ywca board and staff relationships that work

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1 YWCA USA Resource Library ywca board and staff relationships that work Organizational success requires an engaged and accountable board, sound strategic direction and real time agility all of which hinges on a balanced cooperative partnership among YWCA board members and between board members and the chief executive. Organizations with boards and chief executives who work well together are intentional about creating and sustaining excellent relationships. While the following ten elements need to be customized to each organization s structure and culture they can guide boards and chief executives: 1. Fulfill the board s core duties 2. Hire and recruit wisely and plan for smooth successions 3. Be clear about roles 4. Stay committed to building strong relationships 5. Be clear about the chief executive s mandate 6. Jointly determine what to include in regular board reports 7. Jointly determine preferred communications formats 8. Evaluate the chief executive s performance regularly 9. Focus on leadership vs. power 10. Empower each other and learn together Nonprofit boards and executive directors/ceos committed to excellence strive for a partnership that understands and reflects the administrative and leadership balance needed to get initiatives created and get things done. Board and staff at strong YWCAs know how to play well together. Many companion resources are included in the Resource Library. Of special note for board functioning are: YWCA Board Roles and Responsibilities, The YWCA Board and Staff Partnership-A Close Look; Building and Sustaining a High Functioning Board, YWCA Board Development and Governance Guide, and YWCA Board President/Chair Handbook YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 1 This document is part of the YWCA USA Online Resource Library. Find more resources on the intranet at

2 Sample YWCA Structure and Organizational Responsibilities YWCA Members & Stakeholders A Meaningful Input Role YWCA Board of Directors Directors of Programs and/or Community Services Direct service/support staff Executive Director/CEO Direct service/support staff Directors of Finance, HR and/or Operations YWCA Boards of Directors Advance the Mission By: -- Knowing what the YWCA mission means and easily articulating how it is being fulfilled. --Communicating with members and stakeholders to determine needs and fitting strategies, & staying knowledgeable about relevant trends. --Determining & committing to carry out plans that reflect and amplify the mission, ensure progress on goals, ensure financial sustainability, and preserve the organization s charitable designation. --Determining and following organizational policies and practices that reflect the mission and guide optimum board functioning as well as leadership development. --Establishing evaluation processes for the board, ED/CEO, and operations. --Ensuring growth of overall assets, including regular solicitation of contributions. --Ensuring active advocacy efforts on matters of concern to women & girls. --Intentionally and actively promoting the YWCA and outcomes achieved throughout the community. --Sustaining active YWCA to YWCA relationships. YWCA Executive Directors/CEOs Advance the Mission By: --Knowing what the YWCA mission means and easily articulating how it is being fulfilled. -- Communicating with members and stakeholders, staying knowledgeable about relevant trends, and guiding the board to determine priority needs. --Aligning all efforts with the YWCA mission and ensuring plan progress, financial stability and YWCA vitality. --Facilitating full engagement and capacity of the board to meet goals. --Sustaining a welcoming, supportive environment for all who cross the YWCA threshold. --Ensuring mission-motivated staff, provision of relevant, well respected services where the YWCA mission is clear and ensuring effective operational, evaluation, financial, IT & facility functioning. --Activating/guiding advocacy efforts on matters of concern to women & girls. --Cultivating/sustaining a wide range of promotional advocacy, community, colleague and funder relationships. --Sustaining active YWCA to YWCA relationships. YWCA Directors of Programs and Community Services; Finance, HR and/or Operations Advance the Mission By: --Knowing what the YWCA mission means and easily articulating how it is being fulfilled. --Designing, recommending, supervising, and evaluating services so that racial justice and women s empowerment are clearly visible. --Building support for the YWCA mission and YWCA. -Staying knowledgeable about service trends and ensuring excellent service delivery. --Determining, tracking and reporting client/ participant outcomes. --Meeting financial goals. --Staying knowledgeable about relevant needs, service trends and best practices. --Sustaining a welcoming, supportive environment that encourages women s and girls investment in themselves and the YWCA. --Motivating/developing direct service and support staff. --Staying active in advocacy efforts on matters of concern to women & girls. --Cultivating/sustaining supportive and promotional relationships throughout the community relevant to their areas of work. --Sustaining active YWCA to YWCA relationships. YWCA Direct Service and Support Staff Advance the Mission By: -- Knowing what the YWCA mission means and easily articulating how it is being fulfilled. --Interacting in ways that amplify the YWCA s commitment to racial justice and women s empowerment, and encouraging women s and girls investment in themselves. --Building support for the YWCA mission and YWCA. --Guiding the determination of and tracking client/participant outcomes. --Staying knowledgeable about relevant needs, service trends, and best practices. --Staying accountable for client/participant safety, satisfaction and progress. --Helping to ensure that financial outcomes are met. Following best practices. --Providing information and recommending ideas for continuing improvement in services and operations, including building needs. --Staying active in YWCA advocacy efforts. --Cultivating/sustaining supportive and promotional relationships throughout the community relevant to their area of work. --Sustaining active YWCA to YWCA relationships. YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 2

