Your Board is probably meeting in person again. It's also time to have your first Post-Covid in person Board Retreat. The substance and timing of Board Retreats vary widely. My suggestion is that you take at least one day every two years for an off-site with your Board. I know some Boards that do these annually for a couple of days and find it to be very helpful in … [Read more...] about Your Next Board Retreat
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Your Strategic Board Agenda
Do you sometimes feel that your Board meetings are a waste of time? Join the club. Board meetings are often viewed by participants as necessary evils, perfunctory, and filled with “blah, blah, blah” reports. Here are some ideas to make your Board meeting more strategic, engaging, and worthwhile. *First, make sure that you have a Strategy for the future! The … [Read more...] about Your Strategic Board Agenda
Executive Committees: 4 tips for balancing efficiency with board engagement
As a consultant, I’m not a big fan of executive committees. As a board chair, I appreciate how they can help the board and CEO. I try to be vigilant about our executive committee. Surprised to find this blog about rumors helpful (How rumors undermine staff trust—and 6 ways to quell them), I’ve recast the recommendations for nonprofit boards and CEOs. Document, distribute, … [Read more...] about Executive Committees: 4 tips for balancing efficiency with board engagement
Top Ten List: Running a Great Meeting
It’s really not that complicated, which makes it even more maddening that meetings seem to be run poorly so often. If you have been recently frustrated about that, click here for some comic relief with a clip from the classic, Bloody Meetings. Not every meeting has the same purpose, but following are general guidelines for running an effective meeting. Feel free to forward … [Read more...] about Top Ten List: Running a Great Meeting
The Ideal Board Chair
This column is written in honor of Richard R. Gibbs, who was the first Board Chair I worked for and who passed away during this past week. Richard was an exceptional leader and was a very supportive Board Chair of a very young Executive Director who didn’t really know what he was doing. I learned a lot from Richard and am very thankful for him in many ways. Here are some … [Read more...] about The Ideal Board Chair