For those of us who work with not-for-profit sector organizations and their governing bodies, the same issues in not-for-profit governance seem to keep coming up year after year. That insight has caused a thoughtful sector leader to ask: “why are we doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?”
We hear these types of stories all the time:
“My board blurs the lines between operations and governance.”
“The executive director expects the board to fundraise, that’s not what I signed up for!”
“Nobody told me we’d spend so much time looking at boring financial statements.”
“We elected a chartered accountant to the board, and now he’s refusing to act as Treasurer!”
“We’ve tried to recruit for diversity on our board, but we don’t know any qualified candidates from minority communities.”
Reimagining Governance
On March 12, Vantage Point partnered with Ignite NPS to start conversations on how we can shift our perspective and do governance differently. Executive directors, board members and consultants met with Linda Mollenhauer to explore how not-for-profit governance structures, processes and practices should and could be adapted to meet the challenges of today’s complex environment.
Linda is a cofounder and the Board Chair Ignite NPS, where she volunteers her time and expertise to support development and distribution of practical research, resources and tools designed for board members and staff of non-profit organizations across the sector. Her goal is to foster new ways of working and support leaders to adapt to the complex and competitive not-for-profit landscape.
The questions Linda posed on March 12 certainly ignited my thinking! Here are three of the many insights raised in the three-hour facilitated conversation:
1. Governance is a team sport. All too often, we think of governance as the board’s work, but in fact, it involves the collaboration of the chief executive, staff, and stakeholders in the community served by a not-for-profit organization.
2. Successful governance requires a shared understanding. How often do we stop and explore what we mean by “successful governance”? Some people hear that word and think “govern”, focusing on the fiduciary. Others think “vision” or “leadership”. It’s time to get on the same page, to achieve clarity through an explicit conversation that leads to a shared understanding of what we mean by “successful governance”.
3. Each of us has a role in finding a new model. If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got. Everyone working in the sector can shift our energy, from focusing on the challenges, to imagining how we could make it better.
Thanks, Vantage Point, for making space to encourage thought leadership and reimagine governance. It’s a conversation whose time has come!
Vantage Point was featured in the Vancouver Guardian.
The Vancouver Guardian asked us about how we’re supporting non-profits across BC and our mission to strengthen BC’s non-profit sector through leadership, development, governance, organizational capacity building and more.
Join Vantage Point on September 17 in Terrace for the BC Non-Profit Network: Northwest BC Leaders Gathering. Deepen relationships, learn about what is happening in BC’s non-profit sector, participate in practical learning, and contribute to the next stages of growth for the BC Non-Profit Network (BCNN).
Not-for-profit organizations do incredibly important work – providing critical services that support and enrich our communities. Robust internal capacity and organizational competence is what supports their ability to achieve impact. At Vantage Point we are on a mission to improve not-for-profit capacity.
By building the capacity of your not-for-profit organization, you can strengthen the impact your programs have in your community and ensure long-term program sustainability. The importance of capacity building is a critical conversation for not-for-profits, funders, government, and the broader community.
Defining Capacity
What exactly is capacity? It is impact. It is resilience. It is sustainability. Essentially, capacity building is an ongoing investment in the improved performance and sustainability of our people and organizations. What does an investment in capacity look like? It is a focus on and commitment to enhancing our internal governance, management, and operations. It can include professional development that improves staff leadership competencies, board governance training that enhances board effectiveness, or technology that improves customer and donor relations.
At Vantage Point we focus on four areas of not-for-profit capacity: management, governance, financial resources, and administrative systems1. In addition to strong program delivery, these are the organizational platforms that support and sustain an organization’s impact.
Why Does Capacity Building Matter?
Capacity building creates more effective and resilient not-for-profit organizations. Imagine the potential that your not-for-profit could achieve with fully equipped leaders, robust financial management systems, flexibility to adapt when challenges arise, and a collaborative work environment that allows for new ideas and generative thinking. When positioned this way, capacity building is sexy!
We see the impact of capacity building every day and our program evaluations show incredible results in areas such as leadership competencies, improved employee engagement, and increased fundraising. Capacity building takes time and investment, but the benefits far exceed the cost.
Our Next Steps
What does your internal capacity look like? We encourage you to start conversations with your colleagues and supporters about what increased capacity would mean for your organization. Let’s discover and unleash the potential in our teams and organizations and build stronger organizational competence.
At Vantage Point we are committed to capacity building and we will continue to engage leaders, funders, and the community on this important topic. We will highlight practical tools and share new insights along the way through our blog, resources, and new capacity resource page for not-for-profits.
Together, as not-for-profit leaders, funders, and community members let’s increase the capacity of not-for-profit organizations!
1 As identified in Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage Based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity by Susan Kenny Stevens.
Vantage Point was featured in the Vancouver Guardian.
