Good boards lead to impactful organizations. That’s the reason behind the training that NeighborWorks® America provides to board members and organizational leaders alike. All sides were represented this week during the Board Governance Exchange, a daylong convening so that board members and organizational leaders could talk about lessons learned and practical advice for effective board service.
They engaged in panel discussions and dissected case studies based on real challenges for real organizations.
Tami Foley, CEO of Midwest Mid-west Community Action, graduated from the NeighborWorks Excellence in Governance Program. She attended the Board Exchange because it gave her a chance to talk to organizations that are going through similar things to her own organization. “The main reason I’m doing Board Governance is to take training back to my board and ensure that they’re up to date,” she explained. “It’s good to meet other board members here, get their perspectives, and learn from them.”
Sabrina Irizarry sits on the board of Durham Community Land Trust. In her second year as a board member she was also tapped to see if she would consider moving toward becoming board president. She jumped at the chance to learn more through the Board Governance Exchange.
“II think the thing that really struck me is how important culture is. It’s one of those underlying things that I never really think about but it’s always there. It’s so important to really understand the culture of the people you work with and your board – how they work together, what they want, their dreams and everything that’s important to them.”
The exchange included conversations and panel discussions.
Nancy Durand, who spoke in the morning session, said she wants people to take away from the exchange a common thread: That good governance is not just a compliance checklist, but has real-world impact on the people and the mission that an organization serves.
People need to look to the mission each organization or foundation stands on, she said. “Look at governance as an essential component of mission delivery. It’s not something that’s outside of it.”
NeighborWorks’ Senior Director for the Western Region Sheila Anderson talked about the domino effect in a board – and an organization. “A domino effect is a chain reaction where a single event triggers a sequence of similar, related events,” she said. “And I’m sure whether you are a board member, an executive director, a CEO or in senior management, you have seen where one event one issue in your organization, has triggered this domino effect to where things are landing one after the other.”
Sometimes the end result is positive, she said. “That’s what we all hope. But sometimes, it is not so positive, and it gives us the opportunity to step and pause.”
In those situations, she said, it’s important to consider:
- What could we have done differently?
- Do we take the time to learn from what happened or do we course correct?
- Do we just keep pushing?
Throughout the room there were conversations and discussions as participants read case studies and prepared to go back to their home organizations with new strategies and knowledge.
Did you know: NeighborWorks America offers an Excellence in Governance Academy for board members and organization leaders. The newest cohort has just begun. For more information, visit our website. You can hear from some previous participants in our video.
