Board Candidate Briefing International Executive Board

Board Candidate Briefing International Executive Board

Board Candidate Briefing International Executive Board Dear Candidate, Thank you for your interest in serving on the board of directors for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). IABC is the only global association dedicated to connecting and serving professional communicators. Our vision is to see communicators at the heart of organizations around the world. This Board Candidate Pack sets out essential information for a role on the IABC International Executive Board (IEB): IABC s vision, values and beliefs How the organization affects change The expertise and experience which can help our IEB and IABC move forward Who does what and where you learn more about IABC and the IEB It also covers the expectations of the International Executive Board, descriptions of officer roles and competency criteria, along with a timeline for the nomination process. Please study it carefully and don t hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions: pastchair@iabc.com. IABC is committed to advancing the profession, creating connections and developing strategic communicators. We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professional communication. As a member of the IABC board you can help us move this mission forward. It has never been more important than it is today. Thank you for your leadership in our industry and considering contributing your time and talents to advance IABC at the highest level. Dianne Chase Chair of the Nominating Committee 1

Global Organization IABC has 102 chapters across 44 countries. In addition, we have over 400 members-atlarge in 42 countries. This is the Theory of Change and shows why IABC exists. This is how as an organization we have influence and impact on our profession, the business world and society at large. 2

The board plays an essential role in the smooth running of an organization drawing on 1000+ leaders across the world. Learn more about IABC s governance: https://www.iabc.com/about-us/governance/ Meet the leaders and staff: https://www.iabc.com/about-us/leaders-and-staff/ 3

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD/TRUSTEE BOARD: The International Executive Board (IEB) is the governing body of IABC. It is accountable to the members and has supervision, control and direction of the affairs of the association. It actively pursues the association s purpose, determines its policy within the limits of the law, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. It upholds the IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators and supervises disbursement of the association s funds. The Executive Board develops the strategic plan and direction for the association under the guidance of the association Bylaws approved by the IABC membership. The IEB serves as the Board of Trustees for the IABC Foundation. EXPECTATIONS AND ROLES: The IABC International Executive Board/IABC Foundation Trustee Expectations As the highest leadership body of IABC and to satisfy its fiduciary duties, the board is responsible for: Determining the mission and purposes of the organization. Selecting and evaluating the performance of the chief executive. Strategic and organizational planning. Ensuring strong fiduciary oversight and financial management. Approving and monitoring the organization s programs and services. Enhancing the organizations public image. Assessing its own performance as the governance body of the organization. Duties of board members Know the organization s vision, policies, programs and needs. Faithfully read and understand the organizations financial statements. Serve as active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and fully engage in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for the organization to advance its vision. Leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop collective action to fully achieve the organizations vision. Give a meaningful personal financial donation. Help identify personal connections that can benefit the organizations fundraising and reputational standing. Prepare for, attend, and conscientiously participate in board meetings. Participate fully in one or more committees. BOARD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS: Chair (one-year term) Act as Chief Officer of IABC. Exercise supervision over the executive director. 4

