Robert C. Harris
Articles by Robert C. Harris
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5 fundamentals for a balanced partnership with your chief elected officer
A successful relationship between the executive director and the incoming board chair or president-elect…
Monday, October 04, 2021 -
How associations thrived during the pandemic
Entering and exiting the pandemic is unfamiliar territory. There was no manual explaining how associations…
Thursday, September 23, 2021 -
Membership metrics — 5 ways to gauge success
According to ASAE, "associations and association professionals transform society through the power of…
Tuesday, August 24, 2021 -
Helpful tools every board member needs
Volunteers join an organization's board, learning their responsibilities during an orientation and from…
Friday, August 13, 2021 -
Association execs: It must be in the genes
There must be something in the genes of association executives. They are driven to achieve impressive…
Wednesday, August 04, 2021 -
An acid test for board discussions
Your executive board convenes to listen, discuss and decide on organizational programs. Suggestions are…
Thursday, July 22, 2021 -
Returning to in-person governance
Associations adapted their governance processes during the pandemic. Moving from in-person to online…
Wednesday, June 23, 2021 -
How to build a board development committee
Nearly every organization has a nominating committee. Its task is to prepare a slate of candidates for…
Thursday, June 17, 2021 -
Governance is a puzzle
It is exhilarating to join a board of directors. It comes with a sense of self-worth and achievement.…
Tuesday, June 08, 2021 -
Make sure your organization produces easily navigable reports
The waiter handed me a menu, asking, "Is this your first-time dining with us?" Yes. He said the menu…
Thursday, May 20, 2021 -
Celebrating volunteers
Volunteers make communities better. There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations structured…
Thursday, May 06, 2021 -
Fit the association into a box
There is a way to insert all the key elements of an association into a single box to gauge strengths…
Monday, May 03, 2021 -
Who invited Elmo to the meeting?
There is a fascinating practice among association leaders responsible for convening meetings. They invite…
Friday, April 23, 2021 -
When I’m the chair, I’m going to make changes in the organization
Executive directors cringe when an incoming chair says, "When I’m installed, I’m going to make changes…
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 -
Link the strategic plan to the budget
It is said if you can read a budget, you know an organization’s priorities. A strategic plan should…
Thursday, April 08, 2021 -
Adjourning on time: Promise or pressure?
Some board members are eager to depart before the meeting is adjourned. Is the promise of ending on time…
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 -
Governing in a pandemic
Meetings of the board have almost always been in-person. To attend, directors spent their time and money…
Friday, March 19, 2021 -
Execution after the planning retreat
A planning retreat is scheduled about every three years. Holding a yearly retreat socializes the board…
Monday, March 08, 2021 -
Extending the life of committees
Committees begin the year with enthusiasm. They receive assignments from the board and authority from…
Tuesday, March 02, 2021 -
How to govern more efficiently
In a regional webinar on good governance the chief elected president said, "Bob taught us these practices…
Monday, February 22, 2021 -
When I’m elected president, I’m going to ‘fix’ the association
Most elected leaders know their role is to advance the mission and serve the membership. Others have…
Friday, February 19, 2021 -
Framing the strategic plan
At the planning retreat, scores of recommendations are proposed. Ideas are scribbled on flipcharts or…
Friday, February 12, 2021 -
Win with just three points
Sixteen years ago, Gary LaBranche, CAE, addressed the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives.…
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 -
The building blocks of an association
To review the strengths and structure of an organization, I start with five building blocks applicable…
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 -
A strategic quotient for the board
Quotient is a degree or amount of a specific quality or characteristic. One might say, "during the pandemic…
Friday, January 22, 2021 -
Governance: Plain and simple
Defining governance can be difficult. It is a broad concept with many influences. Volunteers are more…
Monday, January 18, 2021 -
A strategic plan dilemma: Organizational infrastructure
A strategic plan guides the board, communicates value to members and empowers the staff. Most have three…
Wednesday, January 06, 2021 -
Managing executive sessions
Just before adjourning, the elected president said, "I'm going to ask everyone except board members to…
Monday, December 14, 2020 -
Approaches to board orientation
When you suggest board orientation you may hear, "You told us that last year, why should we sit through…
Wednesday, December 09, 2020 -
But I’m just a volunteer
Nothing is more deflating than to hear a member of the board say, "You don’t understand, I’m just…
Monday, December 07, 2020 -
Committee linkage to the strategic plan
Committees seldom initiate their own plan of work. You won’t hear the committee chair ask at the first…
