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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 9:03 Updated: 2010/1/25 9:03 |
Webmaster   Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
 Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... It is interesting to see who the respondents believe governance is to be shared
At least in my area of boardsmanship, I find an incredible similarity between faculty, missionaries, and doctors. That is, they are the experts, not the people in the administration, nor the board, for the most part. They lend their credentials and name to the organization more than the organization lends its name to the experts in the field. In those areas, it is critical to gain voice if not direction from the "content experts" . Program accreditors require it. .
Similarly, where volunteers or "semi-volunteers (common in most non-profits) give much of themselves far beyond "the job", it is critical to hear from them as well to gain wisdom and buy-in.
Yet, I tell those people that when the lawsuit comes, it will not have their name on it, but the administrators and board. There must be some place where ultimate responsibility rests. The law requires it. The board cannot delegate that responsibility.
In my experience, shared governance starts with excellent, transparent communications and relationships that transcend all the structure desired by accreditors or attorneys. Effective organizations require it.
By Robert Hodge (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 9:02 Updated: 2010/1/25 9:02 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Another possible one for your list ... a common understanding/agreement on what success looks like -- and how you're going to measure it!
Jim
By James DeLizia (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 9:00 Updated: 2010/1/25 9:02 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Thanks to Anne for drawing my attention to this great discussion after I commented on her blog post: http://leadingbydesign.blogspot.com/2 ... d-make-you-turn-down.html . The points you've all voiced are great thoughts. I came at this topic a little differently, noting what a I consider to be basic, but often overlooked, warning sign of a breakdown in shared governance at: http://cortcom.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-wake-up-call.html By Lisbeth Henning Cort (cross-posted from LinkedIn) |
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:59 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:59 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... I'd like to add emphasis to Malcolm's observations re. fiduciary responsibility. I have attended endless board meetings [arts, environmental/cause, independent schools] and heard board members say blithely "Oh, I don't 'do' finances..." Leaving the numbers to the finance committee or the executive committee just doesn't cut it anymore...there is an inextricable link between Mission and Margin. Last spring three regional [MA, NY, CT] community foundations co-sponsored a series of seminars directed at NPO's facing economic turmoil. While my focus was on fund raising, the spectre of liquidity hung over every session. Put most baldly those organizations with endowments were talking about management, those organizations without endowment or reserves were/are contemplating retrenchment [75%], merger [5%], or dissolution [15%]. http://isittimetopanicyet.blogspot.com/By Phil Deely (cross-posted from LinkedIn) |
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:58 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:58 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Norman's addition is a critical addition. Too many board members equate "nonprofit" with "no profit." While I hope that disease related nonprofits are as successful as the original mission of the March of Dimes and should fade into the sunset, generally, nonprofit missions are forever.
The concept that we are perpetual organizations requires a special thinking and understanding of how are we going to be stronger in five years than we are today, all the while performing our mission effectively today. And this has to occur in an environment in which the need is likely to exceed the available resources.
How do we make sure we are stronger in the future? Looking through rose colored glasses (finance), improvements in financial ratios like operating margin (before gifts and investments), and liquidity are good ones. (For liquidity, a good ratio is often days cash on hand: cash and investments divided by annual expenses times 365. It tells you how long you can operate without a dollar of revenue or gifts)
These ratios are like the doctor taking temperature and blood pressure. They are indicators, but not necessarily sufficient. But how they change over time and improve relative to peers can be an indicator of health.
Shared governance is important and the list and comments are good. The governance team must have “productive paranoia,” as stated by Jim Collins in “How the Mighty Fall,’ a book even more appropriate to non profits than “Good to Great.” So:
How is your organization going to be stronger in five years than today?
As you look at program and projects, four good questions are:
1) How does it add to mission;
2) How does it add to margin;
3) Have we the internal capability;
4) Is there market demand.