3 10 Characteristics of a Strong Board/Executive Partnership 1. Inspiration and clarity: each understands what brings out the best in the other and strives to interact toward these ends. Also, each understands where the greatest sensitivities are that need to be handled with care. 2. Balance: at times one half of the partnership may be more dominant than the other, but there is an equilibrium in the distribution of and exercise of authority. 3. Mutual respect: each half of the partnership holds and makes visible her high regard for the abilities and capabilities of the other. 4. Mutual trust: each half trusts that the other will act in a forthright manner free of negative or unfounded emotions, with integrity, and do what is in the best interests of the whole organization and fulfillment of mission. 5. Clear understanding of roles and responsibilities: Each in the partnership is intent on playing her position, and only steps into the other s position upon request. 6. Accountability: important in and of itself, but also as a contributor to engendering mutual respect and trust, players are accountable to each other for what is said as well as actions taken, and demand and get accountability in return. When discussing a particular matter, each is able to finish the sentence, what has led me to feel this way (or to say this) is 7. Shared ownership, goals, and the commitment to be/do something more than each can do on her own. 8. Shared leadership: Each partner shares leadership in the partnership and is willing to step back when the strengths of the other surpasses her own, and willing to step forward when that is warranted. 9. Open and regular communication: talking together to identify opportunities worthy of pursuit and what the real issues are that may be undermining the organization s efficiency and effectiveness. 10. Appreciation: From simple thank yous to opportunities for public recognition and expression of gratitude to a positive work environment and compensation make sure there are enough ways to count! Adapted from the Dodge Blog, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 3

4 Building a Strong Board/Executive Relationship 1. Establish the parameters of authority. The board is a group of people with diverse backgrounds who regularly come together to provide oversight among the organization s leadership and to protect and enhance its service and community value. As they are typically busy people who balance numerous competing commitments - to work, family, and other - and they have finite time and energy (including emotional energy) to devote to any one board they serve on. Making roles, responsibilities and the rules of engagement clear is essential. 2. Show empathy. Empathy is an emotional process that builds connections and enables one to establish trust for mutual interaction. Importantly, it is a state of perceiving and relating to another person's feelings and needs without the need to blame, give immediate advice or fix the situation. Empathy also means "reading" another person's inner state and interpreting it for understandable conversation which supports mutual trust. It is to emotionally put yourself in the place of another. To be empathetic is to make another person feel secure to open up and share her thoughts, ideas and, perhaps most important, her reasoning. 3. Understand spoken and unspoken power dynamics. The boardroom is a highly nuanced, very human environment. People often make subtle points in ways that require deep listening. Make it a priority to get to know each board member and the chief executive personally and take time to understand what makes each other tick, what is important, and what specific talents and value each brings to the organization. Consider also that informal relationships between the chief executive and individual board members, developed through phone, e- mail and in-person communications, are important for building trust and influence. And, know that there are differences between interactions outside and inside the boardroom. For example, calls might be made in advance to obtain board members' support, yet once the directors are together, the mood can change. Be prepared for such a shift. Along with the formal leader of the group, identify who the informal leader is, if there is one, and understand the leadership styles. Determine if there is a board inside the board - a core group of influencers who have particular power. If there is, understand its agenda and work to build and ensure alignment. 4. Leadership vs autocracy Many executive directors and presidents struggle with leading the board. They try to lead it the same way that they lead, in their day to day positions - laying it on the line and moving on. That doesn't work in the boardroom. In fact, it can be perceived as arrogance and autocracy, eroding trust and breaking down the relationship. Humbleness and ego management are key attributes to demonstrate. Rather than forcing outcomes, lead to them. In making and executing decisions, be inclusive and open to different points of view. Instead of presenting one idea for discussion, offer several scenarios and options along with recommendations - and state the business case for why. Be open to learning, and show willingness to act on feedback. Rather than seeking recognition show recognition. Be authentic by walking the talk. And, without exception, honor promises made. YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 4

