THEBOARDCHECKUP: A RESEARCH-BASED PODCAST

It is commonly accepted "best practice" that a major role for boards ought to be thinking about the "big picture" of how the organization is doing and where it ought to be heading in the future. It is usually recommended that this kind of thinking be captured in a "Strategic Plan" which can be used as a guide by all in the organization in making specific policy decisions. In this webinar, the Board's Role in Planning is discussed, challenges boards commonly experience, why they occur, and what boards have done about them.

While virtually everyone agrees that the role of the board in nonprofit organizations is to enable them to achieve their mission, differences arise when it comes to specifying exactly what the board's authority and responsibilities should be. In fact, this is one of the most frequently written about topic in the literature on nonprofit organization boards. Since most nonprofits have a paid top manager, the question arises: What should the board's role and authority be compared to that held by those in management positions? In this podcast, Professor Yvonne Cafik presents on the topic and explores this question with nonprofit leaders to discuss the underlying issues, why boards and managers become confused, and how to clarify roles and responsibilities to govern and manage effectively.

In Season 2, the nine dimensions of board effectiveness assessed in the Board Checkup are explored with nonprofit leaders. Each webinar explores a dimension assessed in the instrument. Board effectiveness is defined theoretically and common issues that can challenge board effectiveness are presented and discussed along with theories about why they exist, and change boards have implemented in response to them.

The podcast will be of interest to board chairs, CEOS, and directors looking for accessible and affordable research-based tools and resources to measure, track, and develop in leadership and governance effectiveness. It will also be of interest to consultants working with boards as well as regulators and funders concerned about board accountability and impact. Finally, it will be of interest to faculty and students of nonprofit leadership looking for case studies that explore the complex nature of governance, the governance context in different cultures and countries, and the range of leadership roles and responsibilities boards and directors play in the organizations they govern.

In this podcast, Professor Yvonne Cafik, PhD explore the Board research to practice: Board roles and responsibilities in governance. She discussed about the which issues challenge boards? why do these challenges persist? what have board done about them? In this series understanding the responsibilities and leadership roles boards play in nonprofit organizations is the first step to achieving clarity.

In this episode of THEBOARDCHECKUP, Mr. Maurice O’Connor, Chair of the board of MS Ireland and Ms Jacinta Kelly, Vice Chair discuss the practice of self-assessing board performance. The episode begins with important background information on the mission of MS Ireland organization, characteristics of the organization and board, and changes in the regulatory environment affecting charities in the Republic of Ireland, including a new charities regulator, governance code and accountability to comply with governance standards.

Experience with the process of self-assessing board performance and making change in the board is shared, including,

· Connecting the board to the mission in board meetings

· Clarifying the board’s role in fundraising

· Aligning board work to strategic priorities

· Exploring board member effectiveness and the equity of contributions

An important research question is raised during the interview about the impact of rules and regulations on board effectiveness, specifically, does it make boards more effective. Following the interview, I address the research question, lessons I learned from the case, and the elements that make the case of MS Ireland another great board love story.

In this episode of THEBOARDCHECKUP, the focus is the Case for Board Performance Assessment to Prevent Child Abuse in New York State. Mr. Timothy Hathaway, Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse New York, Dr. Vincent Palusci, Board Chair, and Mr. Zakhar Berkovich, Treasurer share their experience with the practice of performance assessment and how it helped the board and staff work more collaboratively as a team to advance the mission of preventing child abuse by building strong families and communities in New York State.

This episode has some informative and powerful exchanges around the following topics:

• The mission and characteristics of the organization and board.

• The challenges of governing a statewide organization and mixed model board that works collaboratively with staff in planning and implementing policy.

• The importance of leaning into challenges, deciding change in the board and aligning them with strategy.

• The process of self-assessing performance using technology, the involvement of staff in the process and the impact it had on board governance and leadership of the organization.

• Advice for boards and consultants who work with boards on ways to improve governance practice.

Following the interview, I reflect on the lessons I learned from the board and organization and the elements that make this case another great board love story.

In this episode of THEBOARDCHECKUP, I speak with Chief Development Officer of Corner Stones of Care, Dr. Chad Harris about his experience helping the boards he is associated with grow in leadership and governance effectiveness through the practice of board performance assessment.

I think you will find Chad’s approach to the practice holistic and leadership of the process helpful, particularly for boards that are going through a merger and rethinking their governance arrangements. It will also be of interest to consultants and leaders on the board who are charged with facilitating the practice in ways that optimize board engagement, learning and development.

Following the interview, I reflect on the lessons we learned from Chad’s leadership of the process and experience with Board Checkup. I conclude with a summary of the elements that make this case another great board love story.

In this board performance case study series, I interview boards who self-assessed performance for the very first time using an online application known as Board Checkup.

In Episode 1, The Case of the Board of EIL Ireland, I interview the CEO and Board Chair to explore what motivated them to self-assess board performance, how they coordinated and implemented the process, what they found and discussed, the changes they made, lessons learned and advice for other boards considering the practice.

Following the interview, are eight lessons that emerged from the case that align with our research on the impact of the practice of performance assessment on the leadership of the board, Board Chair, and CEO on the EIL organization. The case concludes with board performance assessment and development resources.