Does Your Board Have Technology Experts?

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I spoke with a reader who advocates for having individuals who are experts in Technology on every board in the same way boards have members who are experts in Finance. He provides excellent reasoning and ideas for how boards should proceed. Also, the web site Board.Dev has great information about building tech governance. Tech Strategists Are Essential for Effective Nonprofit Boards As told by a Board Member somewhere in the US. I want to share the experiences of several boards and organizations – all of which could benefit from having technology experts on their boards. The first example was a… Read more

Do You Have a Clear Process for Vetting Prospective Board Members?

Categories: Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board MembersTags: Leave a comment

A reader and I were exchanging emails when they told me that their governance committee had developed a thoughtful process for selecting and vetting new Board Members. I like the policy for a number of reasons. First, it is important to fully vet a candidate ahead of time. I was on one board where we approved a new candidate and announced that they were joining the board. Only then did we learn that this candidate had done something that precluded them from being on our board, and we had to rescind our offer. Second, the policy makes sure that what… Read more

Co-Leadership Revisited

Categories: Board Member Roles · Hiring ED or CEO · LeadershipTags: · · 1 Comment

A reader responded to my last story about an organization that tried having three co-leaders but ultimately decided that they wanted one CEO instead of three. This reader has been in a for-profit partnership — which is the same as co-leadership — for over a decade. He shared his thoughts about what makes his partnership work and provided ideas for organizations considering a co-leadership model. Co-Leadership Can Work – But Be Cautious As told by a Partner somewhere in the US. I have had a successful co-leadership experience in a relatively small for-profit professional services company. We call it a… Read more

Would Co-Leadership Work for Your Organization?

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEO · Succession PlanningTags: · 1 Comment

Many nonprofit organizations are re-thinking leadership, and some are trying a co-Leadership or Distributed Leadership model where they have multiple CEOs or Executive Directors. I have been interested in seeing why organizations decide to try this model and the benefits and challenges they face. I interviewed the Board Chair and the current sole Executive Director of a small nonprofit on the east coast that tried a co-leadership model on an interim basis for a year. They had three co-EDs. In the end, they decided to have just a single ED. I wanted to understand what motivated them to try co-EDs… Read more

Navigating Board Expectations: A Lesson in Clarity

Categories: Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · Prospective Board MembersTags: 3 Comments

A colleague shared this story about the importance of setting clear expectations for board members when they are recruited, checking in with them annually to ensure they understand the expectations, and being willing to let them go if they cannot meet the requirements. The Unspoken Assumption – Personal Gift As told by a nonprofit CEO somewhere in the U.S. When I became CEO of a fairly large nonprofit, I met with every single board member. It was one of the first things I did. One board member stood out. She worked for a corporate partner. She had an impressive profile,… Read more