A healthy board of directors is a nonprofit executive’s best friend. From honing strategic direction to ensuring resources for the mission, the pivotal partnership between board and executive is vital to a nonprofit’s ability to translate its vision into reality.
In order to ensure that a board is primed for long-term success, it is essential to focus not only on the development of current members, but also on the pipeline of future board leaders. To help nonprofits and boards on this journey, I suggest the ARISE cycle, which stands for assess, recruit, inform, support and empower.
Let’s look at each step in a bit more detail.
Assess
One of the most overlooked qualities of healthy nonprofit boards is the ability to step back and assess the team. What skills, talents, communication styles and perspectives do we currently have on the board team? How well does the current board understand, embrace and embody its role as stewards and ambassadors for the mission?
The first step in building a healthy board is to assess the composition and performance of the current board in order to identify skills that need to be further supported, perspectives that may be missing from the team, or habits that must be reinforced or broken. The goal of the assessment phase is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the current team and set meaningful priorities for continuous improvement.
Tip: A matrix may be helpful in understanding the composition of the board team and a board assessment may assist in evaluating performance.
Recruit
Once you are aware of any gaps that exist on the team in skill, perspective or performance, you are better positioned to strategically recruit individuals to address those gaps and elevate the board team.
Recruiting for your board is a bit like putting together a volleyball team. If everyone on the team has the same strength and the same weakness, we cannot achieve sustained success. Instead, the focus of recruiting should be on balancing the team with a diversity of skills, talents and perspectives.
Tip: Recruit boldly and proudly for your mission. Don’t downplay expectations, and instead focus on connecting with those willing to meet these expectations who also have a passion for your mission.
Inform
One of the most important roles of a board member is that of passionate ambassador for the mission. Board members can’t be effective ambassadors, however, if they are not well informed. Board leaders and senior staff members should ensure that all board members have received a thoughtful and personal overview of key aspects of the organization.
Tip: Develop a thoughtful orientation program for new board members that provides time with board and senior staff leaders.
Support
No one joins a nonprofit board fully prepared for the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead. Every board member, regardless of experience level, benefits from continuing support and professional development to excel in their governance role. Ongoing support is the critical second leg of the three-legged stool of board excellence: expectations, support and accountability.
Tip: The governance committee of the board can create an annual board development calendar, which ensures that continuing support for the board is year-round and tailored to topics most needed and desired by board members to enhance their skills and effectiveness.
Empower
Courtesy of Gregory Nielson
Gregory Nielsen is president and CEO of Nielsen Training & Consulting.
Board members who have been strategically recruited, thoughtfully-informed and well-supported are ready to propel your mission forward. Empower your board members by tapping into the talents and passions that led you to recruit them in the first place. For some, this may be a committee assignment. For others, it may be a visible speaking engagement on behalf of the organization.
A highly effective board chair takes the time to understand the unique value proposition for each member of the board team and puts individuals in positions to succeed.
Tip: The board chair or governance committee may create an individual engagement plan for each board member that discusses specifically how that member will contribute to the success of the Board team and the organization.
Nonprofit leaders deserve a board that is equipped and empowered to excel. Investing the time and effort in assessing, recruiting, informing, supporting and empowering goes a long way toward ensuring not only a healthy board today, but also a team that is willing and able to assume leadership and officer responsibilities down the road.
Gregory Nielsen, President and CEO of Nielsen Training & Consulting, is an experienced nonprofit CEO and consultant committed to helping leaders and organizations excel. Gregory has earned the prestigious BoardSource Certificate in Nonprofit Board Consulting. He is also a frequent speaker on nonprofit leadership and governance and hosts the podcast “Nonprofit Vision.”
