Good Governance— Leadership Excellence

Welcome back! Your ideas matter here!

Capacity Partnership Group

Glen Peterson

Good Governance—
Leadership Excellence

A Workshop in #Policy Governance®

Saturday, February 26, 2011

9 AM – 2 PM; Lunch included

Whittier Area Community Church
8100 Colima Road, Whittier, CA 90605

“Boards: Bar Fights, and Beautiful Music:

how to avoid the one, and make lots of the other”

A workshop in board governance for nonprofit and community benefit organizations, we will examine the practical usage of Policy Governance, a comprehensive model of board governance. This is a new paradigm for governance and ensures organizational results and accountability that is safe and fair. We will look at the foundational work of the board—the work that no other group of volunteers can be expected to do.

A board of directors needs to know its job and have the right tools. The job of governance is about values, vision, empowerment of both board and staff, and the strategic ability to lead leaders. This workshop looks at how a board of directors brings added value to a new organization. The workshop is designed as an introduction and to help everyone from beginners to veterans. It is for new board members and executives.

As workshop participants, board members and staff leaders will gain an appreciation of leadership through governance; define the roles of management and board distinct from one another; identify the unique job outputs of the board; and learn how to avoid meddling and "rubber-stamping" by boards.

There is a nominal fee of $85 for the first person from an organization and $25 for additional persons from the same organization will be charged. Lunch and materials are included. All fees are due and payable in advance.

Future Policy Governance workshops to be offered in 2011 include: Ends Policy Writing, Policy Writing Blitz, Monitoring, Connection to Ownership.

For more information call Glen at 562/400-4739.

Sign up here.

More from Capacity Partnership Group here.

Post Office Box 693

Whittier, CA 90608

gpeterson@capacitypartnership.com

562/400-4739 [mobile & voice mail or text]

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Recommended Board Member Notebook Contents

Welcome back! Sometimes I get some really good questions from clients about board issues. I liked this question about what information is routinely needed by board members and at board meetings. Here are my ideas for 2010.

• Board Level Policy Document: (1) Ends, (3) Staff Limitations, (3) Board-staff linkage, (4) board process (includes conflict of interest, compensation policy)
• Bylaws
• Minutes from previous meetings
• Board roster that includes contact information and affiliations
• Board member commitment letter, conflict of interest declaration (signed copy)
• Board Agenda Schedule (calendars board meetings 18-24 months into the future)
• Organizational calendar with all organization’s events
• Most recent board process training content, example: Governance Matters, Good Training document: Governance is Leadership Excellence by Capacity Partnership Group.

Several new clients now have this as a training tool to orient new board members and assist board doe their work. Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

New Topics for Workshop training and technical assistance for application

Welcome back!

2010 Workshop Topics

This is a partial list of topics and concerns that Capacity Partnership can address for your group or organization. Topics can be presented as training workshops or combined with a process to implement and integrate the content with your organization or church. Three of the topics are newly tested and received high evaluations from the participants.

1. Nonprofit Basics:  through advanced Board Governance for nonprofit organizations: Good Governance—Leadership Excellence, Governance Matters, “Board Rooms Bar Fights and Beautiful Music—more of the later, less of the later”
2. Nonprofit Basics: Strategic Planning—a road map for accomplishing organizational results and improving its capacity to do that better. Moving away from “strategic planning is stupid” to planning as a process to inform the life of your organization.
3. Nonprofit Basics: Strategic Resource Development—finding the partners and resources to move toward your vision and fulfilling your mission.
4. Nonprofit Basics: Navigate your Nonprofit Status, Discover the benefits and responsibilities afforded by a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt status
5. Nonprofit Basics: Policies and Procedures: Clarify your organizational values with clear, written policies and procedures.
6. Nonprofit Basics: Assessment and capacity building.
7. Nonprofit Basics: Collaboration and Partnerships
8. Nonprofit Basics: Financial Management and Systems. Financial literacy for people person who think they don’t understand numbers and dollars.
9. Visioning. If you can you see your community, the people who live and work there in a new and better way there is a way of getting you there.
10. Justice and Compassion Ministry for the Church. Does the Bible really say all that about the poor, the widows, the orphans and the strangers? Then how do we move to a response that will really help?
11. Immigration and immigrants, Christian perspective. Christians at the Border: a biblical look at immigrants and immigration. Cristianos en la frontera: una mirada bíblica en los inmigrantes y la inmigración.

