Effective Board Orientation Checklist. Hiland Consulting

Transcription

1 Effective Board Orientation Checklist by Mary Hiland Hiland Consulting

2 Introduction A good board orientation is critical in order to unleash the full potential of your board members for positive impact. It s also a great opportunity to strengthen relationships with you and with the board. A truly effective board orientation program is not just about content the information you re sharing. It s equally about the process you re using to deliver that information and engage board members with it. So how do you know if your board orientation program is effective? This checklist will help you assess your current board orientation to see if it meets key criteria with regards to both content and process.

3 Instructions Put a check next to the criteria you're confident you're meeting with your current board orientation. CONTENT About your nonprofit: Why and how you advance your mission (history, mission, programs etc.) How you re organized to deliver your mission impact (staffing, facilities etc.) The resources to advance your mission (amount, sources, stability etc.) Your goals for advancing your mission (e.g., strategic plan) About the board of directors: Teaches board members why they matter and why the board matters Educates the board members about their roles and responsibilities (including legal duties) Informs board members about opportunities within their governing roles for unique contribution Your board s agreements about board member expectations (attendance, fundraising etc.) Logistics of your board s operations (meetings, committees, etc.) Overall: Information delivered is consistent from orientation to orientation Is updated as needed over time

4 PROCESSES Engagement: Informs but also inspires Is a collaboration of board leaders and key staff Includes intentional activities and opportunities to strengthen and build relationships (board and staff) Includes specific activities/exercises that engage board members personally with the information Accessible/ease of use: Is delivered as a repeatable system intentionally designed Easy to complete Accessible for busy board members Delivered in bite-sized pieces so people don t get overwhelmed Accommodates different learning styles

5 Scoring How effective is your board orientation program? Remember, it s important that you re effective in both dimensions content and process. How many items above did you check in each? Content Section: 0-3 You have lots of room for improvement and need some help. 4-6 You re on your way but have work to do. You can use some help. 7-9 Your board orientation is close to being very effective. Keep up the good work. What help do you need to make it the best it can be? Your board orientation is a model for others! Congratulations. Process Section: 0-2 You have lots of room for improvement and need some help. 3-5 You re on your way but have work to do. You can use some help. 6-7 Your board orientation is close to being very effective. Keep up the good work. What help do you need to make it the best it can be? 8-9 Your board orientation is a model for others! Congratulations.

6 Your Next Step Can your board orientation program use some help? You're not alone. I ve consulted with hundreds of nonprofits and I know they still struggle with orienting new board members. When I was an executive, that job fell to me. And while my board members were willing to help, we didn t have the knowledge or bandwidth to create a program. The mistakes we made, and many nonprofits make today, cost time and resources. To help you with these challenges I created Board Orientation Success. It s an online board orientation program that s comprehensive, bite-sized and easy to use. It meets all the criteria you need to have for an effective board orientation. I want you to have a consistent, complete and inspiring board orientation program right now. Schedule a time to speak with me personally. I ll answer your questions and we ll see if this is a fit for you and your board. Want to learn more about the program? Click here to check out Board Orientation Success. This training is a powerful tool for your nonprofit s success. It s a clear and concise explanation of how to be an effective Board member and grow your nonprofit s success and ability to achieve impact. The training is realistic and understanding of the unique environment of a nonprofit agency. Thank you, Mary, with this tool you are helping so many agencies truly be the best they can be. ~~ Larissa Robideaux, Executive Director, JW House