Characteristics of an Effective Nonprofit Board of Directors
Today I presented a workshop (“Building Effective Boards and Committees”) at United Way of Mahaska County to a group of nonprofit leaders. The presentation started with this list of the characteristics of an effective board:
Mission-Driven
The board comes together around the mission—this focus enables a diverse group of individuals to set personal agendas and differences aside to work together as a team to advance the organization.
Greater than the sum of its (diverse) parts
We’ve all seen it—a stellar group of community leaders, each a talented individual in their own organizations. HOWEVER, these talented individuals seem to park their skills at the door when they come together around the board table. An effective board is a team in which everyone’s skills and talents come together to create a powerful group. Synergy, anyone?
Strategic
A strategic board regularly scans the external environment of the organization looking for opportunities and threats; it is aware of organizational strengths and weaknesses. It develops and implements (see ‘proactive’ below) a plan to capitalize on opportunities that connect to the organization’s strengths and minimize threats that target the organization’s weaknesses. A strategic board is always asking, “How will this affect the organization?”
Positive
An effective board has more of a ‘can-do’ attitude than a ‘how can we?’ attitude. It figures out how to say ‘yes’ when it is strategic to do so.
Proactive
This is linked to being strategic. An effective board not only makes a plan, it takes action and implements it.
Passionate
Finally, an effective board has an emotional connection the organization and its work. Passion leads to the commitment necessary to create a motivated, engaged, and active board.