You're working with a board of directors. What can you do to ensure your decision making is effective?

I joined the board of a social enterprise during a pivotal growth phase. Realizing the importance of a well-rounded board, I conducted a skills audit to identify gaps in both functional and technical expertise. This revealed areas needing enhancement, such as financial oversight, digital transformation, and legal compliance. I then spearheaded efforts to recruit members with these critical skills. For instance, a CFO provided essential financial guidance, while a digital expert helped us implement transformative technologies. This proactive approach ensured informed decision-making, effective risk management, and alignment with our strategic goals.

Nonprofit boards have three primary responsibilities: Duty of Care: Caring for the finances and management of the organization. Duty of Loyalty: Seeking the organization’s interest over personal interest. Duty of Obedience: Ensuring that the organization obeys the law and is faithful to its mission/charter.

-Have a clear outcome for each meeting, what are the meeting deliverables -Don't spend all the time doing updates, instead ask different directors each meeting to respond to a specific challenge or question - have a clear process for how decisions are to be made including decision criteria - allocate a portfolio to each director so there is no social loafing - set terms, positions shouldn't be held indefinitely - when recruiting directors, specify the skills you are looking for, then you won't attract people who are not the right fit - don't send long documents as pre-reading, people don't prepare properly. Set prep tasks and allocate directors to respond to different tasks

I’ve served in the Executive Director role for several non profits and it’s surprising how many organizations do not have clearly defined terms of service. It’s easy to become complacent when you’re comfortable in a leadership role and have been in that role for more than a few years. Having clear definitions on years of service and a board leadership succession plan is key to mission growth and new energy and ideas . I’ve found that even just allowing for a rotation year off of the board and offering a role in an advisory capacity ( not a governing role ) can make a huge difference! This allows high performers to stay engaged and or allows a graceful exit for those who may need to move in a new direction.

Conocer el terreno , nos permitirá marcar desarrollo y objetivos claros de tu objetivo , de tal manera que investigar el marco te facilitará a un éxito garantizado . Un buen objetivo SMART te brindará los resultado que buscas .

One of the things I wish I knew before I joined a nonprofit board is Why Do They Want Me, Anyway? This will sound ridiculously simple, but it is critically important to know why the organization wants me-specifically- to serve on their board! What skills, talents, experiences to I bring to the table that compliment the rest of the team? Being asked “Will you serve?”, with an answer of ?“yes,” should not be enough to for me to secure such an important position. A board must have a solid recruitment process that includes not only applications and interviews, but?first and foremost?knowing what they are looking for, and how I fit into that mix. Know that before you join the board, and you'll be ahead of the game.

Having a 360 anonymous degree or direct feedback, with the nonprofit founders/leadership team - who are the key stakeholders, on a regular annual basis is recommended. You may discover your blind spots as well as understand match in expectations. Secondly, you could also take inputs from fellow board members.

Research: Keep up with books, articles, and blogs on decision-making processes and best practices. Attend Workshops and Courses: Participate in workshops, webinars, or courses to gain new insights. Engage with Peers: Join networks, forums, or communities of practice to exchange ideas and learn from their experiences. Reflect on Experiences: Regularly reflect on past decisions to understand what worked well and could be improved. Seek Mentorship or Coaching: Seek guidance from experienced mentors or coaches who can provide personalized advice and support in improving decision-making skills. Experiment and Adapt: Be willing to try new approaches or methods and adapt based on feedback and outcomes.

It's better to stick to the key business related aspects of the subject and not to overcomplicate things. Usually the board of directors are from different backgrounds and getting into the details, will create an analysis paralysis for some members and confusion for others.

Have the Board sub divided into Board Committees with clear mandates. Have Board members and not staff, head the committees. Allow each committee to own aspects of the organisation and present to the Board, and then the Board decide.