peter zehren.bd dvsty & rv-5.21.15

What Does Board Diversity Have to Do With Revenue?

Z E H R E N C O N S U LT I N G

N o n p r o fi t M a n a g e m e n t a n d L e a d e r s h i p © 2015

Take Aways

1.Building Stronger Board 2.Diversity Strengthens

Revenue3.“Invitation” to Build a Team4. Board Diversity Impact Grid

Zehren Consulting ©2015

Building Stronger Boards

Take

Aw

ay 1


What Do Strong Boards Look Like?



Agree with CEO

Focus on Finance

Great Attendance

100% Giving



• Disagree with CEO

• Focus on Investing

• Challenge Ideas

• 100% Support



Agree with CEO

Focus on Finance

Great Attendance

100% Giving

• Disagree with CEO

• Focus on Investing

• Challenge Ideas

• 100% Support


A Strong Board is a Diverse Board

Sharpens Ideas

Views Challenge Differently

Challenges The Way of Thinking


Steps to Building Strong Boards


1. New Members 2. Balance Idea

Leaders 3. Team Building4. Diverse

Perspectives

New Members


STEP

ON

E

• Energize the Group• Force Re-examination• Recruit With Purpose

(Who do we know? vs. Who do we seek out?)

• New Member On-boarding

Balance Idea Leaders


STEP

TW

O

• Imagine the possible • Open the space for ideas• Where do great ideas

come from?• How many idea leaders

are enough?

Team Building


STEP

TH

REE

• What questions should we ask to build conversation?

• Ask actionable questions

• Listen: don’t plan how to react

• Dialogue vs. Conversation

Actionable Question

An actionable question begins

to shift the way we perceive or

think about something – and that

might serve as a catalyst to bring

about change.

—– Warren Berger Zehren Consulting ©2015

Diverse Perspectives


STEP

FO

UR

• Who do we want at the table?

• How do they see our vision?

• How do we view our organization?

• How does the outside world see us?

Diversity Strengthens Revenue

Take

Aw

ay 2


CASE STUDY: The Organization

• Community Housing LMI families should own the homes they live in.

• NYC with satellite branches in each of the five boroughs

• 25 Year Anniversary


CASE STUDY: Board Composition

• Over 51% from Community Served

• Bankers: Assigned

• Government Agency

• Satellite Board Chairs


CASE STUDY: The Challenge

• Attitude Neutral

• Engagement Off

• Gala Fundraising Low


CASE STUDY: ATTITUDE

• Attitude Neutral• Not Personally

Invested• Felt Staff Responsible• Unwilling to Put in a

lot of Time


CASE STUDY: ENGAGEMENT OFF

• No Fun Opportunities• Lack of Organizational

Understanding • Uncertain of Time

Commitment


CASE STUDY: GALA FUNDRAISING LOW

• Board Did Not Give• No One Wants to Ask• Connections With Goal

and Board Missing• Last Years Worker Out


CASE STUDY: THE PLAN

• Bring on New Members• Increase Engagement• Listening to Ideas• Set Own Goals

• Support Board• Explain Fundraising

Cycle• Collaborate on Strategy


CASE STUDY: FUNDRAISING CYCLE

©2015Saad & Shaw

Key Reminders:• Ask Only 2-3% of

the whole cycle.

• Most People Are Comfortable Talking About Organization


CASE STUDY: THE RESULT

• All Members Engaged

• New Gala Sponsors

• Raised 400% More Than the Previous Year!


Take

Aw

ay 3


“Invitation” to Build a Team

We begin with the belief that the

commitments and interest of each of us have to be honored

and taken into account by all.


Why an Invitation?

• Invite board members to be part of the dialogue

• Everyone’s input sought

• All responses honored


Everyone Leads

“The task of leadership is to provide context and produce

engagement.”


Peter Block– Community Builder

Tribal Context


Seth Godin– Marketing Guru

“A leader tightens the tribe…finds areas of common

interest then gets out of the way.”

EXERCISE: Getting to Know You


1. What is the commitment that holds you here?3. What organizational story do you tell others?5. Tell me something about you no one knows.

Han

dout

EXERCISE: Introduce Each Other


• I’d like you to meet…..• She/he loves their

organization because….

• One thing we may not

know about her/him is….

EXERCISE: Report Back


• What did you learn about the process? How did it feel?

• What did you learn about yourself? • What did you learn about the others?

Board Diversity Impact Grid

Take

Aw

ay 4


What Motivates Board Members?


• Why serve on this board?

• What are you passionate about?

• How do you want to help “change the world” through our organization?

Engaging Board Members


• Listen to them• Site tours• Mission moment• Pair them at events

Engagement Tips From Affinity Session


• Write Thank You Notes

• Make Phone Calls• Ask Them:

Why Are You Here?

How Do They See Your Organization?


• Resume point• Work through grief• Help the community• Venue to show

leadership• Use their expertise

PROFESSION PERSPECTIVE APPROACHArchitect Building Design a constructSocial Media Director Connecting Share informationEntrepreneur Business Serve a consumer

needVenture Capitalist Investment Opportunity for

growthArtist Creative Foster inspirationGovernment Process Fair resource

allocationBanker Financial Bottom line ROI

Doctor Healing Fix or stop the bleeding

Impact Grid


THE ART OF CONVERSATION

• Thinking for Yourself• Change the Way We

See the World• Two Thoughts Can Build

a Stronger New Idea


Diversity by Age

2% 12%

29%43%

14%

Under 30 30 – 39 40 – 49 50 – 64 Over 65

BoardSource Nonprofit Governance Index 2010

Diversity by Race

84%

8%4% 3%1%

White African AmericanHispanic AsianOther


Diversity by Gender

Male

Female

52%

48%


Take Away Review


1.Building Stronger Boards 2.Diversity Strengthens

Revenue3.“Invitation” to Build a Team4. Board Diversity Impact Grid

Final Thoughts• Knowing Yourself is

About Openness• Let Go of Ego and See

Best Ideas• Activating Members

Means Listening and Letting Them Do on Their Own


Peter Zehren [email protected] 880-1270

Z E H R E N C O N S U LT I N GN o n p r o fi t M a n a g e m e n t a n d L e a d e r s h i p © 2015

Questions?

peter zehren.bd dvsty & rv-5.21.15

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