What does the visionary nonprofit board look like? Learn the 5 key components along with 7 healthy board habits.
What does the visionary nonprofit board look like? Learn the 5 key components along with 7 healthy board habits.
“Pivot” has become the new word for ministry strategy. You’ve done the hard work of strategic planning and are ready to implement this incredible new vision. Then… BAM… disaster strikes and completely rocks your world. How do you adjust to a changing environment fast enough to weather the storm?
In 1995, organizational management guru, Charles Handy theorized that organizations should start reinventing themselves before they reach their peak. Most organizations only think about trying something new when they’ve hit the bottom and run out of ideas. According to Handy, the best time to start something new is while you are still successful — when things are going well, you have the energy, resources, and creativity to come up with new ideas. Some ministries are nimble and can flex in response to change; others can’t or won’t adjust, and struggle to survive.
Handy’s Sigmoid Curve, or S-shaped curve shows that new initiatives have a first phase of experimentation and learning which is followed by a time of growth and development. Unfortunately, every new idea peaks, plateaus, and then curves downward. To keep on growing, the successful organization must keep developing new initiatives. The key is starting a new curve at Point A before you need to change. Most ministries do not change until Point B which is often too late. When your ministry is declining, it’s hard to think bold, new thoughts when your only focus is staying in business.
As Israel entered the Promised Land, the Lord instructed Joshua to follow, “because you have never been this way before” (Josh. 3:4). One of the most dangerous moments for an organization is when they begin to lean on their own understanding (Prov. 3:5). Successful strategic planning is less about what you and your board think you should do and more about listening for what God wants you to do. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isa. 30:21).
Is God calling your ministry to leave what you do well and try something new to respond to the needs of today’s generation? If so, start your strategic thinking now while things are going well. Don’t wait until your ministry starts to decline and forces you to make changes you may not want to make.
Stay ahead of the curve. If God is asking you to reinvent your ministry, he will give you the wisdom to navigate the change.
Handy, C. (1995). The Empty Raincoat: Making Sense of the Future. Australia: Random House.
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
I am guessing that most of you either answer to a Board, serve on a Board, or at minimum, work for an organization that has a Board. Whether called directors, members, trustees, or governors, the bottom line is they are generally charged with providing the governance – legally, financially and ethically. Charged with seeing that the organization proves successful. Non-profit organizations or ministries are no exception.
But is that ALL they do? We hope not. The role of serving as a board member is way more important than that. These members are in a position to provide influence. They are asked to serve as a cheerleader and give their time, talent, and treasure. They are also tasked with persuading others to give, to volunteer, and more.
Many boards struggle from time to time to fulfill these roles effectively. A strong, functioning and supportive Board can be the CEO’s best friend. A poorly performing or disengaged board can be their greatest headache.
I was recently talking with a friend who serves as the executive director for a small non-profit organization. When referring to his ministry’s future plans, he said, “I’m more and more convinced that I cannot build core competencies within the organization and it does not reside at The Board level.”
What was he really saying? Most likely he’s saying, “My organization needs to grow. There are things we do well and things we don’t do well. I have gaps within my small team and we could do so much more if only______. I need help. One place I can look to is our board, but I don’t see the time, talent, or treasure there either.”
So, let’s look at the opposite scenario. If (some of) the needed “competencies” did exist at the board level, what would these look like? Here are 6 things that your board members should be doing to help their organization grow and flourish:
(1) Engaging donors on behalf of the organization.
VIEW MAJOR DONOR ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVEALED
(2) Cultivating relationships through invitations; soliciting their support at the right time.
(3) Utilizing specialized skills or experiences to benefit the organization (accounting, financial planning, legal advice, strategic planning, counseling, etc.).
(4) Making calls (virtual and phone) to thank donors especially at year-end.
(5) Presenting on behalf of the organization at churches, service clubs, and the like – serving as an “ambassador.”
(6) Writing and sharing content, resources, and invites as posted to their organization’s website and social media accounts.
The key here is that not only can board members provide a level of expertise, but they can save their organizations precious dollars otherwise spent on hiring or outsourcing. This creates a “win-win” for both the board member and the organization being served.
You may want to consider inviting leadership and board members to participate in a shared book review or group study using “Ask For A Fish” by Ron Haas. It was written with board members in mind. Click here to review and order our copies today.
Author: Pat McLaughlin. Learn more about Pat and his published books.
How healthy is your board? Healthy boards practice these 8 habits. Which one(s) do you need to strengthen? What steps can you take today?
