board meetings – Wishnick & Associates

Tips to Enrich the Nonprofit Board Experience

The cold open works for Saturday Night Live, not so much for a nonprofit board meeting. Isn’t it respectful of board members’ time to launch directly into the business at hand? Even though it may seem that way, I’m not so sure.

Nonprofit boards are fueled by many things. Most notably, of course, is an individual director’s connection to the mission. And, effective, thriving nonprofit organizations are led by board members who are committed partners in their leadership and governance roles. To be successful in this endeavor, board members need to trust each other. And, to build trust, they need to know each other. […]

HALT – So Your Board Members Can be Their Best Selves

During his freshman orientation, my younger son was introduced to HALT – Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired – a stress management technique. For entering college students, it was supposed to help them increase self-awareness and understand what was going on with themselves and how this affected their interactions with roommates and others. It was geared to help them from becoming less pleasant versions of their normal selves.

HALT resonates with me. Especially regarding nonprofit boards and board meetings. After all, aren’t nonprofits better served by directors who function at their finest and highest levels? […]

Don’t Make it Sink or Swim: Orienting New Board Members

Does your nonprofit bring on new board members annually as a class, rather than randomly throughout the year? If they start out together, I commend you for choosing this wise approach. If not, I hope you will consider making a change after reading this.

When we think about it, nonprofit board members have a significant responsibility. Through their leadership, they hold the organization in trust for future generations. Exactly what this means for any organization depends on its life cycle stage and all the factors in play at any given time. […]

The Goldilocks Approach to Meeting Minutes

Why Minutes Are Worth Doing Well

The first time I was chair of a nonprofit board, I realized how important the role of the secretary was, as well as the value of good minutes. As board chair, it was necessary – crucial – to be in the moment, fully engaged with what was happening during the board meeting. The minutes were essential to being able to do that and know what had transpired. Because that board, that year, had the good fortune of having a smart and highly capable secretary who took the job seriously, the minutes were thorough and balanced. Reading them after a meeting allowed me re-live the […]

5 Ways to Shake up Your Board Meetings

We all know the feeling: The essential but sometimes routine business that makes up the board meeting agenda can sap board members’ energy. Before you know it, board members are looking at their watches, thinking about their next meal, and planning their great escape. This doesn’t have to happen! Break the tragic cycle of board meeting monotony with these 5 ideas.

1. Keep the Mission Front and Center

Encourage your board to connect the work they do with the organization’s mission. Your mission is at the heart of what staff and executive leadership do every day, but it’s easy for board members, who may have only occasional contact with the organization, […]