5 5. Be transparent The demand for transparency in the boardroom and chief executive office continues to grow. There is a huge trend toward increased transparency in new legislation, and in the whole area of proxy access. Creating a transparent and open environment is critical. All organizational leaders with presentation responsibilities must tell it like it is, keeping the board apprised of key happenings so there are no surprises and communicating clearly, promptly and completely. Ensure that board members are well-informed and have the information they need, both during meetings and in between them. Simplify the issues so that everyone is on common ground in discussing key topics. Any board member should be able to provide input before the meeting for the agenda if she has a hot button issue to address or discuss at the full board meeting. Asking questions is a key part of the board's job and so sustaining an environment conducive to honest inquiry is important. All leaders should guard against getting defensive and answering questions too quickly as it makes board members feel inadequate and in turn shuts down the questioning process. 6. Ground rules Ground rules are a way to clarify and codify the answer to the following four questions: How do you/we want to be treated? How do you/we think you should treat others? How do others think you/we want to be treated? How will we resolve conflicts? Many organizations have no ground rules to guide the relationship between board and staff. If people in an organization cannot answer the four questions above, they will be seriously constrained in the ability to achieve levels of performance. Conclusion Ensuring that the chief executive is a full partner with the board is one of the best ways of building trust as each leader will feel more free to share information and challenges. Trust is a perpetual process that must be continually renewed among people and within organizations. With this mind, an executive director and board should evaluate and have a game plan each year designed to build and maintain trust among each other and all staff and volunteers. Focus on relationship-building from the start! Offered by Karl Smith, Copyright 2010 YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 5

6 What the Chief Executive Should Expect From YWCA Board Members and What Board Members Should Expect from Each Other Demonstration of leadership vs power Regular attendance at meetings and events and ample preparation for discussions Interactions and expressions of concern that follow set roles and protocols, adhering to set roles, open, honest, and fact based communications obviously offered in the best interest of making progress on the overall YWCA Mission. Accountability -- Obvious serious commitment to participate actively on the board and in committee work Willing acceptance of assignments and completion thoroughly and on time Obvious knowledge about YWCA programs and events along with their purposes and impacts Eagerness to know other members and to cultivate collegial working relationships that contribute to consensus Eagerness to stay informed and learn about YWCA mission work and its relevance Active participation in annual evaluation and planning efforts Annual stretch gifts and active participation in fund raising for the organization Enthusiastic promotion of the YWCA and its impacts throughout the community What Board Members Should Expect from the Executive Director/CEO Demonstration of leadership vs power Professional competence obvious knowledge about events related to the YWCA mission as well as in substantive program and administrative areas. Visible belief in the mission Interactions and expressions of concern that follow set roles and protocols, adhering to set roles, open, honest, and fact based communications obviously offered in the best interest of making progress on the overall YWCA Mission. Vision Steady cultivation of external and advantageous relationships Ability to manage pressure gracefully Initiative is a self starter Proficiency is a good recruiter for and leader among staff and is a good manager of money Productivity gets out the work Articulate in speech and writing communicates in an open and forthright manner Responsiveness is sensitive to board directions and needs and is quick to answer all internal and external inquiries made to the ED/CEO YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 6

