building the board bench

/emilydavisconsulting /AskEmilyD

#habitatforhumanity#governance

BUILDING THE BENCHBOARD RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Habitat for Humanity Colorado

Camp Colorado

Emily Davis, MNM,

President, Emily Davis Consulting

Senior Governance Consultant, BoardSource



TURN ON YOUR TECH

@AskEmilyD#habitatforhumanity

#governance



A LITTLE ABOUT ME…



30 seconds or less

Name & Organization

1 ChallengeOutcome

A LITTLE ABOUT YOU…



WHO HAS…

qA defined recruitment process?

qA regular recruitment schedule?

qA governance and/or nominating

committee leading the process?

qThe ED/CEO leading the process?



BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES



1. Determine mission & purpose

2. Select the chief executive

3. Support & evaluate the chief executive

4. Ensure effective planning

5. Monitor & strengthen programs & services

6. Ensure adequate financial

resources

7. Protect assets & provide

financial oversight

8. Build a competent board

9. Ensure legal & ethical

integrity

10. Enhance the organization’s

public standing

10 BASIC BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES



RECRUITMENT

Great board member retention begins with a great recruitment process!



Why do we join?

What scares

us?

Why would

we leave?

Why do we stay?



• Passion for mission

• Organizational lifecycle stage

• How many boards will you sit on?

• Board terms

• Type of board

• Board size, demographics

• Financial support

• Clarity of expectations

PERSONAL PLANNING



LEADING THE PROCESS



Identify

Cultivate

Recruit

Orient

Involve

Educate

Evaluate

Rotate

CELEBRATE!



STEP BY STEP

Evaluation Application Expectations



EXPECTATIONS

• Board descriptions• Terms & term limits• Time commitment• Financial commitment• Recruitment process• Orientation• Committee roles• Ongoing education• Board activities• Evaluation



REVIEW BOARD JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• Member at Large

• Chair

• Vice Chair

• Treasurer

• Secretary



ALWAYS SHARE…



STEP BY STEP

Evaluation Application Expectations

Outreach



WHERE DO YOU FIND CANDIDATES?



NEXT GENERS

Millennials

Gen X



STEP BY STEP

Evaluation Application Expectations Outreach

Vetting Candidate Approval Wrap Up Debrief



TIMELINE

• Review docs & past recruitment• Design self-eval

Month 1

• Conduct self-eval & demo matrix• Design application, interview questions & outreach messaging

Month 2

• Add to website• Share with networks

Month 3

• Schedule & conduct interviews• Invite to board meeting

Month 4

• Host at board meeting• Make recommendations

Month 5

• Inform candidates• Schedule orientation• Intro board buddies

Month 6

• Debrief process• Gather feedback

Month 7



ENGAGEMENT



FINDING SUCCESS

Success!

Joyful leadership

Accountability

Expectations

ArtScience



WHAT MAKES ‘EM TICK

•Always YES•Wants to help everyone & everything

•Caution!

OVER-COMMITTED

•Needs lots to stay engaged

•Don’t let them sit around

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

•Verbal & print

•Use titles & acknowledgment

LIKES RECOGNITION

•Stays focused & on track•Great for events•May get discouraged by others’ lack of support

ORGANIZER

• Lots of ideas for improvement

• Pair with an Organizer to keep things moving

CREATIVE

*Abigail Harmon



GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP

GOVERNANCE EXCELLENCE

FIDUCIARY MODE

(tangible assets)

STRATEGIC MODE

(partnership with

management)GENERATIVE

MODE (organizational

leadership)

“When boards overemphasize one

mode to the exclusion of others (a common

problem), the net results are worse, not better, governance.”

*Governance as Leadership



ORIENTATION



BOARD CULTURE



PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

TrainingsAssociations

Practice leadership



MEETING PREPARATION



BOARD MEETING TIPS

Governance

• Board reports• Strategic

priorities/goals• Mission moments• Ask questions• Avoid

micromanagement

Facilitation

• Consent agendas• Shared

responsibilities• Giving

accountability• Follow up

Participants

• Guests, Staff• CEO• Board members• Honor time



IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU

How does this serve the mission?Does it fit our strategic goals?

What’s our capacity?What does success look like?

Keep it high level!



COMMUNICATION

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue, with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.”

- Dr. Jane Goodall



RECOGNITION



TAKE AWAY & COMMITMENT



Emily Davis, MNMEmily Davis Consulting

(720) [email protected]

emilydavisconsulting.com

building the board bench

Government & Nonprofit