Tips From The Trenches

• Published date: 01 December 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ban.30589
• Date: 01 December 2017

December 2017 • Volume 34, Number 4 7

DOI 10.1002/ban© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company • All rights reserved

Tips From The Trenches

Three team-building strategies

for the board

Strengthening the board team should always be

an executive priority. Here are three strategies for

use with your board:

1. Plan a retreat focused on teamwork. At

this type of retreat, design activities to help board

members get to know one another. Once they have

accomplished this, you will avoid dissension in the

boardroom because teammates have developed

working relationships.

2. Put committees to work. Ask your chair to

assign members to serve on a committee together.

In a small-group setting, people naturally bond

while handling committee business.

3. Schedule board brunches. On a quarterly

basis, have a no-business-allowed potluck. A

“meet and eat” gives everyone a chance for a bit of

relaxed fun. ■

Two ideas for new member

orientation

Introduce new members to board service using

these suggestions:

1. Key supervisors’ presentation. This pre-

sentation should follow a tour of the organization

to see programs in action. Ask supervisors to then

prepare and deliver a presentation about what

they do, their staff, their budget, high points of

interest and areas of need.

2. Description of board’s priorities for the

year. This is a perfect activity for the board chair

to lead at the end of new member orientation.

Have him or her review the list of prioritized objec-

tives for the year.

This activity illustrates to new members a “con-

tinuous” board principle—it teaches them that

board work has been done by others previously

and shouldn’t be changed on a whim. ■

Focus on big issues

to keep board on track

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits says to

keep the board and executive relationship on

track, focus on big issues.

“Facilitate board and board committee discussions

so that the board stays focused on the larger issues,”

said the Council. “Refer to set policies that define

the limits of the board’s decision-making power, and

strive to engage the board in a dialogue among them-

selves that leads to consensus-building.”

For more information, go to http://goo.gl/

jmCYKR. ■

Telling a board member ‘no’ takes tact

When a board member has an unfeasible idea,

tread carefully in how you tell him or her “no.” Try

this idea from wildapricot.com instead:

Board IRS Form 990 review

helps you ‘tell best story’

The Council of Nonprofits recommends the full

board review a draft of the IRS Form 990 before

filing it. Here’s why:

“If you, and each board member of your non-

profit, take the time to review the organization’s

Form 990 with fresh eyes, each of you is likely to

see different things emerge from the form—just as

reporters, potential donors, and even charity regu-

lators, who may review the form in the future will

also look for different things,” said the Council. “A

review by multiple eyes who are familiar with the

nonprofit’s activities will help this document (that

is publicly available 24/7) tell your nonprofit’s best

story every minute of every day.”

For more information, go to http://goo.gl/aznZnr. ■

“Gentle delivery of a harsh message is ineffec-

tive, but so is placating. While you want to present

your ‘no’ with diplomacy and grace, you don’t want

to beat around the bush or sound wishy-washy.

The best way to do this is to start with a firm,

polite ‘no’ (or alternative), followed by a concise

reason why.

“For example, if the idea is unreasonable due to

time or resource constraints, tell them.

“If their suggestion doesn’t align with your cur-

rent strategic plan, say that.”

For more information, go to http://goo.gl/

MwJBMx. ■