 


Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Training events coming up [Updated]

Welcome back! Let me know if we can serve you through these training events.

Thursday, January 21, 2010, 9:30 am – 12 noon
How to Navigate Becoming a 501 (c) 3 
"Is 501(c)3 the Suitable Thing to be for your Entity?"

Find out the benefits of tax-exempt status under IRC 501 (c) 3. Determine whether, when and how to proceed with this important step. Discover what additional responsibilities, reporting and legal obligations come with this status. Participants will know how to determine the most advantageous status for their organization. Founders, board members, and directors will benefit from this workshop.

Friday, January 22, 2010, 9:30 am – 12 noon
Organizational Policies and Procedures
"Advantages of Well-considered Policies and Procedures"

What makes for clear and efficient expression of an organization's values? This workshop will demonstrate how a system of explicit policies and procedures can and should do that. Policies define why your organization exists and the difference it will make outside of its own walls. Policies and procedures provide guidance on how organizations treat people and handle money and other resources. Monitoring organizational behavior as an essential practice will be explored. Founders, board members, directors, new and established organizations will find this workshop helpful.

Glen Peterson has led and been a catalyst within grass-roots, community, and faith-based organizations in Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis, South Los Angeles, Pomona and other geographies. Glen has worked with immigrants, youth, parolees, recovery, and other specialized populations. He is passionate about transformation in people and communities across cultural, economic and social barriers. Organizational development expertise is in board governance function using Policy Governance®, strategic planning, resource development planning, economic development through traditional wage employment programs, self-employment and microenterprise, asset development and financial literacy programs. Capacity Partnership Group can help you with any nonprofit, community or faith-based organizational development or program need.

For the context of when and where and to whom this training is to be offered, click here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Board Governance All-day Workshop October 17, 2009 in Whittier, CA

Welcome back!

Good Governance—Leadership Excellence

A Workshop in Policy Governance®

Saturday, October 17, 2009
9 AM – 3 PM; Lunch included
Whittier Area Community Church [WACC]
8175 Villaverde Dr., Whittier, CA 90605

“Boards: Bar Fights, and Beautiful Music: how to avoid the one, and make lots of the other”

A workshop in board governance for nonprofit and community benefit organizations, we will examine the practical usage of a comprehensive model of board governance. This is not best-practices in the sense of increasing the board’s busyness. We will look at the foundational work of the board—the work that no other group of volunteers can be expected to do.

A board of directors needs to know its job and have the right tools. The job of governance is about values, vision, empowerment of both board and staff, and the strategic ability to lead leaders. This workshop looks at how a board of directors brings added value to a new organization. The workshop is designed as an introduction and to help everyone from beginners to veterans.

As workshop participants, board members and staff leaders will gain an appreciation of leadership through governance; define the roles of management and board distinct from one another; identify the unique job outputs of the board; and learn how to avoid meddling and "rubber-stamping" by boards.

A nominal fee of $50 for the first person from an organization and $20 for additional persons from the same organization will be charged. Lunch is included. WACC will provide scholarships for Whittier organizations that serve the poor or disadvantaged of the community.

For more information call Glen at 562/400-4739.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Good Governance—Leadership Excellence--Workshop, October 17, 2009, Whittier, CA

Welcome back!

"Boards, Bar Fights, and Beautiful Music: how to avoid the one, and make lots of the other."

Saturday, October 17, 2009; 9 AM – 3 PM; Lunch included. Whittier Area Community Church, 8175 Villaverde Dr., Whittier, CA 90605

A board of directors needs to know its job and have the right tools. The job of governance is about values, vision, empowerment of both board and staff, and the strategic ability to lead leaders. There are 3 job outputs that a board of directors must accomplish that no other group of volunteers can. Do you know what those are? You will if you attend this workshop. This workshop looks at how a board of directors brings added value to a new organization. The workshop is designed as an introduction and to help everyone from beginners to veterans.

As workshop participants, board members and staff leaders will gain an appreciation of leadership through governance; define the roles of management and board distinct from one another; identify the unique job outputs of the board; and learn how to avoid meddling and "rubber-stamping" by boards.

A nominal fee of $50 for the first person from an organization and $20 for additional persons from the same organization will be charged. WACC will provide scholarships for Whittier organizations that serve the poor or disadvantaged of the community.

