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]

Please leave a comment.

Governance Process Training and Technical Assistance--Dates coming, check back soon!

Welcome back!

I am working on a concept to bring affordable training and technical assistance to implement Policy Governance(r) for community organizations in 2011. This would be a series of trainings that include hands on policy writing, ends policy development, monitoring reports, linkage to ownership and other sessions. Take a look at this link: 2011 Policy Governance training and technical assistance and then let's talk about doing this in your community.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

John Carver's Boards that Make a Difference (2006)

Welcome back!

There are some good books on boards, group process, decision making, servant leadership,  consensus building and other topics that are helpful to boards and board members. I have found only one that provides an operating system covering a comprehensive approach to board governance that allows board to reach their full potential to board and organizational accountability, a tool for defining values as explicit board level policies and linkage to real or "moral" ownership. For those interested in learning more either before or after a training session with Capacity partnership Group on board governance (Policy Governance), I recommend:




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.

Consulting Services Available Now

Welcome back! Updates to my resume and interests in consulting and self-employment

Summary

• Project conceptualization to completion, management, compliance, evaluation, and communication strategy
• Written communication and project reporting
  
• Assessment of organizational and community needs, capacity building planning, coaching, mentoring
• Outcome and asset mapping, community partnerships and linkages
• Integration of Christian faith with compassion and justice, economic & community development, microenterprise, microfinance and workforce development
• Board governance process and function using Policy Governance® model, board policy design
• Nonprofit startup, strategic planning, program design, board recruitment
• Experienced in faith based community development and nonprofit leadership

Recent Consultant Roles

Board Development and Governance Function Since 2003
• Focusing board on exchange it has with the world as outcomes and impacts outside of its own walls
• Implementation, training, monitoring, comprehensive governance model for boards
• Development of training materials, policy writing and monitoring tools

Organizational Growth, Program Design, Evaluation Since 2003

• Designed and implemented community and economic development projects, workforce development
• In depth organizational assessment, leadership mentoring, growth planning and management
• Community development, partnerships and collaborations

Workshops & Teaching Since 1989

• Designed curriculum, workshops for adults, evaluated results, and one-hour to multiple-day conference workshops all areas of nonprofit management, community development, immigration, mentoring
• Classroom teaching, adult learning, workshops, public speaking—board governance process, board development, economic development as microenterprise, financial literacy and fiscal management, resource development, fund raising strategy

Professional History

World Vision Southern California Metro Los Angeles and Pomona, CA
Program Manager 2006-2007

• Managed $875,000 project to provide training, coaching, and technical assistance
• Designed a sub-award program including competitive application process, application evaluation, completion
• Assessed, mentored leadership in community organizations in south Los Angeles and Pomona
• Communicated results to internal and external clients, including US government partners

Mennonite Economic Development Associates Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis
Regional Manager 2003-2005

• Managed a $3,750,000 project to increase capacity of 40 organizations in 5 in the USA.
• Planned organizational development strategies with leaders of community and faith-based organizations.
• Designed grantmaking program, evaluated applications and made award decisions.
• Monitored and evaluated progress of capacity building projects with organizational clients and consultants.

Job Starts, Inc. Los Angeles, CA
Executive Director 1989-2004

• Designed and implemented faith-based microenterprise, workforce development, financial literacy, and Asset Development programs to improve the economic wellbeing of families in south Los Angeles.
• Developed linkages with businesses, financial institutions and community partners to reach mutual goals and outcomes

Education

Master of Divinity, Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado
Bachelor of Arts, InterCultural Studies, Biola University, La Mirada, California

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.

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

Welcome back!

Good Governance—Leadership Excellence

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. 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.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Looking Ahead: Leadership Strategies for Turbulent Times

Welcome back!

The Center for Nonprofit Management will present a moderated panel discussion on nonprofit strategies during the current financial crisis, Looking Ahead: Leadership Strategies for Turbulent Times, on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 3 pm - 6 pm. More information and registration here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

What is the definition of Governance?