Monday, November 30, 2020 -
The right questions to ask at board meetings
The board is convened for the purpose of governance. However, meetings often deteriorate into administrative…
Monday, November 23, 2020 -
How to reconstitute the strategic plan
My mom used to make chicken broth from little cubes sold in a jar. The directions said to reconstitute…
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 -
How the ‘rusty trustee’ can help your board
New directors may think, "I won't say anything for six months, until I learn the ropes." This is a poor…
Monday, November 16, 2020 -
A swag bag for the chief elected officer
After installing the chief elected officer, he or she receives a leadership manual and a briefing. They…
Thursday, November 12, 2020 -
Associations and democracy
It seems appropriate this week to highlight the connection between associations and democracy. I am sharing…
Thursday, November 05, 2020 -
How to balance board and executive committee duties
There should be trust between the board and its executive committee. An executive committee is a subgroup…
Monday, November 02, 2020 -
Explore membership dues grants as a pandemic alternative for your organization
Members have a long-standing relationship with their organizations. The pandemic has caused businesses…
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 -
After the planning retreat: A strategic plan without implementation is nothing
Board retreats create enthusiasm. Ideas are written on a flipchart and groups make recommendations. The…
Monday, October 26, 2020 -
Avoid unnecessary layers of governance
Restaurant menus offer ways to enhance a plain hamburger. Would you like cheese? Want to add tomatoes,…
Friday, October 23, 2020 -
What you should know about the virtual strategic planning process
Virtual strategic planning should be as effective and comfortable as an in-person retreat. As associations…
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 -
Conducting a virtual board orientation
Fall and winter months are prime season for board transition and orientation. Because of the pandemic,…
Friday, October 16, 2020 -
The gold standard in policies
Policies are the wisdom of prior boards, adopted as motions and recorded in the minutes, to guide actions…
Monday, October 05, 2020 -
How to power up the consent agenda
"We’ve been in this meeting for an hour and done nothing but listen to reports," said the board member.…
Tuesday, September 29, 2020 -
A committee to review committees
"We need a task force to review our committee structure," board members quipped. The issue in this association…
Wednesday, September 23, 2020 -
Stay in your lane
Roles in an association are distinct. Every effort complements another. When individuals disregard or…
Monday, September 21, 2020 -
What about our association’s house of delegates?
"What about our house of delegates?" It can be a sensitive question, especially in the presence of the…
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 -
Why you should incorporate props into a board meeting
The chief elected officer is given a gavel. Its purpose is to convene the meeting and maintain order.…
Thursday, September 10, 2020 -
How to use a video as a prelude to a board meeting
"We are volunteers, we have real jobs. How do we know where to focus our energy and what to expect at…
Thursday, September 03, 2020 -
Who invited micromanagement?
Do we unwittingly invite the board to micromanage the association? The orientation describes governance…
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 -
Policy revisions in a pandemic
Association policies are among the board's governing documents. Policies are the wisdom of a prior board…
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 -
Making lemonade with pandemic lemons
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” is a phrase used to promote a positive attitude during…
Thursday, August 20, 2020 -
How to accelerate the board meeting
Board conversations can ramble. Motions are a way to accelerate the business at hand. This is especially…
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 -
Tracking the authority of an association
Who authorizes an association to exist? From where does the board get its authority to act? How did the…
Monday, August 10, 2020 -
How to build a smart agenda
"We've always done it this way." It’s a reply to, "How did you design the board agenda?" An agenda's…
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 -
How to waste a good board meeting
Board meetings are a time to receive information and make decisions. Directors who do not take their…
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 -
Did you prepare for a pandemic?
On March 11 I was with the Sacramento Association of REALTORS®. The same day, the World Health Organization…
Monday, July 13, 2020 -
Ways to communicate value in a crisis
I listened to Mary Byers, CAE and author, speak to the Associated General Contractors of America on the…
Wednesday, July 08, 2020 -
Wasting hours on minutes
The directors griped, "We start the meeting with the first order of business being approval of the previous…
Monday, July 06, 2020 -
Steps to take to save sponsorships
Associations have postponed or canceled many events during these challenging times. Lost sponsorships…
Monday, June 29, 2020 -
When do you need a board whisperer?