Board Governance is the job of the group granted full accountability and full authority for value produced on behalf of those who morally if not legally own the organization. It is the servant-leadership work of the highest and initial authority within the organization.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Exectuive Compensation and the Board of Directors

Welcome back!

At our workshop I pointed to new IRS reporting requirements and California Nonprofit Accountability Law requiring boards of directors of nonprofit organizations to set executive compensation and monitor that expense. In the context of smaller nonprofits we often don't worry about overpaying. But is can be and is a problem. The recent corporate scandals involving the financial sector demonstrates that and the Wall Street Journal says nonprofits need to watch out too!

". . . the IRS has signaled more aggressive oversight of charities as various compensation scandals crop up among nonprofits." Wall Street Journal, Pay at Nonprofits Gets a second look

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

BBC reports Obama agrees with me

Welcome back!

The chief executive and chairman of troubled US car maker General Motors will step down at once, at the request of Barack Obama. --BBC

In my workshops with board of directors of community and faith-based organizations I often use boards of equity corporations as examples of both good and bad behavior of boards, CEO's and to illustrate the concept of ownership.

Recently I have been commenting that the CEO's from US automakers and financial institutions who are sitting in front of Senate hearings explaining why their companies have failed to produce a profit or even enough money to sustain ongoing operations demonstrated that boards of directors are not achieving accountability on behalf of stockholders. My understanding that a CEO should lead an equity corporation to achieve increased value of equity for stockholders would be the only criteria for continuing employment.

So, the boards didn't live up to their responsibility, stockholders didn't act at a stockholders meeting, therefore, the Whitehouse took some kind of action. GM's CEO will be stepping down at Barack Obama's request. I'll post more news as I find it. BBC is reporting it here.

Los Angeles Times General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner to step down.

Wall Street Journal: Chrysler CEO Not Likely To Follow GM Wagoner's Fate.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Books I Recommend to You as a Community Nonprofit Leader

Welcome back!

I made these book recommendations to the group on Saturday:

On board governance model as presented:

The 24-page introduction to the 10 principles that I presented: CarverGuide, Basic Principles of Policy Governance (J-B Carver Board Governance Series) (Vol 1)


The larger text book on Policy Governance: Boards That Make a Difference (J-B Carver Board Governance Series)

The Q & A book with short chapters that answer a bunch of basic questions: Nonprofit Board Answer Book: Practical Guidelines for Board Members and Chief Executives

On business and organizational theory by Jim Collins:


This is a popular book that helps successful companies become more successful: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't


A short follow up, stand alone chapter where Jim Collins addresses some specific issues for social sector organizations: Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

I appreciate complements whenever they come: Colleen Marks told me that our session was "dope" and "out-of-the-bun." So, there you go!

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Twenty things to do through the crises (and all the time for that matter)

Welcome back!
A panel of nonprofit and community organization leaders got together last week and talked about what people need to know and what they are doing and consider the way through the current situation and beyond. Here are some highlights:

• Assess where you are today—board, staff, programs, think strategically
• Evaluate things you already have available volunteers, clients (can help solve problems), board members, donors, who else?
• If already in trouble, don’t panic, get help
• Make changes
• Communicate and increase donorship and stewardship
• Get everyone involved in fundraising—get everyone at the table
• Focus on mission (production of ends) and beneficiaries
• There are no problems that are new or unique—someone has survived this problem before you.
• “Credit is a ghost, dead and gone” –Merrill Lynch (Bank of America)
• Transparency and accountability—have a communication policy and plan
• Siloing and adversarial relationships are not helpful.
• Be proactive, not reactive
• “Shop outside of your own closet” encourage communication
• Ask why board members endorse your organization—do more of that (hedgehog)
• Demonstrate credibility with consistent and clear marketing and market position.
• Crisis is an opportunity. Get the message out how now is the time for your donors, volunteers, and others to engage
• New opportunity for volunteer service—new funding coming down for National Service Corporation
• Be aware of new IRS accountability and reporting. Changes on charitable giving
• Make a plan for planned giving
• Use this as a mobilizing moment—how important is it that we will keep doing what we are doing? Engage others in this passion.

Capacity Partnership Group can help you negotiate your way through this.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Free Board Governance Workshop in Whittier on March 28

Welcome back!

This is the first time I have offered this free of charge to participants. Three and a half hours of board governance introduction and it includes lunch! Thanks to the great people at Whittier Area Community Church and their Serve Weekend project.