The Vancouver Guardian asked us about how we’re supporting non-profits across BC and our mission to strengthen BC’s non-profit sector through leadership, development, governance, organizational capacity building and more.
Join Vantage Point on September 17 in Terrace for the BC Non-Profit Network: Northwest BC Leaders Gathering. Deepen relationships, learn about what is happening in BC’s non-profit sector, participate in practical learning, and contribute to the next stages of growth for the BC Non-Profit Network (BCNN).
As a leader within the not-for-profit sector for over 15 years now, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many incredible women. In celebration of International Women’s Day, I share here some of the key approaches that I have learned from these strong and smart individuals. I have found these practices to be essential in my own development as a leader – and as a woman.
1) When contemplating change, consider the importance of over-steering the boat to alter the course.
As a sailor, I’ve mulled on this analogy many times. When faced with a major change of course out on the water, I’ve seen what’s required of the skipper to set this new course. I’m naturally a more facilitative leader, who strives to gradually, and diplomatically, bring everyone along. In 2002 Vantage Point began a shift to re-orient our mission to build strong leaders and strong not-for-profit organizations. The Executive Director who was at the helm demonstrated the importance of over-steering, and not necessarily being able to bring everyone along.
2) In facing important decisions, ask yourself what each option makes possible, and for whom, while also acknowledging the worst that could happen in each case.
This practice, an aspect of Creating the Future’s Catalytic Thinking, has been essential to both my personal and professional decisions and I encourage you to try it out. I have also learned the benefit of framing “no” decisions as saying “yes” to another opportunity.
3) Start your day with a positive intention
It’s been a busy start to 2018 here at Vantage Point and I’m definitely aware of the “stretch” I’m experiencing. Starting each day with a positive intention has been tough. I’m sticking with it, however, as the simple practice of focusing on one positive thought or aspiration for the day truly brings out the best in me at home and work.
4) As leaders contributing to shaping and developing high performing cultures, get used to being a broken-record.
I’ve been constantly reminded of the importance of consistency by the Executive Directors I have had the privilege of working with here at Vantage Point. A strong culture at Vantage Point, with a commitment to abundance and people, has come through leadership that is comfortable persevering through challenges and making space for the many conversations required to assure board and staff are aligned (and re-aligned!) at every turn. I have seen the measurable outcomes of this leadership including demonstrated growth in mission impact.
5) Once in a while, ask yourself, “would I rather be somewhere else”?
I have committed both work and volunteer aspects of my life to the not-for-profit sector. To assure I’m still receiving energy from all that I put in, every once in a while, I intentionally ask this question. On occasion the answer is going to be “yes – I’d rather be doing…”. But for the most part, even when I’m feeling challenged, the answer is actually “this is exactly where I want to be”.
What meaningful practices have women in your life passed to you? Please share them with us in celebration of all the women that make this sector amazing to work in and a force within our communities. If you are looking for ways to pass along your skills and expertise, check out the current volunteer positions at www.govolunteer.ca.
Thank you to the amazing women that passed this advice on to me:
Colleen Kelly, former Vantage Point Executive Director
Denise Baker, Vantage Point Executive Director
Martha Sales, Coach and Founder of Achieve Your Mark, Vantage Point Knowledge Philanthropist & Board Member
Tammy Robertson, President, Professional Coach and Author, Work Heart Consulting
Hildy Gottlieb, Co-Founder, Creating the Future
Maria Turnbull
Maria Turnbull brings over 20 years of leadership experience in staff and director roles within the not-for-profit sector, both here in Canada and in the UK. With a BA in International Relations and MBA, Maria is a skilled facilitator and consultant in board governance, organizational development,...
Vantage Point was featured in the Vancouver Guardian.
The Vancouver Guardian asked us about how we’re supporting non-profits across BC and our mission to strengthen BC’s non-profit sector through leadership, development, governance, organizational capacity building and more.
Join Vantage Point on September 17 in Terrace for the BC Non-Profit Network: Northwest BC Leaders Gathering. Deepen relationships, learn about what is happening in BC’s non-profit sector, participate in practical learning, and contribute to the next stages of growth for the BC Non-Profit Network (BCNN).
A not-for-profit organization’s effectiveness and capacity to navigate change depends largely on its people. Ask anyone about the characteristics of strong and effective not-for-profit organizations and the conversation will inevitably turn to leadership.
Vantage Point’s work is in building the skills and knowledge of not-for-profit leaders to strengthen their leadership performance and impact. In 2017, we did an in-depth evaluation of our program Executive Lab, an advanced program for senior leaders. The impact on individuals and organizations is remarkable.
Vantage Point’s Executive Lab program was first launched as the Executive Director Learning Circle in 2006. Since then, we have engaged nearly 150 senior not-for-profit leaders in peer-based learning to develop personal leadership competencies and improve organizational performance.
