Thought for the day: I am convinced that the one solution to creating amazing nonprofit boards is to create amazing board chairs.
Think about it. If nonprofit board chair candidates fully understand fiduciary duties; decision-making processes; options for getting work done (e.g. structure); and understand and can manage the board/exec relationship; would we not have amazing effective and efficient nonprofit boards?
I agree with you Mike. Board Chairs must lead the Board. However, since they are part-time volunteers, they need help. Drucker points to the CEO as the helper-in-chief. This model needs help...any thoughts?
Posted by: Lloyd VanderKwaak | December 22, 2012 at 04:52 PM
Lloyd, I believe as staff it is absolutely the role of the CEO to support the Chair. At minimum, it's the CEO who provides the "intel" to keep the Board Chair up on institutional and strategic issues. At the same time, I wonder aloud that the CEO as sole Chair trainer raises the question -- who's Chair is the Chair. That is to say, if the Chair is nothing more than a clone of the Chair, then where lays the objectivity and external insights to support the CEO and guide the organization. Chairs must be bound to get their development from sources beyond the CEO or else I believe they become nothing more than reflections of the CEO -- sometimes good sometimes perhaps not so good.
Posted by: Mike Burns | December 24, 2012 at 10:47 AM