Good Governance--Leadership Excellence
Trainer: Glen Peterson
Whittier Area Community Church
Saturday, March 28, 2009
9 am - 1 pm
Lunch included

We can bring this workshop and
others to your geography.
Let's work on something together.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Board of Directors or Booster Club?

Welcome back!

Last week I was at an educational event for leaders of nonprofit organizations where I heard that the fundamental work of a board of directors must now be that of fundraising because some nonprofit organizations may fail because of recent adjustment of the worldwide economy. In an environment where support and resources will be in short supply, it seemed that some are saying that boards no must become booster clubs to attract diminishing sources of support.

There is a foundational disconnect with this idea that dismisses the reality that the board has real work to do that is really governance and is an essential value added to the organization.

Board fundamental job remains the same.

1. Articulation of board level values that describe what difference the organization will make in the world, who will benefit from that change and at what cost that change will be worth the investment
2. Hold the organization accountable for achieving that change without violating prestated situations and circumstances that are unacceptable
3. Linkage to the moral ownership or membership or the community on behalf of which the organization accomplishes #1 above.

It is clear that the above tasks may require certain skills of individual board members who may or may not also possess those characteristics required to be a part of this new requirement of promoting the cause to prospective funders and supporters. I highly recommend that within operations, and that may include people who also serve as board members, as many people with the right skills and attitudes be empowered and encouraged to apply all of their skills and energy into efforts that will bring the required resources to the table for organizations to continue their important work of creating a difference in the communities where they work.

The fundraising efforts and the board governance work both must be done and one cannot be achieved without the other. Capacity partnership Group provides training, assessment and evaluation and technical assistance for implementation of a complete system of board governance that equips boards of directors to accomplish the 3 job outputs listed above. These job outputs work for nonprofit organizations and for equity corporations. If boards of directors had done this work, in the financial sectors, there would be much less news about bailouts and bonuses today.


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Madoff Affect

Welcome back.

Today, Bernie Madoff pled guilty for some outrageous criminal behavior related to other peoples money. This will have a deleterious affect on anyone who is in a business that requires trust and transparency. Fundraisers who raise money for very many worthwhile causes may be looked at with a more wary eye in the Madoff aftermath.

Nonprofits should practice transparency in their reporting far beyond what is merely required in difficult time such as these. Donors should pay attention to where their dollars are donated and invested into projects, programs and organizations that make communities and the world a better place.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Two day Tax and Election Law Training for Nonprofits

. . . is offered in San Francisco, March 19-20.

The Alliance for Justice is offering:

Tax & Election Law for Nonprofits

What Every Nonprofit Lawyer or Accountant Needs to Know About Advocacy

More information is here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Workshop on Policy Governance in Whittier

Welcome back!

Save the date for a workshop on Policy Governance (3-hour version) in Whittier, CA on March 28, 2009, 9 am to noonish. If this one fills up, we'll do it again.

Watch this space for further information.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Policy Governance Workshop in Los Angeles, October 28

Welcome back!

I will be giving a workshop at the Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles. I hope you can come and learn about the most comprehensive system of board governance that installs accountability as an organizational characteristic and adds value to the organization.

More information is here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

[UPDATE: New Date and TIme] Policy Governance at the Center for Nonprofit Management

Welcome back!

My next workshop on Policy Governance at the Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management will be Tuesday, October 28 2008, 1:30pm - 4:30pm. Details on the workshop and registration are available at the Center's website.

Course Description

Policy Governance® enables a board to:

• Lead on the larger issues
• Delegate with clarity
• Control management's job without meddling
• Rigorously evaluate the accomplishment of the organization
• Truly lead an organization

This is a groundbreaking model of governance designed to empower boards of directors to fulfill their obligation of accountability for the organizations they govern. As workshop participants, board members and staff leaders will gain an appreciation of leadership through governance; define the roles of management and board distinct from one another; identify the unique job outputs of the board; and learn how to avoid meddling and "rubber-stamping" by boards.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Board Member Recruitment [New and Improved]

Welcome back! I put out the question a couple of days ago on the My Questions feature on LinkedIn. I got some very good input and made some revisions to my training packet. The new version of the Characteristics handout:

What characteristics should we look for in prospective board members once we have articulated the job outputs of the board of directors? Do not confuse management skills as substitutes for any of these characteristics.