7 In the Case of A Board-Chief Executive Struggle. Many experts assert that one of the most important ingredients to a successful organization is a high-quality relationship among board members and between the board and the chief executive, one that is able to stay strong in the midst of inherent struggles that emerge along the way. Underlying these struggles can be a case of the chief executive being in her position for a longer period than board members and planning to be around after current board members will be gone, or they can have roots in the chief executive being close to the organization s day-to-day operations and therefore more knowledgeable about the organization as a whole and those the organization serves. Yet, the board is to whom the chief executive is accountable. Maintaining a high-quality relationship between the chief executive and the board requires a high level of maturity and understanding from all involved. Practices and Procedures to Minimize Conflict One of the most effective means to prevent and/or minimize conflict is to set up formal practices or procedures that help those serving in the board or executive staff capacity discern what is an organizational issue and what is a personal issue. The following suggestions help ensure a high-quality relationship between the board, especially the chair, and chief executive: 1. Have clearly written and approved procedures for evaluating the chief executive and use an approach that ensures strong input from the chief executive. 2. Have regular board training sessions that include overviews of the roles of the board, the board chair and the chief executive. 3. When a new board chair or chief executive is brought into the organization, the two of them should meet to discuss how they can best work together as a team. Then expand that discussion and strategy development to the board as a whole especially as groups of new board members become active. 4. Agendas for board meetings should be developed by the board chair and chief executive. 5. The board chair should consult with the chief executive when appointing (or suggesting to the board) chairs for various committees. 6. Have clear written guidelines about the roles of staff when they provide ongoing support to board committees. 7. Develop board chairs by having vice chairs who take responsibility for a particular initiative or committee for a year. 8. Record a summary of each meeting held between the chief executive and board chair and share these highlights with the entire board. Recaps can be framed in terms of learnings, emerging issues, and opportunities to pursue. 9. Ensure all board members are trained about the role of the board, its current committees, their charters and membership. Ensure that the board chair has basic skills in meeting management. 10. The chief executive and board chair should never conceal information from the rest of the board. 11. Celebrate accomplishments, naming the key people involved in bringing about the successes. YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 7

8 Personal Practices to Minimize Interpersonal Conflicts In addition to formal practices to minimize conflicts, board members, especially the chair, and the chief executive can: 1. Demonstrate basic skills of interpersonal communications, e.g., particularly in listening and giving forthright and descriptive feedback. 2. Whenever conflict emerges, identify what it is that is actually being seen or heard that might be causing the conflict and what effect the conflict is having. This attempt helps to differentiate whether the source of the conflict is the other person's behavior or some remnant of a relationship or situation in the past. 3. If there are uneasy feelings, then say out loud what you're feeling and include what you really want to see as a result of the discussion. 4. Recognize that conflict is inherent in any successful relationship. The important thing is to name it if you think it's becoming an ongoing problem. 5. Continue to try sense if the conflict is around an organizational issue or is a matter of interpersonal "chemistry." If those involved have large differences, outside intervention may be needed to be able to come to work together. If Worse Comes to Worse If you're a board chair or chief executive who feels and/or sees conflict among board members and/or between a board member(s) and the chief executive: 1. Request a meeting that will not be interrupted. Once in the meeting, explain your concern, how it has developed, what you see and hear that evidences the conflict, how the conflict is affecting your ability and motivation to contribute your best to the organization, and what you would like to see or hear in the future. 2. If the conflict is not recognized, then reassert what effect the behavior has had and how you would appreciate it if those behaviors changed when working with you. The other person either will change their behaviors, in which case things should improve, or they won't. In this case, you'll need to escalate the issue up the organization or seek additional assistance to handle the problem. 3. If the problem persists, ask to have time with the executive committee to share your concerns. If this isn't appropriate, consider approaching two to three board members one-to-one. At this point, it's critical to remember that any badmouthing or conspiring against the other person will only end up hurting the entire board and organization. Therefore, talk with a friend or take careful time to reflect about what you want to say and how to say it to the other board members. Explain the situation in terms of the behaviors in the issue, not the personality or character of the other person. Explain what you've done so far to address the issue and describe your perception of the results of your efforts. Ask for specific advice to address the issue. At the end of the meeting, echo back the suggestions. Attempt to follow the advice provided and commit to follow up about the results. 4. If the problem persists, you might consider getting outside help. Note that this may be more constructive than posing the problem to the entire board where it may cause great confusion and unease with little or an unclear course of action to resolve the issue. Adapted from 10 Things Every Board Member Needs to Know, by Jan Berry with Gary J. Stern and, Board and Staff Responsibilities by Carter McNamara, posted in the online Free Management Library Updated fall, 2013 Note: this information is presented as a resource not as advice, is for YWCA use only and copyright restrictions apply Appropriate counsel should be engaged in the development of YWCA policies, practices, procedures, and actions. YWCA Board and Staff Relationships That Work 8