Board Vitality
Maintaining board vitality requires attention and recognition, what are some of the ways you can enhance the effectiveness of your board while staying within your budget?
Providing door prizes that market our logo also keep dinner simple which also helps time management and cost.
Ignacio,
Absolutely, but they need to be able to respond to the issues in the proper context. This is why it's extremely important to have an effective board nominating and on-boarding process. In addition, both governing and advisory broads should receive regular updates in the institutional environment to be able to place their decision making in the most up-to-date context.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
I completely agree- Board members should have first-hand contact with the actual activities of the school, that will give them a clear context view that would enhance effectiveness of the board
Michael,
Your post has captured the essence of the the type of "symbiotic" relationship that reinforces the commitment of an institution to its board, which in turn generates a return commitment from the board to the institution. Active and engaged boards are in fact, the life blood of an organization and if the organization conveys the type of respect you have illustrated, the board will outperform and exceed expectations. As you've stated, clear communications between the board and institution are essential and reinforce the mutual respect and a synergistic relationship. Conveying appreciation to board members cannot be underestimated and I suspect the massage your offer is a valued expression of that appreciation, which I'm sure generates an even stronger connection. I'm sure following the path you've alluded to in your post will continue to reap benefits in your future relations with your board members.
Best regards,
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Vitality, I believe can be described as energy. Momentum takes place when energy is used to get a certain result. Developing a fluidity, a willingness to develop a varied approach to challenges the board faces creates a symbiotic collaborative resolution. The word 'Bio' in Symbiotic means, 'energy', the life force of the body or in this case,the board.
In creating a cohesive, cooperative board, I feel it is important to value and appreciate each individuals contribution. Feeling valued supports an environment of growth and expansiveness.
Ways that I choose to support board members are through maintaining clear communication of such value. I also encourage developmental opportunities for board members eg. workshops, seminars and offsite meetings. When my budget does not allow for guest speakers, I tend to use a suitable individual from our college as lead for the event.
Recognizing and rewarding individuals with low cost rewards eg, massage at the college has proven to enhance a feeling of good spirit and connectedness within the board.
Jeanne,
Absolutely! The goal to not only have an effective meeting, but to also demonstrate appreciation and respect to your board members.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Although effective, traditional retreats can be expensive. To keep in budget, take advantage of the effectiveness of retreats by holding the event locally, but in a manner that gives the sense that the board is a remote location.
Timothy ,
Absolutely, these types of events generate a lot of goodwill, especially if you acknowledge someone (involved with your school) as a contributor to the school and the community. Think about involving your local Chamber of Commerce or other civic minded organizations in these types of events.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
I like the idea of service awards. Certificates and frames are inexpensive.
Presented at school functions in front of various stakeholder communities would be great. It doesn't cost anything to invite media, send news releases and include student groups in the ceremony.
Carolyn,
One more suggestion, consider having your board members attend commencement exercises and have them hand out diplomas or offer congratulations to graduates as they cross the stage. Depending on the size of the graduating class, it could be divided up among the number of board members present.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
The information presented in module 4 has renewed my commitment to develop our Advisory Board. I especially liked the suggestion of asking Board Members to participate in mock interviews - this would work well in our Professional Development course. I think students will take the opportunity more seriously if someone other than the instructor conducts the interview. The Board Member as guest speaker suggestion would also work well in our environment. I can see where that opportunity would engage the Board Member and facilitate their commitment to the school by allowing direct interaction with students. One recognition method that wasn't mentioned is the inclusion of Board Member names in the Graduation programs. These programs are often kept as mementos by students and families, so the recognition of the Board and their contributions to the school has the potential to reach far into the community. I appreciate the forum and will use many of the suggested methods of Board recognition.
John,
Good suggestion! Depending on the distance from the campus, "Go To Meeting" may or may not be an effective way to conduct your meetings. The value of the committee members visiting the campus to gain a feel for the environment, meet staff and see students is invaluable to their understanding of the mission and goals. If you used Go to Meeting or some other web-based meeting service, I would recommend that your virtual meetings not exceed one hour in total length and that your agendas be very purposeful and directed by a good facilitator, it's just too easy for people to "multitask" and get distracted in their offices.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
In order to keep board members engaged in the institution's activities, communication between meetings is imperative. One form of communication which does not encumber the member's time that may require travel to the school is the use of GoToMeetings.
I had no idea so much was involved in the duties of director/advisory boards.Just starting up a small school, there are so many pieces, but by this training, insight has certainly been gained.
We have recently included recognition of our board members ( a few at a time) during graduation ceremonies. We present them with an award of appreciation and ask them to share a few words with our graduating students and their families. This has proven to enhance the school's relationship with these professionals.
Along with the material in Module 4 there were some great comments in the forum here about different/creative ways to recognize board members. Since we are a very small school, my first thought had been that Service Awards would be the most effective way that our school could recognize and award a member, keeping within our budget. However, some of the other participants in this forum had great ideas. I really like the idea of utilizing free advertising space to highlight a member, and while thinking about this creative method I started to think about an e-newsletter that we circulate on a monthly basis to about 10,000 employers and industry related individuals. This could be a great way for us to "publicize" a special board member who deserved recognition.
Our college offers students to board members' facilities for hands-on-training. This provides the advisors firsthand observation of how effectively the students are trained and an opportunity for a lengthy working interview to the student. Likewise high student profiles demonstrate to the facilities' administrations the focused involvement of their staff members in the development of qualified staff. Personal recognition is achieved through certificates and plaques. Likewise spontaneous visits with gifts of sweets and coffee spotlights specific staff's efforts with the college. We are mindful advisory board members use their involvement with our college to further their professional development.
Just remain focused on your goals.
I strongly agree with this. I will try this at my school.
