Doing Good Better: How to be an Effective Board Member of a Nonprofit Organization

by Edgar Stoesz

Overview

This trusted handbook for nonprofit board service is newly revised and includes new case studies and even more tips and ideas from the trenches of nonprofit board work. Doing Good Better is approachable wisdom. Edgar Stoesz has made Doing Good Better a guidebook for both board members of nonprofits, whether new to the task, or highly experienced.

First, Stoesz identifies two failings common to many boards of nonprofit organizations that are often overlooked:

1. A board’s governance role is very different from the role of management. “Making this distinction requires a reorientation for most board member, because in their day jobs, they are managers or employees.”
2. Boards often fail at two matters: a.) preparation of their members, and b.) regular evaluations of their own effectiveness and focus.

In short, pointedly-written chapters, Stoesz covers:

Helping Directors Understand Their Governance Role
A Plan to Fulfill the Purpose
Reporting Back to the Members
Planning Effective Meetings
Great Boards Have a Good Fight (occasionally)
Working Your Way Through a Crisis
Great Boards Celebrate
Leaving Right

Stoesz deftly interweaves background philosophy, vision, and razor-sharp specific ideas. "Discussion/Action Questions” conclude many of the chapters. In addition, Stoesz offers a “Board Evaluation Form,” a “Director’s Self-Evaluation Form,” and an outline for the “Executive Director Annual Review.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781680990843
Publisher:	Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date:	06/09/2015
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	855,163
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Edgar Stoesz has spent most of his adult life in nonprofit organizations, both as director and employee. He has been active on the board of Habitat for Humanity, International, serving as Chair from 1991 to 1995. Additionally he has chaired the boards of Heifer Project, International; the American Leprosy Mission; and Hospital Albert Schweitzer. Stoesz has addressed or conducted workshops for more than 200 boards. He lives in Akron, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Preface to the Revised and Updated Edition ix

1 Organizational Greatness Begins with Great People 1

2 Helping Directors Understand Their Governance Role 6

3 Defining the Purpose-Duty #1 11

4 Planning to Fulfill the Purpose-Duty #2 16

5 Fulfilling the Purpose Through Delegation-Duty #3 22

6 Resourcing the Plan-Duty #4 28

7 Monitoring and Evaluating Performance-Duty #5 33

8 Serving the Membership-Duty #6 39

9 Better Meetings 44

10 Consent to Dissent 50

11 Governing Through Policies 54

12 Boardroom Behavior 59

13 The Role of the Chairperson 64

14 The Minute Record 69

15 The Board Role in Fundraising 74

16 Board Committees-Getting More with Less 79

17 Budget-A Necessary Management Tool 86

18 Helping Directors Become Great Leaders 91

19 Smelling Salts for Troubled Organizations 95

20 Spirituality in the Boardroom-Beyond Seeing 102

21 Under the Shadow of Litigation 108

22 Lighten Up-A Place for Humor and Celebration 113

23 Ending Well 117

Afterword 122

Exhibits

A Board Self-Assessment Form 124

B CEO Annual Review Outline 129

C Director Self-Assessment Form 133

D CEO Search Checklist 135

E Writing Effective Proposals 139

F Governance Guidelines: A Model for Start-Ups 141

About the Author 144