The Board of Directors-Staff relationship in nonprofit organizations has so much potential.  Yet we often come across the mindset that believes effective working relationships "just happen."  In fact, they require hard work and an on-going investment of creativity and energy.  After nearly eight years of strategic planning and organization development consulting, we can say two things with certainty. First, there are several important factors to consider, including the structure of the Board, the commitment of Board and Staff to work together, the approach to meetings, a shared vision for the organization, and agreement about how your Board and Staff want to work together. Second, Boards and Staffs can make relationship building an integral part of working together. Give yourself permission and be open to doing things differently. 

Three easy steps you can take at your next meeting are:

1. Schedule time on the agenda for a strategic discussion,
   
2. Agree on a few actions from the discussion that you can take immediately,
   
3. Pilot your ideas and check back at the next meeting on how you are doing. 

• How can we build on what is working well in the way our Board and Staff work together?
• What is one opportunity we can take now to strengthen our  Board-Staff relationship?
• What is one Board management practice we could refresh or create in order to perform more efficiently?

Do any of these challenges sound familiar to you? "I want my legacy to be successfully recruiting the next cycle of great leaders for our Board."  "I want to figure out how to step confidently into my new role in our organization."  "I want to create a business plan to grow our program or service in a new direction." "I need help strengthening my approach to supervising my staff." These are just some of the issues Managance can help you navigate through our professional coaching.  As your coach, we tap your wisdom with powerful questions to help you think deeply, creatively and strategically about your goals and the best way to achieve them.  You leave each coaching conversation with your own new ideas and an action plan that moves you toward your desired results.  We are memberos of the International Coach Federation and offer professional coaching to individuals and teams over the phone or in person.  Call us at (301) 260-9503 or email us to find out whether a coaching conversation could help you.

Professional Coaching Resources

• Coaching as a Tool for Building Leadership and Effective Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector. January 2006. http://www.btw.informingchange.com/pub.htm#oe
• "The Making of a Corporate Athlete" Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. HBR, January 2001
• International Coach Federation www. http://www.coachfederation.org/ICF/

In 2007 we added another dozen new clients to our growing list.  Since we started nearly eight years ago, Managance Consulting has assisted some 75 nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, professional associations and socially responsible businesses with strategic planning, board and organization development, and results measurement systems.  Visit our website for four new cases featuring our strategic thinking, visioning and planning services.  

If you're interested in a strategic planning process beginning in June 2008, please give us a call or email us now so we can begin discussing your organization's needs.