The term "whisperer" was popularized by the movie "The Horse Whisperer." A horse whisperer is a person…
Thursday, June 25, 2020 -
Extending board terms during a crisis
An association relies on its board to govern. It sets the vision and advances the mission to best position…
Monday, June 15, 2020 -
How to fix a divided board
The executive director warned, "You should know we have a divided board." The concept was foreign to…
Tuesday, June 09, 2020 -
Taking the pulse of association leaders, influencers and staff
Environmental factors are encouraging organizations to regroup and consider what the future holds. Many…
Wednesday, June 03, 2020 -
Keep the wrong people away from the planning retreat
Association planning retreats are convened every few years. They represent a significant investment in…
Monday, June 01, 2020 -
What the leadership manual reveals about strategy
Association board manuals come in all shapes and sizes. Volunteer directors rely on them to understand…
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 -
Who sets the metrics?
"What's measured improves," said Peter Drucker, management consultant and author. Identifying metrics…
Monday, May 18, 2020 -
Association governance during a pandemic
The executive committee met in secret, without the full board and disinviting the executive director.…
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 -
Don’t let the association burn down
For more than a month, executives have been in crisis mode. They respond to urgent calls from members,…
Thursday, April 23, 2020 -
Professional development during a pandemic
Professional development is the cornerstone of great associations and chambers. Summertime is when most…
Thursday, April 16, 2020 -
Association execs voice pandemic concerns
In varied forums, association executives are sharing concerns about the pandemic. Topics range from missing…
Friday, April 10, 2020 -
Repurpose the foundation
Many associations maintain a subsidiary or related foundation. The majority are educational, with the…
Thursday, April 02, 2020 -
When the board wants help
Not all board members have knowledge of governance. Some have the benefit of serving on prior boards.…
Friday, February 28, 2020 -
Understanding board governance with near-opposite terms
Directors should understand the terminology of governance. To increase board effectiveness, explain these…
Monday, February 24, 2020 -
Ambushed at the board meeting
The elected president planned an efficient quarterly board meeting. A month before, he strategized with…
Monday, February 17, 2020 -
Putting organizational values to work
Many associations identify and adopt guiding principles or values. They serve as a decision-making framework…
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 -
Gaining altitude at board meetings
Governance is characterized as a high-level, strategic effort by a governing body. An association board…
Thursday, February 06, 2020 -
WAIT: Why am I talking?
Board meetings are platforms for conversation and deliberation. The room is set so directors can see,…
Monday, February 03, 2020 -
Why you should ban the yearly planning meeting
I would ban the yearly planning meeting, preferring a three-year approach to strategic planning. Strategic…
Monday, January 27, 2020 -
Heeding the advice of the board elders
We grow up hearing, "respect your elders." It means to heed and honor those who have knowledge derived…
Monday, December 16, 2019 -
Enhancing the weakest link
Associations want to portray strength. If the national association is composed of state chapters, or…
Monday, December 09, 2019 -
New year, new opportunities for improvement
As the 2010s end, we now face opportunities associated with transitioning to a new decade. This is a…
Monday, December 02, 2019 -
Sabotaging the consent agenda
The board chair said, "To save time we will use a consent agenda. We will be distributing routine reports…
Friday, November 22, 2019 -
How to assess the association’s DNA
DNA strands are the building blocks of the body. Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains…
Monday, November 18, 2019 -
How to keep association sprawl in check
Urban sprawl is described as unplanned growth. Little thought is given to how the elements combine to…
Wednesday, November 06, 2019 -
Shopping at the board store
In La Crosse, Wisconsin, I passed an interesting shop. In bright lettering, the awning read, "The Board…
Friday, October 25, 2019 -
Making the board meeting work
Association success requires a partnership between the chief elected officer (president or chair of the…
Monday, October 21, 2019 -
3 words to describe your association
Do you or your board volunteers stammer when someone asks, "Tell me about your organization?" Telltale…
Monday, October 14, 2019 -
A 3-step onboarding process
Every volunteer leader wants to do a good job. Without a board training process, directors begin their…
Tuesday, October 08, 2019 -
BMI for board practices
I recently had an ultrasound body mass index (BMI) test. BMI is derived by analyzing the mass and height…
Monday, September 30, 2019 -
In an association, ‘parts is parts’
In the 1980s, a fast food commercial spoofed the composition of chicken nuggets. Asked if nuggets are…
Monday, September 23, 2019 -
Ideas and affirmations from association management seminars
Association management seminars should result in ideas and affirmations for making improvements and confirming…
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 -
What about Bob? My influences for a career in associations
"What about Bob?" is a movie title often cited when I am introduced to audiences. The typical introduction…
Monday, August 12, 2019 -
A zero-based committee process
When managing association finances, most people are familiar with the concept of zero-based budgeting.…
Monday, August 05, 2019 -
From good old boys to good governance
Perception is reality. If it is perceived to be true, it will seem more important than the facts. If…
Monday, July 29, 2019 -
How to build confidence in the board chair
Before the first meeting, the incoming board chair confessed to the executive director, "I don't feel…
Tuesday, July 23, 2019 -
The well-dressed board agenda
The focus of a board meeting is the agenda. An agenda is the list of activities in the order in which…
Monday, July 15, 2019 -
Why should you keep committee minutes?
