The Board Chair-Executive Partnership

PANO Collaborative Conference – Resourcing for Community Impact

Beth DochertyCell- 412-609-5903

dochertyb@comcast.net

September 21, 2015

Agenda

Welcome, Context and Introductions

Principles for a Strong Board Chair-Executive Partnership

Roles of the Executive and Board Chair Relationship Model for the Board, Staff and

Community Relationship Challenges Strong Executive-Chair Relationships Lead to Greater

Community Impact

Final Thoughts of Participants

Describe a great relationship that you had with someone else.

What made it great?

Basic Principles for a strong Board Chair-Executive Partnership

Mutual respect and appreciation for one another

Honesty and openness Willingness to adapt and compromise

The Beginning of the Journey

Continuous Communication

What are the primary roles of the Executive and Board Chair?

Lesson for an Executive

Lesson for a Board Chair

Inter-relationship of Organizational Roles

Board Chair

Board Staff

Executive

Community

Relationship model for the board, staff and community.

Relationship Challenges

Personality type Occupation of board chair Feeling of uncertainty, intimidation or

lack of motivation

How can a strong Executive – Board Chair relationship lead to greater community impact?

Community Impact

Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

A Strong Executive/Board Chair relationship is essential to the health of the organization and its effectiveness in the community!

What stood out to you in this session?

References/Further Reading Boardroom Chemistry: Getting Your Board to Govern as a Team.

Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2010. The Bridgespan Group, Becoming a More Effective Nonprofit Board.

2009. Chait, Richard P., How to Help Your Board to Govern More and Manage

Less. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2003. Chait, Richard P., William P. Ryan, and Barbara Taylor, Governance as

Leadership. Hoboken NJ: Wiley, 2005. Flynn, Outi, Meeting and Exceeding Expectations: A Guide to Successful

Nonprofit Board Meetings. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2009. The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass,

2010. Hammond, Sue Annis, The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry. Bend, OR:

Thin Book, 1998. Harrison, Yvonne D., Vic Murray, The Best and Worst of Board Chairs.

The Nonprofit Quarterly. Winter 2012: p. 86-91. Hummel, Joan M., Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization.

Minneapolis, MN: University of MN Press, 2004. Ingram, Richard T., Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards.

Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2015. The Nonprofit Board Answer Book: A Practical Guide for Board Members

and Chief Executives. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2012. Patterson, Sally J., Generating Buzz: Strategic Communications for

Nonprofit Boards. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2006. Williams, Sherrill K., and Kathleen A. McGinnis, Getting the Best from

Your Board: An Executive’s Guide to a Successful Partnership. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2009.

Wertheimer, Mindy R., The Board Chair Handbook. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2008.

Thank you!