Welcome back!

I often try to answer questions that come up in our workshops and presentations. On one of the evaluation forms, someone stated the need for a definition of governance. I believe that is definition is extremely important and is foundational to a clear understanding of what the board's job outputs need to be and what the board should expect to do.

Here is the definition:

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. The servant-leadership work of the highest and initial authority within the organization.

By making policy, the board governs proactively through explicit statements of values rather than reactively or through event-specific decisions. Boards must be at least as disciplined as they expect their staffs to be.

This definition is clearly different that how many boards define their work. Many boards with which I have worked have started without any clear definition of the work that they are to do. Then act as though the believe that there work is in competition with the role of their chief executive officer or executive director. The role of governance is not management with a megaphone. The role is strategic leadership about the difference the organization is to make in the world, outside the walls of the organization. It is to assure that the difference is made and that unacceptable situations and circumstances are avoided. It is to link the organization to its membership or moral ownership and act on its behalf.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Workshop/Talk about board governance in Miami, Florida

Welcome back! I will be in Miami, Florida talking about Policy Governance.



Friday, October 24: 3:00 - 4:15 PM
Miami, Florida

SHALOM IN THE BOARDROOM
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 a case study of how one board brought added value to a new organization; helps everyone from beginners to veterans.

Co-presenter: GABE VEAS
Room: Granada

The event is: CCDA's 19th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

OCTOBER 22-26, 2008

HYATT REGENCY MIAMI & JAMES L. KNIGHT CENTER

MIAMI, FL

www.CCDAMiami08.org

There is also a workshop coming up the following week in Los Angeles at the Center for Nonprofit Management.

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.

Board Governance: Capacity Building Workshop at UYWI08

This Week!

If you are going to the Urban Youth Workers Institute at Azusa this week, it'd be great to meet you. Workshop 1:

Thursday, May 15, 2008
Time: 1:30 PM- 3:00 PM
Leadership Excellence—Good Governance
For Executive Directors and Board Members

How can you attract and retain good board members? Give them the right job and the right tools. Governance is the highest level of organizational leadership. The job of governance needs to emphasize values, vision, empowerment of both board and staff, and the strategic ability to lead leaders. Workshop participants (board members and staff leaders) will (1) gain appreciation of leadership through governance, (2) define roles of management and board distinct from one another, (3) identify the unique job outputs of the board, (4) avoid meddling and “rubber-stamping.”

Room: Duke 106; Azusa Pacific University

For a complete list of workshops, here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Good Governance is Leadership Excellence

Welcome back!

Governance Matters

In a workshop at the Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management on June 12, 2008, 1:30 we will discuss the unique value that a board brings to an organization that no other group of volunteers can produce. Ideally, the executive director and the board chairperson will experience this workshop together to determine if adopting a comprehensive set of governance principles will help the board do its work.

In an environment where community organizations struggle to find the resources to do their work and larger national nonprofits have been in the news with misused resources there is much talk about what governance really is. The board of any organization is to add value with job outputs that are specific to the role of the board and for which the board holds itself accountable.

• Clearly articulating what the organization is to accomplish for its membership or other moral-ownership—more than what is keeping the organization busy but what will make a difference in the world because the organization does what it says it should.
• Develop accountability as an organizational characteristic initiated at the board level. Further, the board is to provide assurance that the expected results were produced and unacceptable situations and circumstances were avoided, and the cost was worth the result.
• As the board understands its trustee function, it develops a strategy of linkage to and understanding of the ownership or membership to act on its behalf.

These job outputs are the unique contribution of a board of directors that no other person or group can accomplish. It is further the board’s responsibility, once these job outputs are understood, to hold itself accountable for their work. It is through this that the board can accomplish its duty of care, duty of loyalty and duty of obedience.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Organizational Assessment and Capacity Development

Welcome back!