Committees work under the authority of a board of directors. The bylaws prescribe their appointment;…
Monday, July 08, 2019 -
Lining up association leadership
Many associations say they cannot find enough future leaders. They offer numerous reasons for the shortage:…
Monday, July 01, 2019 -
The best way to wrap up the board meeting
We all like to hear, "We have completed our agenda, so I move that we adjourn the meeting," at the board…
Monday, June 24, 2019 -
Avoid these misguided association practices
There is no single authority for how associations operate. Every nonprofit and its board are unique.…
Friday, June 14, 2019 -
How to maintain a bold approach
Bold is a word frequently used in news headlines. Seldom does bold describe the outcomes of board meetings…
Monday, June 10, 2019 -
Protecting the board
"What could go wrong? I’m just a volunteer on a board of directors." It’s better to ask about risks…
Monday, June 03, 2019 -
Communicating meeting ground rules
Recently, I worked in a country where board members seldom disagree. Their meetings are purposely harmonious.…
Friday, May 24, 2019 -
How to fast-track your strategic plan implementation
Within minutes of adjourning, the planning retreat the directors scattered, returning to work after volunteering…
Monday, May 20, 2019 -
Take flight with the association altimeter
I spend a lot of time on airplanes traveling to association and chamber meetings. Soon after takeoff,…
Monday, May 06, 2019 -
9 noteworthy governance practices
There are thousands of great associations, chambers and other nonprofits working for important causes.…
Wednesday, May 01, 2019 -
How to save 200 hours on board meetings each year
Are board meetings depleting association resources and staff time? The culprit may be meeting frequency.…
Friday, April 26, 2019 -
12 significant challenges for boards
There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit boards in the United States. Chances are good that every organization…
Tuesday, April 09, 2019 -
How to alienate the board at your first meeting
Want to make a bad impression as the newest member of the board of directors? Learn from these mistakes.…
Tuesday, April 02, 2019 -
Why board size matters
The board table was set for 30. At each director's place there was a board packet and name tent card.…
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 -
Check the boxes on director evaluations
Directors know if they are fulfilling their governance responsibilities. Given a board self-evaluation…
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 -
Chasing squirrels at the board table
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it dozens of times at board meetings: "I just have a question."…
Wednesday, March 13, 2019 -
Curbing mission creep and micromanagement
Mission creep and micromanagement are disorders of a board. The symptoms and cures are different. Both…
Thursday, March 07, 2019 -
Who sits next to you at the board table?
