display.

Here are the simplest boardroom behaviours that boards are looking for from a board director.

Board Attendance Matters

Can you make EVERY board meeting? Can you commit to this? An exceptional board director is in the room. They have done their reading, thought about the decisions and ready to contribute to the decision making. They are not late or leaving early. It is made a priority by them to be in the room with perfect or near perfect attendance.

Board attendance really matters. If you are bringing a unique perspective into the boardroom and you’re not there to help with the decision making, the board is weaker for it.

Serve your term. Be there and make your attendance count.

A highly engaged and involved board director

An exceptional board director needs little management. They are leaders. They take responsibility for their actions they have committed to and they get the role done. Furthermore, they are involved in board meeting conversations and decision making. And they serve on at least one sub committee. They are engaged in between board meetings too, always on the lookout in their external environment for opportunities, trends and connections that might be useful.

If you’re going to be involved – be involved! Don’t just turn up and keep the seat warm. Be a supporter of the organisation, show you care, and step up.

Show humility

I’ve been fortunate to come across so many exceptional board directors in my life. And the one common thread amongst them all? They show a great deal of humility.

Exceptional board directors are intensely respectful of others, whether it’s over written communication, in conversation or in the boardroom. They tend to listen more than they talk, making sure they have a thorough understanding of the context and environment.

Furthermore, they believe in the power of the collective over any one individual. They are lifelong learners. And they are focused on adding value.

These people are an absolute pleasure to work with in the boardroom. This humility breeds trust, respect, and candor in the boardroom which is a sign of a high performing board. Humility also brings about the need and want for regular and rigorous board director evaluation processes.

Curiosity reigns

Curiosity can be a foundational skill for exceptional board directors and feed into their humility and engagement.

The Stanford Social Innovation Review article “How to Succeed on a Nonprofit Board” shares five ways a board director can be curious:
• Curious about impact – Is our nonprofit making a difference to solve a problem in the community? How can the nonprofit increase its social impact?
• Curious about context – How does our nonprofit compare to competing nonprofits? What is our nonprofit’s unique value proposition that would make our beneficiaries choose us instead?
• Curious about money – Where does our nonprofit funding come from and where does it go each year? Why do donors and grantors give money to our nonprofit?
• Curious about people – Who are our nonprofit’s stakeholders? How can we best address their needs, hopes, and aspirations?
• Curious about the board – What diverse perspectives are present in the board? Does our board have all the perspectives of the beneficiaries we serve?

There is an openness to challenge the traditional wisdom and explore the options. Good board directors understand they are there to challenge each other’s assumptions and beliefs as well as those of the executive.

Create value & impact

An exceptional board director uses their skills, knowledge, networks and strengths to create value and impact. They make things happen.

They are strategic in the value they offer (they know the board/management line of separation). Whether it’s using their technical knowledge in a strategic way for the organisation, creating opportunities for partnerships or funding, supporting the executive through tough times, or sharing their wisdom at the perfect time – they make their contribution count. And because of it, the board is successful.  They are value focused.

And they are constantly asking themselves, “How are my contributions, questions, and connections adding value to the board?”

Now over to you: Do you have any other important board director values and behaviours that you can share? Head to the Alyceum Leaders group to share your thoughts!

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

GET THE FREE GUIDE:
15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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Beyond the skills set – how to pitch your value to a board

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We’ve missed the mark with board director recruitment. Boards who only look for particular skill sets are missing the true value of a board director.

Anyone can have skills – the most important or highly sought-after directors bring skills as a non-negotiable.

But what makes them revered as a board director is the mindset they bring beyond their skills set. It’s their ability to lift the culture, demand excellence, and go above and beyond. They don’t wait to be asked to do things (they don’t need managing). They just see what needs to be done and do it!

Awhile ago, I came across a great blog post about the characteristics of exceptional board directors. What I liked about it was it went beyond the usual skill sets to identify the value that exceptional board directors bring to the table.

They listed five archetypes of exceptional board directors. And in my experience, they are pretty on point. The five archetypes, including a short description from the original blog, are:

The Pensive Sage

“The Pensive Sage actively listens more than he speaks. They look for ways to think about issues differently. They ask good questions to ensure thoughtful debate. And when they make a point, it counts.”

