1. Creating an Exceptional Governing Board
Maher Budeir
Balanced Leadership Institute
Certified Boardsource® Governance Trainer

2. Balanced Leadership Institute
Resources
Boardsource®
National Council of Nonprofits
CISNA: Council of Islamic Schools in North America
Balanced Leadership Institute, BLI
1/13/2017
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3. Our Goal – Exceptional Board
Plans, Anticipates, Sees opportunities
Exceptional
Strategic, Plans, Fiscal
Responsible
No real consequence
Functional
Conflict
Disengaged
Dysfunctional
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4. Balanced Leadership Institute
AGENDA
What is Governance?
Board Responsibilities
Partnership of the Board and Principal
The Board role in Fund Raising
Board Building Cycle
Special Topics:
Decision Making
Board Structure
Board Meetings
Board Assessment and Board Performance
Getting the Board members engaged
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5. Section 1: What is Governance?
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6. $$$ Organizational Components Services Programs Events Management
Governance - Boundary – Policy – Direction – Long term Planning - Oversight
Services
Programs
Events
Governance
Management
Governance
$$$
Typically the Board of Trustees establishes the boundaries and direction for management through policy, and long range goals.
NOW WE HAVE the complete structure and an entity that thinks ahead and sets the strategy and measures success.
Systems
Systems
Governance - Boundary – Policy – Direction – Long term Planning - Oversight
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7. Organizational Lifecycle
Concept
Startup
Growth
Maturity
Decline
Nonprofit organizations go through phases
Some will stall in one phase
Some will move on to decline
Some will address their issues and avoid decline
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8. Organizational Development
Development Stage
Components
Startup
Growth
Maturity
Decline
Programs
Governance
Management
Resources
Administrative Systems
Components of the organization do not move through these phases simultaneously
When components get to far out of sync the organization effectiveness suffers
Most obvious poor quality programs
Inadequate resources (manpower, skills, money)
Lack of coordination, instruction
Lack of legal compliance or internal controls
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9. SECTION 2: Board Responsibilities
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10. The 10 Basic Board Responsibilities
Develop Vision, Mission and Purpose.
Ensure proper strategic planning
Select the Principal
Ensure Necessary Financial Resources
Build a competent Board
Enhance the school standing
Strengthen programs and services
Protect assets
Ensure legal and ethical integrity
Support the Principal
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11. Governance vs. Management
Strategic
Operational/Tactical
Long Term
Short Term
Central Organizing Statement
Day to day Actions
What and How
How
Doing the right thing
Doing things right
Concept
Tools for Implementation
Considers Compound, indirect, and cumulative effect.
Considers immediate results.
Defines philosophy and values
Comply/adhere to philosophy and values
Overall Direction
Specific methods and tools
Importance of the distinction
Who does what.
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12. Board role and responsibilities
Exercise
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13. Building an Exceptional Board
Break!
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14. SECTION 3: Creating a Board-Principal Partnership.
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15. Shared Responsibilities
Board Engagement vs. Principal Engagement (Flip Chart)
OBSERVATION
LEADERSHIP
ATTENDANCE
MICROMANAGEMENT
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16. Shared Responsibilities
Levels of Responsibility
A – Principal Should check with Board prior to doing.
B – Principal Should notify the board but can proceed.
C – Principal can proceed, it is a sole responsibility and precedent was set.
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17. Shared Leadership
School Administration
Religious Affairs
Board
Chairman, ED and Imam must be working together regardless of whether they like each other
More than anything else this relationship will impact the organizational success
Remember we do this for Allah
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18. Board/Imam/ED Partnership
Constructive Partnership
Communication between the Principal and Board is open and honest.
There is effective collaboration between the Principal and Board on major decisions.
The Principal actively involves the Board in leading the organization.
The Board openly discusses and challenges recommendations made by the Principal.
I can share and discuss my mistakes with the board without fear they will hold them against me.
Board members help develop each other’s strengths.
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19. Section 4: The Board Role in Fund Raising
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20. Board Role in Fund Raising
Strategic Revenue and Financial Planning:
Identifying the different revenue streams.
Purposely determining which streams to pursue.
Determine what portion of the revenue will each stream provide.
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21. Board Role in Fund Raising
Major Steps in Fund Raising:
Identify
Cultivate
Solicit (the ASK)
Steward
Different Board members are more comfortable participating in doing soliciting. But every Board member must participate in the other three steps: identify potential donors, cultivate potential donors, and steward donors after their participation to help them become frequent donors.
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22. Section 5: building a competent Board.
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23. Balanced Leadership Institute
Board Building Cycle
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24. 1. Identify and 2. Cultivate
Identify individuals with needed skills and characteristics
Connect them to the organization
Get them interested in the organization.
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3. Recruit
Describe What is needed and why they could be a good fit.
Explain responsibilities
Explain Expectations
Keep diversity in mind while recruiting (all types of diversity)
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4. Orient
Organization
History
Programs
Pressing Issues
Finances
Facilities
Org. Structure
Board:
Board members
Committee structure
List of key staff
Bylaws
Policies
Recent minutes
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5. Involve
Discover their interests and availability
Involve them in committees and task forces
Assign them a Board mentor
Hold everyone accountable
Express appreciation
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6.Educate
Mission related matters
Explore issues facing the organization
Encourage board development activities
Don’t hide difficulties or challenges.
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7. Evaluate
Both individual and collective board assessment
Offer opportunities for self assessment
Examine how Board members and Principal collaborate.
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8. Rotate, 9. Celebrate
Establish term limit
Develop new leaders
Recognize victories and progress
Celebrate accomplishments
Appreciate individual contributions.
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31. Balanced Leadership Institute
Board Building Cycle
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32. Building an Exceptional Board
Break!
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33. SECTION 6: Special Topics
Decision Making
Board Structure
Board Meetings
Board Performance and Assessment
Getting Board Members Engaged
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34. Balanced Leadership Institute
Decision Making
What decision making process is followed?
Whose decision is it?
Consistency is essential
Setting the tone for the organization
Inclusiveness and genuine consultation is a sign of strength not weakness.
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35. Balanced Leadership Institute
Board Structure
Board Officers:
Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Vice Chair?
Board Committees
Governance Committee/ Election Committee
Business/Finance Committee
Executive Committee
Q&A on Board Structure
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36. Balanced Leadership Institute
Board Meetings
Frequency and length of meetings of a well-functioning school Board.
How to build the Board Agenda
Who is responsible for developing the Board agenda
How to conduct a successful meeting.
What are the Board member responsibilities before, during and after a Board meeting.
Should Board meetings be open to all?
When is it OK to have an Executive (closed) Meeting?
Q&A on Board Meetings
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37. Board Performance and Board Assessment
Who is the Board accountable for?
How do we make sure the Board is held accountable?
How is the Board assessment conducted.
Sample Board self-assessment
Refer to the 10 Basic Board responsibilities
Discussion
Q&A on Board Assessment
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38. Board Member Engagement
Indicators of Board engagements
Board members listen attentively to each other
Each Board member contributes unique prospective on issues under consideration
At Board meetings, different individuals take the lead on topics or issues.
The majority of the Board members are active in overseeing and governing the organization.
Generally, the majority of the board members participate in the discussion rather than a few individuals.
Board members help develop each other’s strengths.
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39. Balanced Leadership Institute
Q&A
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40. Balanced Leadership Institute
Resources
Boardsource®
National Council of Nonprofits
CISNA: Council of Islamic Schools in North America
Balanced Leadership Institute, BLI
1/13/2017
Balanced Leadership Institute