By Bill Pawlucy, CAE and BJ Colvin A high functioning, strategic board requires the ability for it to be introspective and capable of self-reflecting on its overall performance. It is by no means an easy task to accomplish regardless of the board’s size or composition. Let’s consider the difficulty staff often encounter when conducting self-evaluations…
By Bob Harris, CAE “Committees begin the year with enthusiasm. They receive assignments from the board and authority from the bylaws. An orientation and policies point them in the right direction. Volunteer groups supplement the work of the board, vet ideas, engage members, and develop future leaders. They can tackle tough issues, create new programs…
Written by: Bob Harris, CAE Reviewed by: William D. Pawlucy, CAE, MPA, IOM The new board guide for the summer and remainder of 2020 is titled Leadership, Governance, and Pandemic Recovery. It is 40-pages, free, offering guidance and hope for economic rebound with innovative ideas on how to reimagine the board room. To address the…
Volunteering is a part of America’s culture. People step forward to help advance a cause or community. There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit, exempt organizations in the US. Each has a board of directors and committee structure composed of volunteers. While every person intends to add value, there are some behaviors that should…
By Bob Harris, CAE and Dot Miller, CAE We are hopeful there will be no second wave of the coronavirus, or that mitigation will reduce its impact. Health officials have predicted a return in the fall and through the winter. Associations must prepare. Are we taking advantage of what we have learned in the…
By Bob Harris, CAE The pandemic has brought new challenges for boards of directors. Some have become paralyzed, wondering how to respond. The best have rallied the leadership team, made a plan, and increased member engagement and value. This special guide focuses on governance principles and pandemic recovery. (OK to save, copy, adapt and circulate;…
By Bob Harris, CAE and Arturo Mariani, Author There are hundreds of stories about organizational and personal improvement during the pandemic. People are sharing ways they are adapting. Organizational Improvement Many of the changes have positive, long term impact. The adaptations are necessary or organic to survive, sustain, and thrive. For example, what used to…
“If my association went for a health checkup today, there would be some serious health issues”, said a president of a large healthcare association. As the economy moves to recovery, consider taking the association’s vital signs, just like a doctor takes body temperature, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. In this case, taking the vitals of…
By Bob Harris, CAE For more than a month, executives have been in crisis mode. They respond to urgent calls from members, media and government while trying to manage and govern an association. One executive said it feels like our house has been on fire. Now it’s time to put out the fire. Spring and…
“In the long-run, members will judge their organization for how it responded.” -Bob Harris, CAE, May 2020 I asked an elected president of a large association how she felt about serving during the pandemic. She answered, “This is a great opportunity. It takes real leadership by our team to get through this and make…