Through online survey responses and participant interviews, past Executive Lab participants confirmed that the program directly impacted their leadership abilities in several ways:
1. Leadership Effectiveness: In terms of their leadership, participants saw the largest increase in their comfort with their executive director role, leadership effectiveness, leadership strengths, and relationship with their board. These elements are all critical to the success of senior not-for-profit leaders.
2. Organizational Effectiveness: Participants reported an increase in their organizational budget, increase in donors, reduction of staff turnover, and increase in their number of volunteers. These measures show an increased capacity in these organizations, as well as a strengthened resiliency.
3. Organizational Change: Participants saw an increase in their scope of programs, staff knowledge, community outreach, and program effectiveness. It is through these types of changes that not-for-profits can better fulfill their missions. We know that one of the challenges in supporting capacity building is that the impact doesn’t happen overnight. The impact of our work is long term, and not always easy to articulate. These results are truly remarkable and overwhelmingly point to the fact that leadership training is crucial in the success and sustainability of not-for-profit organizations.
At Vantage Point we are fully committed to lifting leadership in the sector.
Join us for Executive Lab 2018
Our next cohort of Executive Lab begins on March 7, 2018. Applications are due February 14, 2018. Apply today!
Vantage Point was featured in the Vancouver Guardian.
The Vancouver Guardian asked us about how we’re supporting non-profits across BC and our mission to strengthen BC’s non-profit sector through leadership, development, governance, organizational capacity building and more.
Join Vantage Point on September 17 in Terrace for the BC Non-Profit Network: Northwest BC Leaders Gathering. Deepen relationships, learn about what is happening in BC’s non-profit sector, participate in practical learning, and contribute to the next stages of growth for the BC Non-Profit Network (BCNN).
Earlier this year, the Vantage Point board confronted a challenge many organizations face: should we press forward with renewing our strategic plan, or should we hit the pause button until we have a new executive director in place? With Denise’s planned retirement on the horizon, it would have been easy for us to hit pause. After all, wouldn’t we want to wait and involve a new executive director in developing the next phase of Vantage Point’s future? And, more practically, we were already going to be dealing with an executive director succession process, did we really need to add strategic planning to our agenda?
In spite of these concerns, we decided to move forward with our plans for a strategy renewal. I hope sharing our rationale may provide some learnings to those of you facing a similar choice. These were some of the key reasons we decided to renew our strategy ahead of a leadership transition.
1. We were on a solid strategic and operational footing. Denise’s retirement comes at a time when the organization is thriving. Our strategy had served us well, and we found ourselves in a position of mission growth and organizational evolution. In many respects, it made our strategic planning process quite straightforward as we looked at renewing and advancing, rather than recreating, our strategic focus.
2. We needed a framework to help us make strategic and operational choices. We were increasingly being confronted by opportunities and choices that were pushing us outside our existing decision-making framework. Should we expand our geographic presence? Should we invest more in advocacy? Should we grow our internal consulting staff? A renewed strategy would help both the board, and staff, choose and invest wisely.
3. We had an engaged staff team that was chomping at the bit to understand where we were going next. We are blessed with a group of super-smart professionals, passionate about growing our mission impact. We risked losing that energy and enthusiasm, and leadership, by hitting the pause button. Involving our senior staff in our discussions and decisions helped to ensure we aligned around a shared vision of the future and gave us all a renewed passion for our cause.
4. We have a board of directors who will take us into the future, most of whom were not around for the last strategic plan. As a director, it is hard to really connect with the strategy of an organization if you have not participated in its development. This provided an opportunity to engage all of us in shaping our future and deepened our commitment.
5. We wanted to give our new executive director a running start. While it is tempting to wait until a new leader is in place to embark on strategy, we risked delaying forward progress as he or she gets up to speed. Unless an organization is in crisis and the new executive director is charged with leading significant change, there is good reason to ensure a strong strategic plan is in place to guide decision-making.
Having a renewed plan allows us to look at executive director candidates with a clear view as to where we want to go, and ensures we select someone who can help take us there. Having a solid strategy in place, at all phases of an organization’s life cycle, is one of the very few critical responsibilities of the board. For us, that meant embarking on renewal at the same time as we are working through a significant leadership transition. Now that we have gone through the process, we know it was the right decision.
Rebecca Schlam
Vantage Point was featured in the Vancouver Guardian.
The Vancouver Guardian asked us about how we’re supporting non-profits across BC and our mission to strengthen BC’s non-profit sector through leadership, development, governance, organizational capacity building and more.
Join Vantage Point on September 17 in Terrace for the BC Non-Profit Network: Northwest BC Leaders Gathering. Deepen relationships, learn about what is happening in BC’s non-profit sector, participate in practical learning, and contribute to the next stages of growth for the BC Non-Profit Network (BCNN).