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Welcome to Vantage Business Support & Insurance Services
VANTAGE has been servicing the nonprofit industry for over 35 years. Over the years we have accumulated much knowledge, contacts and experience in helping to establish nonprofits and help them grow. As such, we will be publishing a semimonthly newsletter geared toward providing nonprofits with the latest news, products, and guidelines to assist in their success and growth. Please feel free to comment and/or request topics that are important to you for us to research.
Thank you for being a part of the VANTAGE family.
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Please view our products list in the right sidebar.
This is just a sampling of what we feel would be important to you. We have much more to offer. If you have any questions or need more information please contact us at 877-886-8277 or click the link below.
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Understanding Board Chair Dynamics: 10 Rules to Maximize Board Chair Success
 If you have served in an executive staff position, you have extensive experience working with board chairs. These committed and dedicated individuals usually serve on volunteer boards for several years in various leadership positions before they ascend to the position of chairman or chairwoman. These leaders typically come to nonprofit organizations from all walks of life. They care deeply about the organizations they serve. Their dedication and inspiration sets the tone for the volunteer groups they lead. Your challenge as a staff executive is to maximize the performance of these volunteers.
I have worked directly with many board chairs. Each experience has been unique. Some chairs have attempted to become quasi staff members. Others have wanted each movement to be scripted. Many have left the script of their jobs in my hands.
No chair engagement has ever been the same. Many volunteer leaders liked to communicate on a frequent basis while others rarely expected contact. Some provided actions that were predictable while others were unpredictable. There is no set pattern that a board chair follows when in office. I have been fortunate that the majority of leaders I have worked with asked for my guidance to assist them in their new roles.
To maximize board chair success, follow these basic rules:
1. Get to know the personality of your volunteer leaders.
2. Understand the style of management that chairs like to employ.
3. Determine the game plan in advance and what will be shared with volunteers.
4. Review the organizational master calendar and give time expectations in advance.
5. Have a written job description for the leader to review.
6. Determine how the chair likes to communicate to his or her board.
7. Make sure that you, your board chair and organizational president are on same page.
8. Provide, in advance, dates and times when your board chair is expected to preside.
9. Share ideas on how your chair should work with his/her executive committee.
10. Be transparent in all dealings with your board chair.
My most rewarding experience while working with a new board chair was when he asked me on day one to help make him the best chair possible. I kept him informed and prepared to do his job in the best way. I exposed him to other organizational nonprofit board leaders and shared best-of-class contacts. We became close friends and colleagues, especially during his leadership tenure. We made changes that improved meeting agendas and board involvement in the organization.
The board chair and I worked from a written organizational/strategic plan and monitored progress along the way. Term limits were enforced, and the chair made board members accountable for the acquisition of time, talent and treasure. We both anticipated each other's needs and wants. I had tears in my eyes when his tenure ended. It is rare when you experience the relationship I had with that volunteer!
It is imperative that you understand board chair dynamics. Never take this responsibility for granted. Your organizational success as an executive depends in part on the progress of the volunteer board you help guide. Enjoy the experience, and embrace the ever-changing challenge.
SOURCE: F. Duke Haddad
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DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Our firm provides the information in this e-newsletter for general guidance only, and does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. Tax articles in this e-newsletter are not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding accuracy-related penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. The information is provided "as is," with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.
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Nonprofit Products
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VANTAGE has a wide range of products designed to sustain nonprofit success and growth. These products include:
Health Insurance Exchange
Group Medical
Group Dental / Vision
Business Liability
Directors & Officers
Errors & Omissions
Sexual Misconduct
Workers' Compensation
Employee Theft
Crime
Commercial Auto
Umbrella
Property
Product Liability
Start-up Assistance
Grant Request Preparation
Business Formation
Legal Assistance
Human Resources
Marketing
Business Planning
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