Transcript Business Administration 101 Board and Committee Formation

June 11, 2011
Business Administration 101
Board and Committee Formation and Operation
Kevin Barron
Charlene Gaus
Director Volunteer Services
Regional Director Volunteer Services
Martin Cepeda
President Montgomery County Chapter
Do these three areas really go
together?
 Board Development
 Diversity
 Succession Planning
From the Beginning . . .
 Strategic focus is needed to function and prioritize
 Increased institutional integration (needs of the Penn
State Alumni Association and University)
 Professional individuals act as an arm of the overall
Penn State Alumni Association
Build-a-Board
Diversity Factors
Skills and Talents
Values and Qualities
Mission and Vision
Don’t Leapfrog!
1st commitment
2nd consistent vision
Step ONE: Mission and Vision
•Board members who truly want the
organization to strengthen
Diversity Factors
Skills and Talents
Values and Qualities
Mission and Vision
•He or she must demonstrate a genuine
commitment to the mission
•There must be a true willingness to
dedicate their talent, time, and treasure
Your MISSION – Should You choose
to Accept It . .
 Answer the basic question: “Why do we exist?”
 Provide direction when the organization needs to
adapt in any way
 Attract volunteers, donors, and community
involvement
 Reflect the mission of the Penn State Alumni
Association
VISION – The Future
 What is the ideal goal of the organization
 Think of it as the “dream” of the organization – where
do we want to be?
 Mission and Vision do go hand in hand
Step TWO: Values and Qualities
•Passion
•Confidence
•Integrity
•Selflessness
•Adaptability
•Likeability
Diversity Factors
•Optimism
•Others?
Skills and Talents
•Humility
Values and Qualities
Mission and Vision
Step THREE: Skills and Talents
•Match the affiliate group’s needs with individual skills
•Continuously identify the skills needed to impact mission
•Balance the styles and skills
What are these skills?
Diversity Factors
Skills and Talents
Values and Qualities
Mission and Vision
Accounting
Attorney
Marketing
Education
Other ideas?
Step FOUR: Diversity Factors
First question to ask –
Does our board reflect our community?
•Gender
•Education level
Diversity Factors
•Ethnicity
•Profession
Skills and Talents
•Age
•Male/Female
•Geography
•Other factors?
Values and Qualities
Mission and Vision
We know who we are looking for…
So, where do we find them?
Places to Look:
 Previous and current board 
members

 Within current general
membership

 Faculty and Staff

 Social networking

 Retirement communities

 Professional community
Schools
Other civic and volunteer
groups
Non-chapter social events
Places of worship
Data pulls
Other ideas?
•Weave it into the entire process
•Look to our internal groups (alumni and university-wide)
•It is not just the right thing to do – it is smart business
Make the Ask - Then Close the Deal!
 Remember the pyramid
 Know your needs
 Research the
 Be honest about


volunteer/candidates
 Understand/determine their
strengths

 Personalize the ask

 Use job descriptions
commitment needed
Show benefits
Sell the opportunity to get
involved
No doesn’t mean No
Close the “deal” w/ the
agreement form
Agreement Forms = Clear Expectations
 Agreement between current and new volunteer
 Allows for clear expectations
 Chance to review job descriptions
 Allows each party to agree on volunteer levels
 Shows the volunteer that this is not a lifetime commitment
– we respect their time
Now What?
 Establish meeting times well in advance
 Communicate regularly
 Limit meetings based off of board preferences and needs
 75-25 (strategic vs. reporting out)
 Bylaws/Constitution
 Committee meetings as needed/warranted
The minute you think you've got it
made, disaster is just around the
corner.
Coach Joe Paterno
Uhhhh. . .We’ve Got a Problem Here
 The Board for Life
 The Big Board
 The Hands on Board
 The Robert’s Rules Board
What is your board’s most pressing dilemma?
“I can't stand to sing the same song
the same way two nights in succession,
let alone two years or ten years.
If you can, then it ain't music, it's
close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or
something, not music.”
Billie Holiday
Succession Planning
In organizational development, succession planning is the
process of identifying and preparing suitable employees
through mentoring, training and job rotation, to replace key
players — such as the chief executive officer (CEO) — within
an organization as their terms expire.
Succession Planning involves having senior executives
periodically review their top executives and those in the next
lower level to determine several backups for each senior
position. This is important because it often takes years of
grooming to develop effective senior managers.
Road Blocks Ahead
 Reluctant to undertake new initiatives because they
may not be there to see the success
 Perception of dissatisfaction with performance
 Ignorance of the need – the “someone will do it”
mentality
Continuous Quality Leadership
Plan For The Future
Right People for the Right Job
Needs of the Group
Board Decisions
Succession Models
• What does your board’s
President
succession plan look like?
• Are succession plans
“worked” regularly?
Vice President
• When do these
conversations occur and
who is involved?
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership Chair
Recognize and Evaluate REGULARLY




Be social
Recognize on a formal and informal basis
Remember special occasions
Participate in Penn State Alumni Association award
programs
 Informal evaluations on regular basis
 Annual Self Assessment
 Survey Says….
The Pieces Do Fit
Together
Board Development
Diversity
Succession planning