• People who can think about principles and values
• People who can enjoy creating the future rather than merely evaluating the past
• People with moral courage strong ethics, possess integrity
• People who are willing to let others be strong
• People who are intelligent and willing to learn, creative, open-minded
• People who can be team players
• People with an ability to empathize with the owners
• People who have demonstrated commitment to the values and mission of the organization
• People with connections to the “moral ownership” and resources
• People with time and energy to meet
• What other characteristics would you add?

The work of the board is thinking work more than doing. People who have the interest and discipline to work in the abstract might be good board members. The big job of a board of directors is to ensure the organization does what it should while avoiding unacceptable situations and circumstances. Job outputs include: (1) explicit board policy to articulate the values of the organization, (2) monitoring, and (3) linkage to the moral ownership.

A couple of really good suggestions that I haven't added to the handout, but I will certainly share in the workshops:

From Dan: I would add under characteristics "Alligator hide" and a no "BS" sort of guy/gal or in more appropriate words "intentional and focused, result oriented." I am always repeating this to ED's and management.

From JB: "While I think a creative thinker is important, I also believe it's important for board members to be able to think independently and question the status quo. Whether the status quo is represented by staff or other board members. I've been on enough boards to know that many board members don't ask tough questions and are willing to let the past guide the future. While history is important, it's also the board's responsibility to set the future of the organization and understand what the organization must have for today to be successful. Ultimately the board must ask the question, what is the reason for this organization to exist, and is it still valid today."

And for those who suggested management skills such as fundraising, I am still not convinced. While there is a board role in resource development it is not the core of governance. Successful organizations are going to hire those skills as part of operations and hold the results accountable. Individual board members will certainly participate as volunteers but not in a role confined to board members. My experience clearly shows that there is no reason to confine the fundraising work to the board. Some significant donors and volunteers told me that they are . . . "happy to give and volunteer--but don't put me on the board, that's just not my thing."

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Workshop on Board Governance

Welcome back!

Governance Matters

I will be presenting this workshop at the Southern California Center for nonprofit Management on June 12, 2008 as a volunteer facilitator. I contributed the following article to Nonprofit Directions.

Governance is vital for any organization. In an environment where resources are scarce and news of resource misuse seems to be rampant, good governance is becoming increasingly important for the success of all organizations.

Boards of directors add value to the organization they serve through certain job outputs. The board holds itself accountable for these roles of:

• Clearly articulating what the organization should accomplish and who should benefit on behalf of its members or moral ownership. More than just the activities and busyness, this result will make a difference in the world outside the walls of the organization.
• Developing accountability as an organizational characteristic. The board provides assurance that the expected results were produced and unacceptable situations were avoided; and the cost was worth the result.
• Understanding their trustee function and acting on behalf of its membership.

These job outputs are the unique contributions of a board of directors, and no other person or group can fill these roles. Once these job outputs are understood, the board is responsible to hold itself accountable and to accomplish its duty of care, loyalty and obedience.

On Thursday, June 12, we will discuss the unique value that a board brings to an organization. Ideally, the executive director and board chairperson will participate in this workshop together to determine if adopting a comprehensive set of governance principles will help the board more effectively do its work.

Good Governance is Leadership Excellence
Thursday, June 12, 2008
1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Half Day)
Special Fee: $200 (Covers Executive and 1 Board Member)

Registration Information Here.

Policy Governance® is the registered trademark of John Carver and Carver Governance, Inc.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Technology Planning Workshop at UYWI 08 on May 16

Welcome back!

Friday, May 16, 2008
Time: 1:30 PM- 3:00 PM
Technology Planning Workshop
For Executive Directors

Presenters: Thomas Hsieh, Slinterrock; Marcos Ramirez, Idealistics; Glen Peterson, Capacity Partnership Group

Youth ministries and nonprofits have limited resources while the expanding available new technology is limitless. How can you as the organizational leader decide what is needed and how to put into place technology that will really produce results? A strategic technology plan can help you budget your time and resources to best meet your needs. This session will introduce a good planning outline and process: (1) establish technology leadership group,
(2) define your needs (what problems technology can solve for your organization), (3) assess current situation and resources, (4) explore solutions, (5) put your plan in writing including a timeline, (6) develop a funding strategy, (7) implement, evaluate, and revise the plan.

Room: Duke 603

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