The caliber of directors serving on the board impacts governance and outcomes. I asked a leadership class,…
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 -
Advice from an association’s past presidents
We invited a half-dozen past presidents of AIA San Francisco to lunch, asking them to share governance…
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 -
What your association must know about board decorum
When directors join a board, they expect to receive and read the governing documents. The bylaws, policies…
Friday, February 08, 2019 -
Build upon the mission
Every nonprofit has a mission or a statement of purpose. It communicates the organization’s reason…
Tuesday, February 05, 2019 -
Directors wear many hats
The director walked into the board meeting with an agenda of her own. She said, "My chapter expects the…
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 -
A new year means a clean slate for governance
Happy New Year! For some associations the governance-year begins in January. A new board and new year…
Wednesday, January 02, 2019 -
The case against monthly board meetings
Association executives often ask, "How frequently should the board meet?" The best answer is, "When there…
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 -
Your mission statement is not a holiday turkey
Boards sometimes create a mission statement similar to how we prepare a holiday turkey. They stuff as…
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 -
Living the association’s values
Boards frequently adopt values. Values are the guiding principles that are intended to frame discussions,…
Friday, December 07, 2018 -
The humble board member
Is there one quality that is most respected among board members? A quality that supports continuous success?…
Thursday, November 29, 2018 -
A project-driven membership model
Membership models are evolving. This article is about a unique dues model in a Ukrainian association.…
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 -
Why directors volunteer
There are many reasons why volunteers accept leadership roles. The answers are diverse and revealing.…
Thursday, November 15, 2018 -
Stay away from ‘pocket’ associations
I had not heard the phrase "pocket association" until I was outside the U.S. Nor was I familiar with…
Wednesday, November 07, 2018 -
The road to association excellence
"Are we the best we can be?" It’s a question boards and association executives should contemplate.…
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 -
Jump-start a conversation
A board member explained, "People joined 30 years ago because it was prestigious. Membership was the…
Friday, October 12, 2018 -
The corn maze of strategic planning
Fall is the season for pumpkin patches and corn mazes. A corn maze is a strategically designed field…
Thursday, October 04, 2018 -
The right message for the board
What messages do volunteers receive as they consider board service? The responsibilities of volunteer…
Friday, September 07, 2018 -
Tough love for an association in need of help
I stopped by a long-established association this summer. They told me they used to have 27 on staff,…
Friday, August 31, 2018 -
How to conduct a governance efficiency review
An association's governance structure, culture and documents tend to become cluttered through time. Committees…
Thursday, August 23, 2018 -
Associations adapt for relevance
One of the most compelling books for association change is "Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for…
Friday, August 17, 2018 -
Governance between the rails
The elected chair of a chamber of commerce suggested, "A strategic plan keeps the board members between…
Friday, August 10, 2018 -
The essence of an association
Does an association have an essence? Every nonprofit has a statement of purpose, programs, members and…
Monday, August 06, 2018 -
The association is not your father’s Oldsmobile
"It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile" was an advertising slogan from the 1980s. Its purpose was to…
Wednesday, July 25, 2018 -
A strategic plan implementation survey for the board
So, your board retreat was fun. A crescendo of good ideas were offered. The team got better acquainted.…
Monday, July 16, 2018 -
Presenting the association operating system
There is no single prescribed way to operate an association. With more than 150,000 in the U.S., the…
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 -
Insights into the future of associations
There is no crystal ball to predict the future of associations. Abraham Lincoln described it this way,…
Thursday, July 05, 2018 -
Onboarding your new board members
Cassandra’s college professor said, "After graduating you should join a professional association, and…
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 -
Leading board meetings with intent
Is it possible to attend a meeting of a board of directors and not really know why one is present? Some…
Thursday, June 21, 2018 -
Improving knowledge-based governance
Being asked to serve on a board is exciting. It is an opportunity to learn and demonstrate leadership…
Tuesday, June 12, 2018 -
Association hijackings by consultants and hybrid solutions
Hijacks and hybrids seem unrelated to associations. In this article, they have an impact regarding recommendations…
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 -
How to create a culture shift in association governance
Association executives are frustrated by boards characterized as the "lunch-bunch," a group that meets…
Monday, May 21, 2018 -
Like basketball, master the fundamentals to improve the association
"Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise," said Michael Jordan. The principle…
Monday, May 14, 2018 -
Understanding the association org structure
"I’m new on the board. At every meeting I hear about more parts to our organization. Shouldn’t I…
Wednesday, May 02, 2018 -
IRS Form 990 is revealing
Associations and most nonprofits file Form 990. It is submitted annually to the Internal Revenue Service…
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 -
New on the board? Ask questions
Joining a board of directors is an exciting experience. It is an opportunity to lead and to serve, a…
Wednesday, April 04, 2018 -
How to measure the board’s performance
"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it," said Peter Drucker, author and management consultant.…
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 -
Identifying the board’s values
Every board has a set of values, whether they know them or not. Some organizations add a list of values…
Wednesday, March 07, 2018 -
Reverse engineer the president’s year
I met an elected president who was eager to lead. He had a lofty presidential agenda to achieve. When…
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 -
Keep board meetings focused
Many factors detract from good board meetings. They range from a poor setup to an ill-designed agenda.…
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 -
Conveying the role of the board
"Welcome to the board, your role is to govern." Not all directors know the meaning of governance. Some…
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 -
Strategic or tactical board?