The Trusted Advisor

“The Trusted Advisor invests significant time with the CEO outside the boardroom, building trust. They serve as a sounding board, providing a safe space for the CEO to express frustrations, share concerns, or test ideas.”

The Opportunity Seeker

“The Opportunity Seeker looks for problems to solve, and acts. They are eager to apply their time, talent, and treasure to advance the organization. They lift burdens off of the Chief Executive and make them their own. The Opportunity Seeker often contributes more outside the boardroom than in it.”

The Technical Expert

“The Technical Expert acts as an issue spotter, quality assurance provider, and sounding board on areas within her expertise.”

The Pace Setter

“The Pace Setter raises the performance of other board members through excellent board service. They shape the culture of the board by modeling a high standard of contribution. The Pace Setter makes it uncomfortable to be disengaged and, in doing so, positively influences the overall contribution of his colleagues around the boardroom.”

What's your value proposition for a board?

POSITION YOURSELF AS AN ASSET
THE ALYCEUM BOARD RESUME TEMPLATE
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So what?

When I’m coaching professionals to seek board positions, I encourage them to go well beyond the skills they might bring and describe the value. The archetypes add clarity to the value of exceptional board directors. So often we might just default to the technical expert (and perhaps a director who can bring in funds) as the only valuable type of board director.

This is so outdated.

It’s also highly unlikely that we are all five archetypes. What is your boardroom archetype? Get self reflective of the archetype you are (and confirm that others see you like this too) and go deep in this value.

Self Reflective Steps

1. Reflect on your natural archetype – this looks at your team and leadership behaviours. It looks at how you support the organisation to progress.

2. Be brave and get feedback from others on whether they see you as this. Yes, self awareness! Make sure that your perceptions of yourself and the perceptions of others are similar.

3. Consider ways to go deep in the value you can provide. How can you become a truly exceptional board director and make sure your input and actions are relevant, considered, and connected?

Boards, especially of community organisations, are such a privilege to contribute to. We, as board directors, have to ensure that we are performing.

Now over to you: Are you driving enough value in the boardroom? Join the conversation on our Facebook page!

What's your value proposition for a board?

POSITION YOURSELF AS AN ASSET
THE ALYCEUM BOARD RESUME TEMPLATE
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Join me LIVE for the 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge!

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After years of working with people who are keen to step onto a community board…

Do you know what I’ve found is the key reason holding them back from a board role?

The answer is….. CONFIDENCE.

I get it.

The boardroom can be a really daunting place, especially if you haven’t been a board director before.

That’s why a few times a year, I run a 3-day Board Confidence Challenge!

This challenge is designed to help you build an unstoppable confidence so you’re ready to accept your first board appointment! And January is the PERFECT time to reflect, plan and create an action plan about how you can make your dream of being a community board director a reality in 2019.

The Challenge will run from January 21 – 23

Join me live at 12pm midday (Perth time) for an interactive and motivating 60-minute session on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. If you can’t make it live, we will give you access to all the recordings to watch later if you’ve signed up.

During the 3-Day Challenge, you will:

+ Explore the BIGGEST fears that hold you back from the boardroom and how to overcome them -alongside an intimate group of your driven, change-making peers.

+ Discover the framework I’ve used with hundreds of young professionals to identify your core strengths and achievements and how to position them for the boardroom.

+ Work through my unique board value proposition canvas to understand the unique value you can bring to the boardroom – and how to position these values in your hunt for the perfect board position.

+ Mindset is everything – explore the key mindsets required for the boardroom, and banish the self-talk that’s holding you back – for good!

And so much more!

Now more than ever, we need confident, creative leaders with the passion, talent and insight to create the massive change needed in our community and the world.

So, if you’re…

+ Ready to step up and fulfil your dream of being a board director.

+ Keen to leave your fears aside and start taking action on the goals you want.

+ Keen to explore if you have what it takes to become a board director of a Not-For-Profit organisation.

+ Ready to contribute your time, skills and experience to a worthy cause and make real change in your community.

We need YOU!

Sign up – this challenge is for you!

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

GET THE FREE GUIDE:
15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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Is it your time to step up and lead? Yes!

Join me and we’ll get you there!

I hope you will join me!

To your success,

Alicia

PS. Got a question? Join the conversation on my Facebook page or send me an email at alicia@alyceum.com.au