Preside at all annual and special meetings of IABC. Preside at all executive board and executive committee meetings. Assign titles, duties and responsibilities to directors. Serve on Personnel Committee. Promulgate or establish all committees. Appoint chairs of committees, where needed. Serve as ex-officio, non-voting member of the nominating committee. Select the recipient(s) of the annual Chairman's Award. Select the recipients(s) of the annual Rae Hamlin Award. Represent or appoints representation for IABC at meetings of other organizations and at public events. Automatically serve a subsequent term as past chair. Vice chair (one- year term 3-year commitment serving as chair, vice chair and past chair) Prepare for role as chair and past chair (automatic). Perform duties assigned by the chair. Act in the absence of the chair. Serve as chair of the Council of Regions. Oversee long-range planning activities for the Association. Serve on the Executive Committee. Serve on Personnel Committee. Serve on the Nominating Committee. Serve on the Finance Committee. Serve on Investment Committee. Serve on Global Communication Certification Council as board liaison. Serve as an ex-officio member of all standing committees. Past chair (one-year term) Shall have duties assigned by the chair and by the Bylaws. Chair the Nominating Committee. Lead identification and nomination of candidates for the IEB and international committees. Provide strategic council to the chair and other IEB members. Lead the annual evaluation of the Executive Director. Chair the Personnel Committee. Serve on the Executive Committee. Serve on the Fellows Committee as board liaison. Secretary/Treasurer (one-year term) Serve as chief financial officer for the Association. Chair the Finance Committee. Serve on the Executive Committee. Serve on Personnel Committee. Serve on Investment Committee. Sign all certified copies of acts of the Association. Report to the board on the Association s financial results on a regular basis. Sign off minutes of Executive Board meetings. Oversee the preparation of the Association s budget. Responsible for duties as outlined in the IABC by-laws. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve a one-year term, and may be elected for a second consecutive term. Eligibility for Secretary/Treasurer: Must serve at least one year on the Finance Committee before taking office. 5

WHAT THE 2018-19 BOARD NEEDS: Vice Chair IABC is best served by a Vice Chair who is an exceptional leader with demonstrable skills in driving high performance. This person will be responsible for leading the board during their term as chair and the role demands exceptional commitment to the organization, first-rate leadership qualities, and personal and professional integrity. It is important that this person has strategic ability, ambassadorial and advocacy skills, the ability to stand up to scrutiny and a passion for the organization and driving improvements. He or she must be approachable, available, objective and an active listener. This person also needs to be respected in the community. Secretary/Treasurer IABC is best served by a Secretary/Treasurer who is willing and able to provide leadership in the financial life of the organization. This financial leadership requires a combination of skills and characteristics and ability to balance responsibilities. Needed skills and experience include: Knowledge and thorough understanding of the financial reports; financial background is highly important. Ability to translate financial information and financial concepts to the board. Collaboration skills needed to partner with staff in overseeing the annual budget for the organization and to make sure the budget priorities and decisions reflect the intentions and objectives of the board. Ability to think outside the calendar year and forward think on financial goals for the organization. Director IABC is best served by Directors who are prepared to listen as well as engage in robust board discussions. The Directors understand their role as strategic overseers and decision makers, not implementers. The Directors are responsible for bringing complex, big-picture questions and opportunities to the organization while adhering to legal standards and ethical norms. They have the ability to ask questions to constantly assess current and proposed projects to ensure they serve the organizations vision and are setting the organization up for success. The Directors serve as strong, positive ambassadors to the board and the organization. They have a strong passion for IABC s vision, purpose and philosophy and a desire to promote communication as a force for good in business and society COMPETENCIES: IABC is looking for board members who can demonstrate degrees of competency in the following (unranked) areas: Problem Solving Balances the need for sometimes courageous decisions with good judgement Displays effective problem solving and decision-making skills, good insight and judgement, innovative and creative thinking, and the ability to work in teams to reach consensus Leadership Able to collaborate and work in a team environment Has the ability to inspire, and motivate individuals and groups to achieve results Behaves in a manner that is consistent with the character and standards of IABC s Code of Ethics Global Perspective Has a good understanding of the global communications environment 6