By Malcolm Nimick (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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| Laura Deaton |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:55 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:56 |
Not too shy to talk   Joined: 2009/9/2 From: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 39 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Hmmm...I like "nurturing" much more than "safe," Hildy. Instead of a safe refuge (from something bad), it feels more like a welcoming spa, perhaps with a cool, clear stream running through it and some warm stones to guide the water's path. So now we have a great marriage, a solid row boat, and a warm and nurturing river... Love it.  I'll add my own "full glass" visual to the mix, too! Water, water, everywhere! My cup and river runneth over. (cross-posted to LinkedIn) |
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:54 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:54 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Great list and great question, Laura. And thank you, Jane, for focusing on the community, so I don't have to do so! I would add the words "Safe Space" to your #10, Laura. I would actually encourage that it move beyond that to a "nurturing space" but would be happy with "safe space." In our work leading learning communities around the issue of "What builds energized governance and leadership" the words Safe Space come up in every single group. I think that moves beyond honest communication (so maybe it's an 11th item) and towards truly engaged respectful open exploring learning relationships. Such relationships reach for the highest potential of the organization through the highest potential of both board and staff leadership. Thanks for raising the topic AND raising the bar on the conversation, Laura. I am morbidly tired of posts asking, "I listed 10 pet peeves about boards - what do YOU hate that I missed?" Your question is a cool clear stream in the desert of LinkedIn questions. THANK YOU! HG By Hildy Gottlieb (cross-posted from LinkedIn) |
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| Laura Deaton |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:52 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:52 |
Not too shy to talk Joined: 2009/9/2 From: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 39 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Ahhh...a great addition, Norman!
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:50 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:50 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Wonderful topic. I would add mutual responsibility for the stewardship of fiscal and human resources.
From Norman Olshansky (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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| Laura Deaton |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:48 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:48 |
Not too shy to talk Joined: 2009/9/2 From: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 39 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Jane - That was my thought too. My focus for the original post was on the tactical day-to-day reletionship management and yours is more broadly a discussion about strategic community engagement.
Always good to point people toward Hildy and Dimitri's work, too. I had the pleasure of following them as the next-generation facilitator of the "Creating the Future of Your Community" course that they created at Duquesne and used Pollyanna Principles in conjunction with Juanita Brown's The World Cafe to focus emerging leaders more on real community dialogue and participation. It was a great combination. I'll look up Judy Freiwirth's full article, too.
(cross-posted to LinkedIn)
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:47 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:47 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Sharing governance with the community, and how that might look, should be a new thread. First, check out the information at http://www.community-driven.org . There is a wealth of information about changing how we work in and with communities and community benefit organizations. Here's a starting point for Community Engagement Governance: http://bloch.umkc.edu/mwcnl/Conferenc ... s/Friwirth%20Abstract.pdf . It's been written up in Nonprofit Quarterly, and there have been workshops at the Midwest conference on governance, the Alliance for Nonprofit Management conferences and more. From Jane Garthson (cross-posted from LinkedIn) |
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| Laura Deaton |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:44 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:44 |
Not too shy to talk Joined: 2009/9/2 From: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 39 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Thanks for the good discussion, folks. Anne, I like your analogy! Phil, looks like you've done some good work in this area. Thanks for sharing Mary DeKuyper's chart, too.
Jane - I was definitely focused on the shared partnership between board and staff leadership for this post, yet I'm intrigued by your thoughts about shared governance "with the community." Would that change anything on this list, or is it another list altogether? What are some examples of how that "looks and feels"?
p.s. I think that some would say that your Board IS your route to harnessing the wisdom of the community, yet I also strongly believe that true community engagement must go much further. Thanks for encouraging us to look through a different lens...always informative.
(cross-posted to LinkedIn)
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:43 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:43 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Good governance is like a good marriage...it requires work, compromise, and sometimes forgiveness. http://bothhandsonthewheelvais.blogsp ... 8/07/whose-job-is-it.html From Phil Deely (cross-posted from LinkedIn) |
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:42 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:42 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Although I applaud you for creating an effective partnership between staff leadership and the Board (it's not easy, it's worth doing, and it sounds as if you've done it well), shared governance to me means shared with the community. Under Community-Driven, Community-Engagement and other current governance thinking, the wisdom is in the community, and organizations should be looking to share power to ensure their actions will truly help create the better community that the community wants.
From Jane Garthson (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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| 3rd Sector Connector Admin |
Posted: 2010/1/25 8:41 Updated: 2010/1/25 8:41 |
Webmaster Joined: 2009/5/29 From: USA Posts: 116 |
Re: What does successful "shared governance" lo... Great list! I often liken the board-staff leadership relationship to a rowboat, with each on an oar. The only way to get the rowboat from point A to a desired point B is for both oars to work synchronistically -- and that takes practice AND constant communication. Mutual respect and trust, and shared commitment to the nonprofit enterprise, are the fuel that keep the oars in motion.
It's heaven when all those elements are in play!
From Anne Ackerson (cross-posted from LinkedIn)
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