The board meets for the purpose of governance. Governance is described by most state corporate statutes…
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 -
Managing the association’s rainy day fund
Some associations are sitting on considerable reserves — a combination of savings and property. Ask…
Wednesday, December 06, 2017 -
Instilling a corporate culture at your association
I suggest that boards adopt a corporate culture to increase their impact and outcomes. Corporate culture…
Wednesday, November 08, 2017 -
A legacy of association leadership
I was introduced to Dr. Richard McDonald after his death. McDonald worked at the Texas Cattle Feeders…
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 -
Do we really need a strategic plan?
The newly elected president walked into the executive director's office to discuss the year ahead.…
Wednesday, October 18, 2017 -
What’s on your board’s reading list?
Good counsel for an incoming board chair is "read to lead." While the advice is sound, it deserves explanation.…
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 -
How to manage board leaks
Nothing is more frustrating than making a decision at a board meeting and having members asking for…
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 -
12 tips for clean governance
It's always good to look for ways to improve board meeting processes and outcomes. Are there any bad…
Wednesday, September 13, 2017 -
Information is the new golden handcuff
There was a time when members joined for access to benefits such as health insurance, long-term disability…
Wednesday, September 06, 2017 -
The board’s role in asset protection
In a meeting of the components of a national association, odds are good you will hear the whispers, "Did…
Wednesday, August 30, 2017 -
Building the perfect board
"The Perfect Storm" is a 2000 movie about an unusually intense weather pattern that catches some commercial…
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 -
Judging the culture of an organization
"I'm eager to contribute time to a board or committee, but first I want to know about the culture of…
Wednesday, August 02, 2017 -
SWOTs suck — How can we improve them?
"SWOTs suck!" That's a direct quote from an association executive in a class discussing strategic planning.…
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 -
It’s time to revise the board agenda
The board meetings were boring. The agendas included a dozen reports and updates that ate up valuable…
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 -
Fundamentals of good governance
"Welcome to the leadership team." The purpose of the board is to govern. To familiarize you with governance,…
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 -
The relationship between board and committees
What is the best relationship of the board to committees? Are directors required to chair committees…
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 -
The ROI on board service
"Leaders are made, they are not born," said NFL Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi. So where does one…
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 -
How volunteers define leadership
A board is a combination of volunteers dedicated to governing an organization. In the U.S., there are…
Wednesday, May 10, 2017 -
11-step checklist for implementing the strategic plan
The planning retreat is an important activity for reviewing and developing strategy and direction. During…
Wednesday, May 03, 2017 -
This meeting was a disaster
Scheduled to start at 5 and end at 8, the meeting began with 20 people making self-introductions.…
Thursday, April 13, 2017 -
The first bite: Dealing with conflicts of interest
The chairman of the board explained his perspective about directors benefiting from board service: "Because…
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 -
Is my board broken?
In a meeting with association executives, I asked, "Is there anything wrong with your board of directors?"…
Wednesday, March 08, 2017 -
The empty seat at the board table
This is not a story about a quorum — though one would hope there are no empty seats at the board table…
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 -
Set ground rules for committees
First committee meetings of the year off to a rocky start? Start by setting ground rules as the foundation…
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 -
Overcoming the dues disconnect
Way back in the year 2000 in the book "Bowling Alone," author Robert Putnam described how Americans are…
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 -
Terminology and methodology of strategic planning
Nearly every organization relies on a strategic plan. It's a multiyear road map focusing energy on…
Tuesday, January 17, 2017 -
Key performance indicators for successful associations
Many of the topics that come before the board of directors start with a simple statement: "I have a good…
Tuesday, January 10, 2017 -
Your strategic plan needs a champion
The board wrapped up its retreat, drafted a strategic plan and intended to officially adopt it at…
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 -
What purpose does this committee serve?
