Should you have a Board Retreat?
My answer is No. Let’s have a board advance! Let’s focus on the future!
Time spent at Board Meetings is often spent addressing the day to day operational issues that can be all consuming and tedious. A Board Advance gives you the freedom to take a step back and focus on the “big questions” in a more deliberate way. You can use this time to focus on a special topic. For example, if you work with veterans, how will the recent crisis with Wounded Warriors impact giving to your organization by donors? What new strategies might you need to consider in your existing plan to accommodate for an event with global repercussions? Who could you partner with to deliver a comprehensive program to address the gaps in service experienced by your clients?
A Board Advance is also an ideal time to reflect on your performance as a Board, and ensure that your organization is in the best position to represent your community’s evolving needs. Perhaps your committee structure is not working the way it once did. Or maybe your organization has transitioned to a different lifecycle stage and the board’s contributions, role and skillsets need to be re-evaluated. A board advance offers the perfect opportunity to address these types of issues.
Your job as a governance entity is to make the big decisions and set direction to improve the lives of the individuals you serve. If your board members are committed and you have some big decisions ahead of you, now might be the perfect time to consider a Board Advance.
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Inspiring Others: The Language of Leadership
Knowing and understanding, how your words and actions affect others is an important leadership skill. As Board Chair you are called upon daily to inspire and motivate a group of volunteers – your board member colleagues who come together once a month – towards a shared purpose and set of goals.
Yet few understand the crucial role of effective communication and emotional intelligence. These are less tangible leadership skills but arguably the most critical. The best leaders find ways to deliver difficult messages in a powerful, optimistic way, and recognize how to handle their own and other people’s emotions.
Think about how your words inspire trust and build effective relationships internally and externally. You are not responsible for how others interpret what you say. But, what you say and when and how you say it, inspires others to act. Here are our top tips for effective communication:
- The right conversation in the wrong mood – your mood or the person you are talking with – is the wrong conversation! Moods impact results!
- Listen to others first before you speak. Learn from what you hear. Most of us speak first!
- Don’t tell others what to do. You may have a compliant team, but you won’t have a committed team of willing, motivated participants.
- Start a conversation with the outcome in mind. Before going to any meeting, what is the desired result? It’s much easier to keep on track if you know the result you want to achieve.
Contact us for more information at nadia@emergingexecutive.com on “The Language of Leadership” workshop or for individual executive coaching.
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Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) Awareness Day
Massachusetts was the first state in the country to have an annual Nonprofit Awareness Day, which was recognized and signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008
On Monday, June 27, 2016, hundreds of nonprofit and business leaders, plus elected officials celebrate the work of the nonprofit sector and raise awareness of causes throughout the state at MNN’s annual celebration of Nonprofit Awareness Day, presented by Citizens Bank. The highlight of the celebration, the Nonprofit Excellence Awards, will be presented to seven nonprofit organizations and employees that exemplify the most innovative, creative and effective work being done throughout the Commonwealth. View the 30 amazing finalists who are improving communities across the Commonwealth, from The Berkshires to the Cape & Islands.
Register for this great event at http://www.massnonprofitnet.org/training-and-events/nonprofit-awareness-day/2016-nonprofit-awareness-day/
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YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND
Upcoming Public Workshops led by Nadia Prescott
Location: Cambridge College of Adult Education,
42 Brattle Street, Cambridge MA.
Register at www.ccae.org
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Developing and Maintaining the Right Board for Your Nonprofit Organization
June 15 & 22 2016
7.45 - 9.15 PM.
Cost $60
If you are considering becoming a board member, or you are a board member and want to strengthen your board, come to this workshop. You will learn how to be a great board member, understand the people most suited to the lifecycle stage of your organization and best practices on attracting and keeping board members who will best advance your mission.
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Grant Writing 101
Tuesdays. 6pm – 7.30pm.
Starting June 14th for five weeks.
Cost: $165
Considering a career in development or seeking funding for a specific nonprofit? Learn how to identify funders, understand different types of support, create a budget, and cultivate prospective funders. We’ll review examples of winning proposals and trends in philanthropy to identify the best ways to seek and secure funding.
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Fundraising 101
Wednesdays for Two Weeks
6pm – 7.30pm
June 15 and 22, 2016
Cost $60
Fundraising 101 will provide quick, practical information you can start using immediately as a grassroots nonprofit to understand different fundraising techniques that are easy to carry out and don’t require significant funds or an extensive knowledge of fundraising. You will also learn how to help your board and volunteers become savvy advocates for your organization and the basic tools essential to organize all your fundraising activities. This is most suitable for grassroots organization looking to start or accelerate their fundraising.
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At Emerging Executive we are very animal friendly, specifically avian friendly! New to the family are Rhonda's 16 Guinea fowl that arrived in the mail last week. Yes you read correctly, in the mail!
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Did you know that when this little gal becomes an adult guinea hen, she'll be able to keep an entire acre of land tick free?
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Book Recommendation
The Happiness Project, a book by Gretchen Rubin. Have you ever thought about dedicating a year to your happiness? This is a compulsive entertaining read about Gretchen’s 12 month adventure testing science and old wives tales on how to be happy. It's a compulsive read! Some of her conclusions: money can buy happiness when spent wisely. And novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness. As an added bonus, you may come away with great insights that can apply to your own life.
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A Quick Reminder
Our services at Emerging Executive help nonprofit organizations realize their potential and deliver on their mission. Projects are tailored to each client and recognize the importance of both organizational and personal learning in achieving sustainable transformations. They include the most appropriate combination of consulting, executive coaching, or training for your organization, and always incorporates practical experience and feedback. Services include: board and leadership development, executive coaching, strategic planning, organizational assessments and grant writing.
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“We have had the good fortune of working with Nadia for four years now on our annual strategic planning offsite. I've been consistently impressed with her ability to immerse herself in our mission, our values and our growth challenges. She tackles the most ambitious of agendas with ease, providing a truly successful balance between both broad and in-depth discussions”
Sue Chaffee Cuyler Alray Scholars Program
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