IPRA Board Leadership Academy

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IPRA Board Leadership Academy

• How to be an Effective Board Member/

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Importance of Boards

• The United States is founded on the principle
  that an effective government is run by the
  people, for the people. The influence of this
  democratically representative style of government
  can also be found in almost every business and
  social organization in the U.S. The most common
  manifestation of this style of governing is the
  board, a social body with which almost every
  citizen, living anywhere in the country, has
  contact. For instance, if one works for a private
  or public corporation, then the conditions of
  ones employment, union or non-union, are
  governed by a board. This citizens children will
  be educated in schools, colleges, and
  universities whose policies are controlled by
  boards of trustees. The place where the family
  worships may be influenced by a board. The little
  league or soccer team on which the children play
  will follow rules established by a board. If this
  citizen donates to charity or is a recipient of
  charity, it is likely that the money he or she
  gives or receives is probably regulated by a
  board or commission that has been formed to make
  mutually agreeable decisions on the behalf of
  others.

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Importance of Boards

• Boards help insulate groupsfrom big corporations
  to small non-profits to park and recreation
  departmentsfrom the difficulties that arise when
  only one person is in charge.
• Most organizations in America are influenced by
  boards in one form or another.
• Generally speaking, boards help maintain
  accountability to stakeholders and interested
  parties, and offer a broader range of ideas than
  those that tend to spring from any one persons
  head, no matter how brilliant that person.

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Board Structure and Administration

• Organizational structure is critical to a boards
  smooth functioning, giving a framework in which
  action can occur.
• Offices usually prescribed
• Chairperson (President)
• Vice chair (Vice President)
• Secretary
• Treasurer

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Bylaws

• Guiding document
• See IPRA Bylaws

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Chairperson/President

• Facilitating the boards decision-making process.
  
• This position calls for the presiding member to
  step away from his or her ego in order to beand
  be seen asneutral.
• He or she should also have a comprehensive
  understanding of Roberts Rules of Order and
  should set an example of conformity to these
  rules.
• As a regular member dealing with a board chair,
  it is helpful to keep in mind that the
  chairperson may also feel personally invested in
  the actions of the board.
• Not in the boards best interest for its members
  to become too upset should the chairperson
  express a personal opinion now and again.

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Vice-chair/Vice-president

• Leads board meetings in the absence of the chair
• This person should be competent to act as chair
• Should be familiar with the basics of Roberts
  Rules of Order
• Learning position

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Secretary

• Although board officers must usually be board
  members, some bylaws allow the board to appoint a
  secretary outside the board, but without voting
  privileges.
• The secretary is responsible for compiling the
  minutes between meetings and tracking any changes
  to the boards by-laws.

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Treasurer

• The treasurer is responsible for making an annual
  financial report and in some cases quarterly or
  even monthly reports as well.

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Board Committees

• Standing Committees
• Special Committees

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Standing Committees

• Appointed by the chairperson/president and
  consist of three or more board members.
• Budget and finance
• Personnel
• Policy
• The standing committees are generally a permanent
  part of the organizational structure as described
  in the bylaws.
• Give responsibility for a particular phase of
  board operation to selected members who, in turn,
  advise the board as a whole.
• Gives more opportunity for individual members to
  become deeply informed and involved.
• Provide for in-depth study and discussion of
  proposals normally outside the view of the
  general membership.

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Standing Committees

• Arguments against the use of standing committees
• Not all members are privy to the give-and-take of
  discussions leading up to a recommendation to the
  entire board
• Require extra time from the board members, time
  people may not be willing to give

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Special Committees

• Special (ad hoc or single purpose) committees may
  include board members but can also include other
  members from the membership
• Request may come from the Chairperson or from the
  board as a whole
• Exists only until the specified task has been
  completed and reported to the assigning authority
• Advantage--the board may use the strengths and
  expertise of talented association members to
  develop ideas

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Board Member Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights of Board Members
• Access
• Voting
• Procedural

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Access Rights

• Receive notices of meetings
• Attend board meetings
• Have access to minutes, staff reports, and other
  correspondence related to agenda items of all
  meetings
• Receive the treasurers report
• Receive a copy of the organizations bylaws
• Voting Rights
• Make motions
• Second motions (when they need a second)
• Debate motions (when they can be debated)
• Vote on motions (except those with which the
  person has a conflict of interest)
• Nominate people for office
• Be nominated for office
• Elect people to office
• Be elected to office
• Procedural Rights, which establish your right to
• Know the meaning of the question people are
  debating
• Object when rules are being violated
• Appeal the decision of the chair
• Not have to suffer personal abuse and attack

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Voting Rights

• Voting Rights
• Make motions
• Second motions (when they need a second)
• Debate motions (when they can be debated)
• Vote on motions (except those with which the
  person has a conflict of interest)
• Nominate people for office
• Be nominated for office
• Elect people to office
• Be elected to office