At the first meeting of the committee, one of the members asked the chair, "So what should we do this…
Wednesday, December 07, 2016 -
Tweet the mission statement
Every association has one — a reason for existence. It is expressed as a mission statement or a statement…
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 -
Doomed at the start: 4 signs your association is in trouble
These four association scenarios signal trouble for the year ahead. At a leadership forum for officers…
Wednesday, November 02, 2016 -
17 tips for the incoming president
Possibly the best counsel to an incoming elected president comes from a past president. Pass along these…
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 -
Why you need a strategic plan Sherpa
The board held a retreat every few years. Directors described it as valuable and a good way to meet other…
Wednesday, October 05, 2016 -
The association of the future is in the room today
At a recent meeting of associations representing similar business sectors, the executives described their…
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 -
Improving the board experience
Meetings of the board can be dreaded or difficult to endure. Listening to reports, watching individuals…
Friday, September 02, 2016 -
Vertical resources for association executives
The United States has more than 150,000 associations. Nearly 3,000 national associations reside in…
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 -
Use board orientation to refresh and blend
Boards often scoff at the idea of an annual leadership orientation. They say, "We had a good one three…
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 -
Everything in an association can (and should) be measured
The motion on the board table had enough momentum to pass. Then an astute director asked, "How will we…
Wednesday, August 03, 2016 -
What does the association of the future look like?
Does anybody know what the association of the future looks like? At the Institute for Organizational…
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 -
Boardroom courtesy helps avoid a meltdown
The board meeting is a setting that brings together diverse volunteers for the purpose of governance.…
Wednesday, July 13, 2016 -
Say yes to leadership
I met a young women in the Middle East who volunteered as a trainer for her professional association.…
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 -
38 truisms every association needs to know
Through many years I have espoused principles to serve as platforms for board development. Sayings directors…
Tuesday, June 07, 2016 -
Get visual with dashboards and data walls
The problem was serious, and the executive director was under fire. He explained, "The board thinks membership…
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 -
Is the franchise model good for associations?
Nonprofit associations and for-profit franchises share a drive for good customer service, brand awareness,…
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 -
What can we do about free riders?
In economics, the free rider problem is described as a situation where some individuals in a population…
Wednesday, May 04, 2016 -
Successful boards govern more, manage less
The board settled in for a productive meeting. The agenda listed several significant items, including…
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 -
Creating more engaged boards
With 1.5 million nonprofit boards in the U.S., many struggle to attract and engage good leaders. Complaints…
Wednesday, April 06, 2016 -
Got the agenda — Now what?
The purpose of an agenda is to ensure a meeting will be conducted in an orderly manner and discussions…
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 -
What’s the cure for a board hangover?
A hangover usually refers to "discomfort from overindulging." More recently, it is the name of a movie…
Wednesday, March 02, 2016 -
False starts: 13 ways to blow strategic planning
Boards can be resistant to thinking strategically — they often find it easier to focus on short-term…
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 -
Smoothing the transition to past president
"The past president destroyed my potential for a successful term," said the board's chief elected officer.…
Wednesday, February 03, 2016 -
When did committees go out of fashion?
A frequent question of association executives is, "Can you tell us how to get our committees to work?"…
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 -
How to avoid a match of boardroom volleyball
Ever watch a board meeting that looked more like a volleyball game? The sport is between teams of players…
Wednesday, January 06, 2016 -
Favored statements at board meetings
I have sat through enough board meetings to distinguish the feeble phrases from the more powerful statements.…
Wednesday, December 02, 2015 -
Fishing for leaders: How to hook the next generation of volunteers
Try this at a committee or board meeting: Ask the volunteers how they got their leadership position.…
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 -
Committees can make or break a president
The incoming president or chair ponders an installation speech to begin his or her term of office.…
Wednesday, October 14, 2015 -
Form follows function: Association structure and strategy
"Form follows function" is a principle associated with architecture. The shape of a building or object…
Wednesday, October 07, 2015 -
What is wrong with my board?