Has experience in, or good appreciation of, global organizations/businesses Has the ability to identify and deal with the variety of challenges and opportunities of operating in a multi-cultural and multi-national world Understands the concerns, interests, needs, and wants of the profession and practitioners within it, including IABC s own members Possesses a general understanding of industry trends that must be addressed by the Association in order to drive communication as a force for good in business and society and appeal to prospective members Strategic Thinking Understands trends in the communication profession Understands changes in technology and how they affect the profession Understands the strategic direction of the Association and uses strategic approaches to decision-making Possesses an accurate understanding of the Association and of various environmental conditions that influence the profession, constituents, and the Association Business Has a good grip on how business and markets work and the value communication brings to these Financial knowledge, including an understanding of financial statements, managing financial products and financial decision-making Understands how fundraising/sponsorships work High-performing board members also tend to have a strong interest in good practice in the non-profit sector. Here are a few relevant resources you may want to look at more closely as you think carefully about whether a role like this is right for you: http://governancecode.org/ http://leadingwithintent.org/ http://boardsource.org/ CAPACITY: Being a practitioner-led association, IABC benefits from the generosity of members giving their time at international, regional and chapter levels. We do ask you to consider your capacity to take on a board role if you are already an active volunteer for the Association. As part of the application process we ask you to inform us of any other posts you currently hold within IABC. If you are serving as an officer for IABC - whether chapter, regional, or local- we ask that you do not over commit. FINANCIAL AND TIME COMMITMENTS: The board will meet every other month, for a total of six times per year. The videoconference meetings average 90-120 minutes. Two of those meetings are in-person, one at World Conference in June and the other at Leadership Institute in February. In addition, members of the board are assigned to serve as a board liaison to a committee or task force. These teams usually meet monthly for 60-minute video-conference calls. All board and committee calls include preparation time, follow-up, and various action items assigned. 7

The members of the Executive Committee (chair, vice chair, past chair, secretary/treasurer, and one appointed IEB director) have a third in-person meeting to attend in July and will video-conference calls in the months when the board does not meet. Average time commitment per month: Chair: 30-40 hours Vice Chair: 30 hours Past Chair: 20 hours Secretary/Treasurer: 15-19 hours Director: 6 hours IABC financially supports members of the IEB to attend two, in-person meetings each term World Conference and Leadership Institute. This includes their registration fee, roundtrip economy airfare, hotel room & tax (two-nights for travelers who in-flight time is less than seven hours and three-nights for travelers whose in-flight time is over seven hours) and transportation to/from airport to hotel in destination city. The association will cover the bulk of IEB travel costs as illustrated above, however, you can expect out-of-pocket expenses that may be on average from $1800-2000 USD per year. As a Foundation Trustee, your financial support is necessary to carry out the mission of the philanthropic arm of IABC. Each trustee determines their level of financial support. Upon completion of the application form, you will be asked to accept the following statement: I realize that service in a leadership role involves a financial and time commitment. I realize that serving on the board will require out-of-pocket expenses and that attendance at Board meetings and other IABC business meetings is expected throughout the term of office. IN SUMMARY: Boards play an essential role in organizations. This all relies on good people for good governance. Why this, why now Reflect Reminder Augment Once you ve made Is this a good time to get Do you know how you Know what you Now that you re well Once you ve made it involved? can add value? are getting into. informed, do you feel fit pay it forward. Ask yourself: How much time will it take? How much time do I have to give? What do I want to achieve? Assess your skills against the requirements Adjust your online presence for positive perceptions Read about latest strategy Explore their online presence Review recent press coverage for purpose? Are your passions and values aligned with the organization and the role you will perform? If not, your experience may end up feeling like very hard work indeed Mentor and encourage the next person along! Ask others: What was their experience in service? What are the challenges and demands? Prepare: Do your homework! Be confident. There are no perfect candidates, but you want to put your best foot forward when you decided to step up. Check out GuideStar for more about the nonprofit Read the Bylaws and other governance documents In conclusion, do the 3-2-1: 3. What does the organization need? 2. What does the board need? 1. What do you need? 8