Workshop at the Center for Nonprofit Management

Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (Half Day)
Fee: varies (see chart)
Instructor: Glen Peterson
Course Code: FR 76

Course Description
Organizational capacity is the foundation for growth and sustainability. Organizational assessment is important to recognize and celebrate strengths—both used and untapped—and to identify areas for growth. A good assessment process will help draw out diverse viewpoints within the organization, bring blind spots into view, and strategically address a variety of capacity areas. We will explore the cycles of organizational development and provide tools for building an appropriate plan for capacity development.

Registration
You can register by fax or by mail. Phone registrations are not accepted.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Board Governance Class at the Center for Nonprofit Management

Welcome back!

I will be teaching a workshop on board governance: "Board Development and Governance Process" on Thursday, January 17, 2 PM until 5 PM at the Center for Nonprofit Management, 1000 N. Alameda, Suite 250, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Registration and a fee is required and can be submitted by fax or mail.

NOTE: if you receive Nonprofit Directions from the Center for Nonprofit Management the correct start time is 2 PM. 2 AM is an error.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Key Principles of Policy Governance®

Welcome back! These are the foundational principles upon which we build a comprehensive system of governance.

• Governance is a function of ownership not management.
• Boards are the highest authority under ownership.
• Boards are the initial authority within the organization
• Board authority is group authority
• Boards are accountable to the ownership for everything within the organization
• Boards need to empower those to whom they delegate authority while remaining fully accountable for the use of their authority.

I will be speaking about these principles and their application on Thursday, October 4 at the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership. More information here.


Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Board Goverance Workshop at Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership October 4

Welcome back!

"Board Leadership - Governance Excellence" is the 3-hour workshop that I am presenting at the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership on Thursday, October 4, 2007; 3 PM until 6 PM.

Your participation is welcomed and encouraged. There is a rather nominal fee of $30 for LBNP members and $45 for “not-yet-members for the workshop and you need to pre-register at the lbnp.org.

This is what the workshop is about:

How can you attract, motivate and retain good board members? Give them the right job and the right tools. Governance is the highest level of organizational leadership. The role of governance needs to lead with values and vision, and empower both board and staff, and practice the strategic ability to lead leaders. The board’s role is servant leadership. Participants in this workshop – board members and staff leaders will:

• Access value for leadership through governance with Policy Governance® model
• Focus contributions to fulfill their role as servant leaders and avoid meddling or “rubber-stamping”
• Define roles of management and board distinct from one another
• Identify a conceptually complete system of governance that ensures organizational results on behalf of the moral ownership

This workshop will not be a rehash of information that you have heard before and will not be a lot of stories about how boards have failed to do their job. It will provide an introduction to a comprehensive system of board governance that when used well will ensure that the board accomplishes its job outputs, keeps the organization on track with its fiduciary responsibility and makes a difference in the world.

The Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership is located at 3635 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807; (562) 290-0018

I am giving a shorter version of this workshop in St. Louis, MO on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Please contact me for further information. The workshop is also available for organizations and their boards of directors in 90-minute, 3-hours, and all day formats. The training is also included as part of a complete package of board development services that in addition to training includes technical assistance to define the boards role, the writing of board level policies, monitoring of organizational activities and production of results.

For more information, check out our capacitypartnership.com and contact me gpeterson [at] capacitypartnership [dot] com.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Quotation

Welcome back!

"If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves."

-- Thomas Edison

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

Speaking on Governance at CCDA

Welcome back. I am looking for input on this.

I am planning a talk on board governance and leadership at the CCDA conference in St. Louis, MO, October 10-14, 2007. Last year's feedback included a comment on how it was too hard to read my projected presentation (Power Point) either because of the lighting in the room or the color of the background I had chosen, I didn't answer enough questions, and I answered too many questions.

What would you suggest for a brief talk about Governance process and Policy Governance(r)? Email me or leave a comment here.

Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.