I asked a dozen association and chamber executives, "What's wrong with your board?" and each had a story…
Wednesday, September 09, 2015 -
Use the 3 P’s to ensure your new president is ready to lead
Is the incoming chief elected officer — aka president or chairman of the board — ready for the job?…
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 -
Identifying the key values desired in your board members
Board values are the guiding principles of an association’s governing body. In a discussion with…
Wednesday, August 19, 2015 -
Associations as microcosms of governments
Associations seem to be microcosms of governmental bodies. Their principles and processes mirror how…
Thursday, August 06, 2015 -
Innovation garage: Processing new ideas at the board table
Directors sometimes believe success will be measured by the number of programs they recommend. Many are…
Wednesday, July 08, 2015 -
Kaizen: Taking the association to the next level
"Can you help us take our association to the next level?" It is a frequent question among boards and…
Wednesday, July 01, 2015 -
Easing the transition to past president
The past president, or former chair of the board, can be an invaluable position in the association. They…
Wednesday, June 03, 2015 -
Your gavel is not a magic wand, crown or crystal ball
Associations have a tradition of passing of the gavel. At installation, the outgoing president hands…
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 -
Feeling trapped on a board
He was excited to be a new director on the association's board of directors. By his second meeting, he…
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 -
Who votes on your board? Ex officio directors losing favor
When the society's board meeting was called to order, a representative of the college's Office of the…
Wednesday, April 29, 2015 -
Drawing a clear line on transparency in associations
Last week, a member of the board of directors gave his meeting packet to a local chapter president.…
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 -
Help me help my board
"Help me help my board" is a lament among association executives. The cry arises because few board members…
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 -
Financial policies support good governance
Too many associations get in trouble because the board of directors does not recognize good policy and…
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 -
Less is more when it comes to setting goals
Sitting in a planning meeting recently, I noted that during the first hour the board of directors had…
Wednesday, March 04, 2015 -
10 questions you want to hear board members ask
Convening a board meeting can be costly. Some boards meet as often as monthly or bimonthly, though most…
Wednesday, February 11, 2015 -
An afternoon with the incoming president: Planning the year
Success for the incoming president is crucial. An afternoon discussion with him or her prior to taking…
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 -
If you see something, say something
The incoming president announces her priorities. She shares her vision with the board, committees…
Tuesday, December 16, 2014 -
Orientation should be more than a familiarization tour
Most organizations conduct board orientation periodically. The audience, delivery, content and frequency…
Friday, November 21, 2014 -
Use a mission moment at your next board meeting
The board meeting is called to order. After announcements, directors get down to the business of advancing…
Wednesday, November 05, 2014 -
When directors go rogue
The reputation of an organization can be tarnished by a director who acts without authority or in defiance.…
Tuesday, October 21, 2014 -
After the board meeting: From table to execution
It has been said that most actions fail to be implemented following a board meeting. How could this be…
Wednesday, September 24, 2014 -
Is it time for a governance makeover in your organization?
How long does it take a member to communicate a problem or idea to reach a satisfactory resolution…
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 -
But I thought the board wanted this ...
High-spirited and eager-to-contribute board members often voice their ideas with enthusiasm and good…
Wednesday, August 27, 2014 -
Make a list — and check it more than twice
Checklists detail the best ways to accomplish projects. Airline pilots rely on them from preflight to…
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 -
Arm the chief elected officer with these tools to succeed
The new chairman or president of the board has every intention of doing a good job to lead the organization.…
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 -
Improve outcomes of annual board retreats
Organizations plan an annual retreat to empower the board of directors with information and inspiration.…
Wednesday, July 02, 2014 -
What should you do when guests attend board meetings?
Board meetings are called for the purpose of governance in accordance with the bylaws, policies and state…
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 -
Before saying ‘yes’ to serving on a board
My friend was asked to join a board of directors. I could see that he was flattered and considering the…
Thursday, April 24, 2014 -
Whose role is it?
It takes a partnership of the board president and the executive director to sustain good governance…
Wednesday, April 09, 2014 -
How to kill strategic planning before starting
Volunteers invest a lot of time and money to attend the strategic planning retreat. The result should…
Tuesday, March 25, 2014 -
Setting an agenda streamlines the meeting process
If there is a reason to meet, there should be a meeting agenda. Most agendas are built on precedent:…
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
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