Hello Inner Circle Member:
I had a fantastic weekend aside from the washout with the Super Bowl (did people really pay $1000 a ticket to sit in the rain for 4 hours?). On Saturday I was a presenter at the 10th Annual Art & Culture Symposium in North Vancouver, BC, where I presented my highly effective board governance workshop, “The 12 Pillars of Exceptional Boards.” For those that attended, they had a very kind words to share about their time, finding out where their board’s performance stood, and how to improve. I shared with the attendees what it takes to move their board from ‘good’ to ‘exceptional.’
Here's what a few of them had to say about my Board Governance Work Shop:
“Clear, incisive, thoughtful and educational –- lots of really structured information for non-profits. I would absolutely recommend that organizations with concerns about board development and organizational capacity building take the opportunity to attend the workshop. It was an exceptional learning outcome.” – John Rice (District of North Vancouver)
“An invaluable resource and much needed first step” – Caroline Farquhar (Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists)
“I learned a lot that I wish I knew several committees ago” – Monica Craver (Municipal Citizens Advisory Committee)
“I found it very informative in its breakdown and detailed consideration of relevant governance issues” - DH
“I would recommend this workshop. It demonstrated the importance of strategic planning and how to implement with the CEO and Board an effective working relationship…10 out of 10!” – Peggy Heywood (North Vancouver Arts Council)
“Very well presented, clear, useful information” – Janet Moi (North Vancouver Community Arts Council)
Well, since you weren’t able to attend the workshop, I thought I should at least share some of the key points that will help you improve the performance of your board.
And for those of you who emailed me about the last ‘Inner Circle EZine Newsletter,’ there will be the all important Jokes of the Week.
P.S. If you want to see this eZine in a much more attractive format, you can read it and the last issue at my BLOG at:
http://www.halladayeducationgroupinnercircle.blogspot.com/
Enjoy,
Doug Halladay
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In This Issue
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1. The 12 Pillars of Exceptional Board Performance
2. Inner Circle Jokes of the Week
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1. The 12 Pillars of Exceptional Board Performance
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Are you an Exceptional Board? You know it and you can see it...exceptional boards stand out. But what makes these boards tick? What’s their secret?
Exceptional boards have a set of common attributes that clearly separates them from others. Today’s article reveals the “12 Pillars of Exceptional Boards,” and how your board can improve their own performance from ‘good’ to ‘exceptional.”
But first, let me ask you a few question, “what do exceptional boards look like?” For many of them they:
- Exceed fundraising campaigns
- There is a waiting list for board seats
- They have bright trustees doing significant work
- Well attended board meetings
- Low turnover in CEO and Chair positions
- Mission focused for next generation
- There’s a plan & they stick to it
But these are the outcomes of exceptional board performance. What attributes or ‘Pillars” do you have to put into place to get there?
Good boards are:
- Competent Stewards
- Focus on fiduciary oversight
- Ensure their organization comply with law
- Act with financial integrity
- Operate effectively & ethically
However, exceptional boards:
- Add active engagement and independent decision making to the oversight function
- Members are open and honest with each other and the Chief Executive
- Passionately challenge and support efforts in pursuit of the mission and their community
Let me ask you, does your board exhibit any of the following:
- Trustee behavior that is unproductive and not in alignment with your mission
- Board agenda that’s controlled by crisis rather than a clear vision
- Lack of a plan or goals that result in no annual board agenda, committee goals, or operational plan
- Board committees that exist only because they have always been there, not because they are needed
- No link between budget, programs, or a long-term plan
- Blurring of boundaries and channels between the roles of the Board and Administration
- Board commitment is greater than you would like it to be and has become too taxing and stressful
- Inability to attract new trustees
- Poor turn-out at board meetings or AGM’s
If you answered yes to the any of the preceeding, then you need to keep on reading and find out how many of the following Pillars your Board has and fix it.
12 PILLARS OF EXCEPTIONAL BOARDS
===> Pillar 1: MISSION-FOCUSED: Exceptional boards share & uphold the mission, articulate a compelling vision, & ensure congruence between strategy, core values, & day-to-day operations.
