Building a Strengths-Based Board
Last month, The Nonprofit Strategy Group spoke at the Nonprofit Learning Lab Conference in Denver. The topic of our presentation was board innovation and how strengths-based approaches can boost engagement, productivity, and sustainability. A lot of lip service is given to the idea of ‘org culture,’ but rarely are there specific tools and guidance on how to cultivate it. And, very rarely is the board's engagement in shaping the culture a factor. In fact, if you Google “creating strengths-based organizational culture,” you will see what we mean! Even in articles that focus on nonprofit organizations, it always starts the CEO/Executive Director.
According to Clifton Strengths, strengths-based organizations ‘integrate strengths development into their mission, vision, values and processes, as well as into how people work and collaborate daily. It's a culture in which conversations about strengths in the workplace are frequent and productive -- shaping people's mindsets and approaches to work’.
Given the need for frequent conversations about strengths, why would we leave the Board out of the equation? If we want to shift to a strengths-based culture, that must certainly involve the Board given that it is the governing body of the organization. The Board is responsible for establishing the mission, vision, values, and policies; they have a profound impact on the organization's culture. It’s a reminder that we often see the Board as a separate and often disconnected entity from the rest of the organization. And - I’m guessing you’ll agree - this disconnected framework is not beneficial to you as a nonprofit leader or your team. Or - it is by design because your board is ineffective.
We would invite you to engage your Board in a little exercise, the first step in building a strengths-based Board. So often the Board is called on to contribute their professional expertise, but we rarely ask about THEM and get to know the whole person. Aside from being an accountant for example, Alex - the CPA - probably has a number of other traits and strengths that the organization doesn’t know about. Perhaps Alex is a gifted and articulate speaker, but he never gets the opportunity in his day job. Maybe he’d be willing to attend some community meetings and speak on behalf of the organization?! Engaging board members in this way - showing interest in them outside of their professional persona - will increase their interest and motivation in supporting the organization and in you as the leader.
Ask your board members a few of these questions - either through a survey or during a meeting/in a one-on-one situation. Better yet, build these into your board application and onboarding process!
What excites you about our organization?
Why are you motivated to serve on our Board?
Which one of our values resonates most with you?
What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t working?
What are some of your personal goals for the next three years?
What do you feel are your greatest strengths?
What would you say your top three ‘soft skills’ are?
How do you feel you can be best utilized on the Board?
What do you hope to get out of your board experience?
What do you wish for for the organization?
These types of questions can also be addressed through the Board S.O.A.R. worksheet. Click HERE to access.