1 board self assessment and calendar tools for increasing the association board’s capacity for...
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Board Self Assessment and Calendar
Tools for Increasing the Association Board’s Capacity for Governance
Workshop for the YWCA Great Lakes Alliance Region
June 2012
Shelly Schnupp, GLA Capacity Building Consultant [email protected]
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Why Board Self AssessmentBenefits and Challenges of Self
AssessmentSome Approaches and ResourcesBoard Calendar
Topics to be Covered
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Boards are ultimately responsible for their organization, yet they spend little time
examining their performance.
BoardSource
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…there are likely to be improvements in both board and organizational effectiveness when
efforts are undertaken to improve how boards do their work.”
Robert D. Herman and David O. Renz, 2000
Governance Challenges
Confusion
Disinterest
Dissatisfaction
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Governance Challenges
Confusion
Disinterest
Dissatisfaction
Clarity
Engagement
Satisfaction
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Board Calendar
• Clarify aspects of board’s responsibilities• Legal, financial and other obligations• Objective tool for keeping board on track• Informs the agenda for meetings
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Board Calendar Items
• 990 Filing• Audit• Budget approval• Strategic plan review• Conflict of interest review• Bylaws and Policies
review
• YWCA Peer Review, other important responsibilities
• Fundraising registration• Chief Executive
performance evaluation• Board self assessment
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Why Board Self Assessment?
Board Self Awareness
Strengthen board performance
Improve organizational effectiveness
…those practices that are used more frequently by the especially effective boards include (a) board self-evaluation….
Robert D. Herman and David O. Renz, 2000
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Role of Board Self Assessment
DiagnosticEducationalEngagement
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Self Assessment Areas: (Mix of Compliance and Performance)
Composition and structureCompliance with policies and lawsQuality of functioningGovernance contribution
More Specifically………….• Setting and keeping the focus on the mission• Charting a clear strategic direction and assessing progress• Monitoring the organization’s services and programs• Providing financial oversight• Actively engaging in resource development• Communication and community relations• Supporting and evaluating the executive director• Providing appropriate support to the staff• Demonstrating best practices in board governance• Strategically selecting, recruiting and orienting new board members
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Benefits of Board Self Assessment
Increase the board’s understanding of it’s purpose, roles, responsibilities
Eliminate misunderstanding Promote accountability Identify areas that need attention Establish board values and set standards Improve board recruitment Encourage board “self-selection”
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Self Assessment Approaches
Existing data (attendance, achievement of goals, etc.)
Board Member opinionOpinions of othersFull board and individual membersOnline tools
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Typical Self Assessment Tools
Simple checklistComprehensive surveyInterviewsOpen-ended questions
Factors that typically affect use or absence of approaches and tools
Time
Interest
Culture
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What should drive use of approaches or tools?
CrisisExperience
Expectations and beliefs about boards/ governance
Governance as Leadership
Richard P. Chait
William P. Ryan
Barbara E. Taylor
200518
Governance as Leadership
Type I Fiduciary: Board as Control Mechanism
Type II Strategic: Board as Direction-Setter
Type III: Generative Board as Meaning-Maker
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Type I Governance:Fiduciary Work
Type II Governance:Strategic Work
Type III Governance:Generative Work
Board as steward, monitor.Are we meeting our mission legally, efficiently and effectively? What’s wrong?
Prevent theft, waste, misuse of resources. Hold management accountable. Compliance.
•Ensure plan is developed and oversee implementation.•Receive and review annual audit. Ensure balanced budget.•Ensure program effectiveness.
Board as strategic partner.What are the most effective ways to achieve our goals?What’s the plan?
Develop consensus about organizational strategy.Engage in strategic thinking.Clarify organizational goals and strategy for getting there.
Problem solving and strategy development.
Board as collaborative leader.What does our mission mean? What’s the question?
Frame –and re-frame—problems that drive the organization’s work—”possibilities and pathways.”Engage in “sense-making.”
Discover new opportunities, generate new ideas.
Values-based deliberation.
Governance as Leadership
Type I Fiduciary: Board as Control Mechanism
Type II Strategic: Board as Direction-Setter
Type III: Generative Board as Meaning-Maker
Effective boards move deftly between Types I, II and III work.
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Critical View of Board Self Assessment Tools
To what extent does the tool expect or encourage the three modes of governance outlined in Governance as Leadership?
Type I: Fiduciary Type II: Strategic Type III: Generative
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Board Self Assessment Tips
• Put it on the Board Calendar!• Frequency—every two years?• Consider multiple approaches• Views and expectations of the board should drive self-
assessment approaches and tools.• Many tools available – be critical• Encourage candor• Don’t forget to use the results
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The Role of Board Self Assessment
• Boards/Governance affects nonprofit effectiveness
• Self-assessment is one tool that can improve governance…and possibly nonprofit effectiveness
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Challenges of Board Self Assessment
• Oversimplification of complexity• Instill false sense of security• Encourage certain modes of governance
—discourage others
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Although evidence supporting the relationship between board effectiveness and organizational effectiveness is increasing, in what ways and how boards contribute to organizational effectiveness is still unclear.
Robert D. Herman and David O. Renz, BOARD PRACTICES OF ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE AND LESS EFFECTIVE
LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, The American Review of Public Administration 2000 30: 146
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Additional Sources of Information Self-Assessment for Nonprofit Governing Boards by Larry H.
Slesinger. National Center for Nonprofit Boards, 1996. Includes forms for board assessing the functioning of the board as a whole and a form for indiviudal board member self reflection.
Board of Directors Self Evaluation by Carter MacNamara. 14 question tool that boards can use to rate the performance of the full board.
The Best of Board Café by Jan Masoka. Compasspoint Nonprofit Services, 2003. A comprehensive collection of short but informative articles on many aspects of nonprofit board functioning and development.
Additional Sources of Information
• National Council of Nonprofits
http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/resources/resources-topic/boards-governance/board-member-self-assessment
• BoardSource
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