===> Pillar 2: STRATEGIC: Exceptional boards engage constantly in strategic thinking that focuses the organization’s direction & is driven by their strategic plan.
===> Pillar 3: INTERDEPENDENT: Exceptional boards govern in an interdependent partnership with their CEO.
===> Pillar 4: OUTCOME FOCUSED: Exceptional boards are results-focused, measuring progress towards the mission by evaluating their organization’s & their own performance.
===> Pillar 5: OVERSIGHT: Exceptional boards have systems of oversight set up that uphold an ethical code of conduct & disciplined compliance.
===> Pillar 6: ANALYTICAL: Exceptional boards establish a culture of mutual respect, inquiry, trust, & constructive debate that leads to sound shared decision making.
===> Pillar 7: AUTONOMOUS: Exceptional boards are independent minded, & put the interests of the organization before their own.
===> Pillar 8: TRANSPARENT: Exceptional boards sustain a culture of transparency by ensuring that donors, stakeholders, & public have access to appropriate information regarding finances, operations, & performance.
===> Pillar 9: RESOURCEFUL: Exceptional boards balance their vision & plans directly to their financial resources.
===> Pillar 10: BEST PRACTICES: Exceptional boards purposely structure themselves to fulfill essential governance duties & support organizational priorities.
===> Pillar 11: SELF-DEVELOPMENT: Exceptional boards embrace continuous learning, evaluating their own performance & assessing the value they add to their organization.
===> Pillar 12: RENEWAL: Exceptional boards energize themselves through planned turnover, attentive recruitment, & inclusiveness.
How did you score?
1). If you scored less than 6 you need to go back and seriously focus on your board’s performance
2). If you scored between 7 -10 you’re heading in the right direction but you need to set a plan of action
3). If you scored 11 or more you only need to fine tune and you should be up here!
What’s your next step?
Well, remember the old adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” If you board did not score too well with the 12 Pillars, you need a plan of action. I would encourage you to seriously consider my BOARD PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP. It provides:
1). A confidential 360° Online Board Self-Assessment Questionnaire for each board member and administrator that analyzes critical governance issues
2). A report that summarizes the questionnaire results
3). A retreat where the issues that are identified in the questionnaire are analyzed and resolved
4). Board members participate in case studies that evaluate ‘Best Board Practices’
5). Facilitated board workshop to assist the board in developing an action plan to improve their performance
6). Written summary of the board’s key issues & the action plans to improve their performance
The Online Board Survey focuses on:
- Mission & Purpose
- Strategic Planning
- Programs & Services
- Financial Resources
- Fiscal Oversight
- Risk Management Policies
- Support & Review of CEO
- Relationship between Board & Staff
- Public Image
- Selection & Orientation of New Board Members
- Organization & Efficient Operation of the Board
- Board Committees & Task Forces
BENEFITS OF THE BOARD PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP:
- Identify vital areas of board operation that need attention
- Prepare for a Strategic Plan or major Fundraising Campaign
- Serve as an effective orientation & inclusion process for new board members
- Build trust, respect, team-work, & communication amongst board members & the CEO
- Ensure that all board members have a shared understanding their roles & responsibilities, & how to operate & behave as an effective board
- Enable individual board members to work more effectively as part of the team
- Identify & reach consensus on critical issues before they become a crisis specific priorities
- Develop & energize your board — ensure a common vision, utilize talent & stability
If you would like more information about my Board Performance Workshop call me at 1-604-868-0002 or email me at info@halladayeducationgroup.com , or go to: http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/services.php?sub=online_assessments#topheader
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2. Inner Circle Jokes of the Week
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GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.
GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.
If you like these tips please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.
To your success,
Douglas L.J. Halladay
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President and Founder
4316 Arthur Drive, Ladner, BC, Canada, V4K 2W8
P: 604.868.0002/F: 868.472.8737/Email: info@halladayeducationgroup.com
www.HalladayEducationGroup.com
P.S. HAVE YOU RECEIVED MY ECOURSE ON STARTING YOUR OWN SCHOOL?
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