Narrow-Minded Boards and Other Association Challenges

Topic of Your ChoiceSteve Drake, Facilitator

Association & Nonprofit Boards

Focus on Board Development Content based on your choices Select from my list or add your own topic

This session

Topics of Your Choice

Manage vs Lead

KodakMoment

BigBoards

CurateContent

Don’t eatToner

Socks onOctopus

2 KeyQuestions

Com-mittees

AdventureWindow

NarrowMinded

From “great photo op” to …◦Great organization fails.

Kodak: failed to see emerging markets correctly.

Fujifilm: diversified more successfully. Perfect vs Make it. Launch it. Fix it. What’s your culture for adaption?

Associations’ Kodak Moment

Key questions for associations: What will it take to thrive? How build future share rather than

attempt to protect current? What capabilities needed to thrive? How learn from our failures? Recognize the tidal wave of change is

already here; discover how to disrupt the status quo.

Associations’ Kodak Moment

Strategic IntentPlanning Model

INTERIMCONDITION

CURRENTCONDITION

INTERIMCONDITION

DESIREDCONDITION

2012 2013 2014 2015

Target Audience: ____________________________

1. What is the purpose of the organization?

2. Who do we serve? (define personas) 3. Who do we want to serve? 4. What are we trying to accomplish?5. What path will we use to accomplish

those things?6. How will we know if it’s working?

6 Key Questions for Associations

Committees = miniature boards Create fractures within board Committees that work beyond scope Continue after purpose has passed “Challenge” for Board: rubber stamp or

rehash Cost $ to “manage” Become ingrained; keep on long after

the need expired

The Problem with Committees

Suggestions from Race for Relevance: Staff should chair committees Determine # of committees needed Define role & skills of chair Define committee’s work Identify potential road blocks

The Problem with Committees

1. How serious is the “challenge?”2. Do you do “board orientation”

annually?3. Coaching from a past president?4. Bring in consultant (Bob Harris,

Glenn Tecker) to guide board5. Other???

Volunteers: manage vs lead?

The Leadership Partnership

Dealing with Difficult Board Members

Us

Him

What Behaviors Frustrate?1) Negative attitude re new ideas2) Absenteeism3) Lack of active participation4) “Handling” opposing views 5) Don’t do homework6) Don’t give feedback7) Little trust: they are competitors8) Fail to engage non-members

Dealing with Difficult Board Members

Him

• Poor “board skills”?• Poor “people skills”?• “Misfit”?

“Solution” depends on “Problem”

In General:

• Recruit, orient, intervene• Review & revise governance & policies

• Governance is board’s job (staff can support) • Create board job descriptions

NOTE: 1 person turns 65 every 8 secs! Willingness to try new things◦Diminishes with age.

How can “old” board create “new” ideas for millenials?

What about “old” staff?

Boards Past Adventure Window

“Blue-ribbon” leaders Meet at least twice a year Ask two questions:

1) Where is changed coming from?2) What are the pressures or

opportunities that need our response?

Futures Task Group

Why are so many smart people ineffective?

Unwilling to make changes. Failure to look at issues from member

P.O.V. Lack of diversity on board. Fail to understand Curse of Knowledge. Don’t let what you know limit what

you can imagine.

Narrow-minded Board Members

Ensuring adequate debate Yet, making decisions Finding harmony Managing dissent … after a vote Overcoming Curse of Knowledge

Putting Socks on an Octopus

Coever/Byers say 5; others say 15. How big is your board? How effective is big board? What is cost of a big board (staff

time!)? How can we change size?

Boards Too Big?

Save member time to add value Create and find great content Curate it Share it

Curating Content to Add Value

On ink cartridge: don’t eat the toner On blanket: not to be used to protect

from a tornado On contractor’s electric drill: not

intended for us as a dental drill On a hair dryer: do not use in the shower What “gobbledygook” are we using? What we say vs what they hear

Don’t Eat the Toner

1. Start with your audience2. Have a purpose for your writing3. Write from your readers’ viewpoint:

WII-FM (What’s In It For Me?)4. Consider getting outside opinions5. Make your writing “short, sweet and

easy to repeat” 6. Tell a compelling story7. Review and edit (when in doubt, cut it

out)

Don’t Eat the Toner – 7 Tips