APPLICATION CHECKLIST: Completed online application form Cover letter/statement Current resume or curriculum vitae 60 second video Upon submission of application, you ll be asked to share 3-5 names and email addresses of individuals you have worked with or for in a volunteer capacity not the same as references. The Nominating committee will send a survey about your service. VIDEO SUBMISSIONS: Create a one-minute digital video that answers the question: What role should a board play in a professional association? Please limit your video to 60 seconds or less. Your video does not have to be studio quality, and should be submitted in a MPEG file format. Use Dropbox as necessary to upload the file. Cell phones, digital cameras, webcams or other devices will work. Your video will give the Nominating Committee a chance to hear your thoughts, as well as other candidates thoughts, on the common subject identified above. Submit video file to governance@iabc.com by Tuesday, January 9 th, 2018. Questions to expect on the online application form: 1. List other professional organizations to which you belong or support, your role, responsibilities, accomplishments and current time commitment to your other organizations. 2. What amount of time do you have available to commit to IABC International Executive board work and what professional or personal constraints on your time or service might you anticipate? 3. Why do you have an interest in serving on the International Executive Board (IEB)? 4. What kinds of skills or expertise can you offer the board? (This is a global board with a global audience, so include any global experience you have.) 5. Explain your level of comfort with financial statements and running a business with financial responsibilities. Include times you have managed a budget in a volunteer or professional capacity, including the size of the budget. 6. Describe any experience leading and managing multicultural teams and the results you achieved. 7. Describe a time your creative thinking and ability to work as part of a team helped a group reach consensus. What was the result? 8. Describe your contribution to and leadership in the communication field/profession. 9. How can IABC evolve and deliver on IABC s purpose to advance the profession, create connection and develop strategic communicators? 10. How do you keep abreast of industry trends and what communicators need to do to stay relevant and grow in the profession? 11. In what ways can changes in technology affect the profession? For better or for worse - or both? 12. As a global organization, how can IABC appeal to is prospective members? 9

13. IEB Directors also serve as Trustees for the IABC Foundation. Do you believe trustees have an obligation to financially support the foundation? Why/Why not? 14. Can we expect you to come to board meetings regularly? 15. For those who apply for the role of vice chair, you ll be asked: a. How will IABC benefit from having you as vice chair, chair and past chair? b. What is your leadership style/philosophy? c. What are your strengths as a leader? d. What areas are not your strength and how do you compensate for that? e. What is your approach when things go wrong? 16. For those who apply for the role of secretary/treasurer, you ll be asked: a. How will IABC benefit from having you as secretary/treasurer? b. What is your understanding of IABC s financials? c. What is your approach to finances and creating a budget? Please expect to provide contact information for three references during the application process. NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The IABC IEB Nominating Committee shall screen nominees under guidelines adopted by the Executive Board, primarily based on the competency criteria established by IABC, with consideration for geographic, demographic, and cultural diversity; and shall present its slate to the International Executive Board for approval (IABC Bylaws, Article 8: Executive Board Nominations). Further information on the 2017-18 IABC Nominating Committee. HOW TO APPLY: Please fill out the online application form. At time of submission, please be ready to upload your CV/resume, cover letter/statement and provide three references. Following the submission of your online application, your 60-second video must be emailed to governance@iabc.com by Tuesday, January 9 th, 2018. *At the close of the open call, if an application lacks a video submission, or other required information, that application will not be considered. Please ensure the references you provide are aware that they will be contacted by the Nominating Committee per the timeline below. Additionally, please expect a videoconference/or telephone interview with a member of the Nominations Committing during the evaluation process as listed below. Any further questions about how to apply, please reach out to the Governance Department at governance@iabc.com. 10

TIMELINE: Closing date for applications 9 January 2018 Application review, referencing, interviews & scoring Mid-January In person Nominating Committee selection meeting 10 February 2018 Notification of election to nominee Mid-February Final appointment and approval by full board 7 March 2018 Outreach to all candidates End of March Ratification of IEB Slate during Annual General Meeting 2 June 2018 If you are applying for vice chair or secretary/treasurer, please ensure you are free for a second interview with the full IEB Nominating Committee on 10 February 2018. [Either through skype video-conference or in-person at Leadership Institute in San Diego (Travel and accommodation costs will not be provided by IABC if a candidate chooses to attend the in-person interview)] 11