Alyceum

Igniting Leaders, Inspiring Revolutions

boards

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!

FREE 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge

Build the confidence to step into your first NFP Board Position and become the leader (and advocate for change!) you want to be in your community & the world.

The training starts on Monday, January 21st and runs for 3 consecutive days.
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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

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.  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!

 

Want more ideas about how to find your first board appointment?

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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!