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Procedural Rights

• Understand the meaning of the question people are
  debating
• Object when rules are being violated
• Appeal the decision of the chair
• Not have to suffer personal abuse and attack

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Responsibilities of Board Members

• Organizational
• Communication
• General

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Organizational Responsibilities

• Attend meetings
• Be on time
• Stay until the end of the meeting
• Follow the rules of debate
• Insist on law and order at meetings
• Be familiar with the basic rules of parliamentary
  law
• Obey the rules of the organization
• Be familiar with the organizations bylaws
• Vary committee work
• Respect the chairs and other members opinions
  and rulings

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Communication Responsibilities

• Be ready to talk knowledgeably and intelligently
  on a topic
• Be attentive
• Be open-minded
• Treat everyone with courtesy
• Speak openly, but also let others have their turn
• Make a point concisely
• Attack issues, not people
• Work to create dignity and decorum
• Participate actively in the meetings
• Work with others in a cooperative fashion
• Respect the rights of others

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General Responsibilities

• Abide by the final decision of the majority
• Select qualified officers
• Participate in committees
• Promote the organizations growth and influence
• Enhance the organizations reputation

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Self Assessment Exercise

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Practicing Effective Board Membership

• Tips on how to be an effective and participating
  member of your board
• Avoid holding grudges, even if you happen to lose
  a pet project
• Avoid creating tensioninstead, try seeing the
  other point of view by using the hat switching
  technique
• Leave the back door open, dont paint yourself
  into a corner, and dont burn bridges
• Remember, little or no progress is ever made
  without compromise
• Compliment before disagreeing
• Avoid being rude
• Know the difference between hearing and
  listening--hearing is perceiving sound, while
  listening is hearing with careful attention
• Put your built-in prejudices aside (we all have
  them), so you can make decisions in the best
  interest of the community

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Small Groups

• Discuss of the rights, duties, and functions of
  your board and write them down.
• Based on what has been presented, do you observe
  any differences in the rights, duties, and
  functions of your board?
• Why do you think those differences exist?

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Practicing Effective Board Membership

• Pay close attention and avoid situations such as
  the one faced by a school board when they decided
  their district needed a new school and passed the
  following resolution
• Be it resolved that this school district shall
  construct a new school building, and be it
  further resolved that, in view of the increasing
  costs of materials, the new building shall be
  constructed of the materials now in the existing
  school building, and be it finally resolved that
  to avoid interruption of school functions the
  present school building shall be continued in use
  until the new school is ready for occupancy.
• Always, always, make sure you understand what is
  being voted on and any implications such a vote
  may have over time

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Nurturing the Board

• Good boards are the result of hard work they do
  not just happen
• Board Member training is necessary
• New board members should have an opportunity to
  spend time in a well-structured orientation
  program so that they feel comfortable
  participating in the affairs of the board from
  the very beginning.
• Board member manuals should be distributed during
  orientation and reviewed page by page
• http//www.asaecenter.org

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Conducting a Meeting

• Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
• One thing at a time
• Courtesy and justice for all
• The minority has the right to be heard
• The majority rules

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Conducting a Meeting

• Use interaction or consensus whenever you can
• Look for ways everybody can win
• Try to identify when disagreements are really
  misunderstandings
• Avoid votes (win/lose) where you can get
  consensus
• Dont allow a few to dominate
• Give everyone who wants a chance to speak before
  returning to someone who has already spoken

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Conducting a Meeting

• Use interaction or consensus whenever you can
• Alternate between points of view
• Ask questions of those who dont offer a
  viewpoint
• Dont let group members put each other down
  evaluate ideas, not people

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Conducting a Meeting

• Ask questions to
• Open discussion
• Guide discussion
• Clarify thinking (make sure you understand the
  point being made.)
• Check to see if you have consensus
• Involve non-participants
• Obtain information
• Limit or end discussion

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Conducting a Meeting

• Tips for the Chairperson
• Lead the board to evaluate its performance
• Regularly return to what is adopted about the
  boards job
• Has the board followed through?
• Is the board behaving the way it said it would?

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Conducting a Meeting

• Tips for the Chairperson
• Take responsibility for the agenda
• Dont leave the agenda to staff
• Meet with the director to review and get input on
  agenda items
• Develop agendas to meet commission goals

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What Goes Wrong with Meetings?

• They start late
• They run too long
• Theyre disorganized, nothing is accomplished,
  time is wasted
• Theres no agenda, no one knows what to do
• People are unprepared to participate effectively

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What Goes Wrong with Meetings?

• One or two people dominate. No one else can
  contribute
• Not everyone who is needed is there
• People hold private conversations, distract other
  participants
• People are afraid to offer their real opinions

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IPRA Strategic Plan

• Engage constituents
• List of 5 people you promise to contact