Synopses & Reviews
Nonprofit boards must rethink their roles if they are to thrive in today's uncertain environment. In
Transformational Boards, Byron L. Tweeten goes beyond telling what it takes to be a good board member to explain how boards today must become fully engaged if they are to face the intense forces of change that will affect most nonprofit organizations.
This vital resource is specifically designed to help nonprofit boards lead their organizations through times of change and transformation. Step by step, Tweeten guides readers through the process of setting a core agenda that both preserves a nonprofit's mission and is responsive to changes and trends in the organization and the external environment. Using the action steps outlined in the book, a board can develop the flexibility to move freely around this center, adapting to change while maintaining its organization's primary mission. The author's model focuses on creating a framework for board engagement that can support ongoing change-offering a practical and flexible approach.
Byron Tweeten details the key issues that fully engaged boards must address in order to provide optimal leadership for organizations. He examines ways to effectively recruit both board members and senior management, techniques for building on relationships to position and market an organization, and a range of resource solutions-including fundraising, process redesign, enterprise development, collaboration, and stewardship-to develop revenues for organizations that can no longer depend on one resource to support their missions. And Tweeten emphasizes the need for performance evaluation in order to keep board members and management on track toward reaching their objectives.
Review
"Transformational Boards
provides practical advice for leaders to assist boards in understanding that steadfastness to mission requires constant assessment and implementation of new strategies to achieve it." — H. Nicholas Muller III, president and CEO, The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
"Byron Tweeten does a masterful job in defining, describing, and outlining the necessary philosophies and activities an organization's leadership must undertake to be effective in today's ever-changing environment-a must read for board and senior management."
— Doug Tieman, president and CEO, Caron Foundation, Wernersville, Pennsylvania
"This book presents a proactive new vision of leadership that responds to the context and environment of the 21st Century. This is an extremely valuable tool for every board of a nonprofit organization wherever it exists."
— Musimbi Kanyoro, general secretary, World YMCA, Geneva, Switzerland
"It's a book about how to engage the board in meaningful roles. I found it very helpful."
— Charles Wright, chairman, Goodwill Industries of Southeast Wisconsin and Metro Chicago, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"We plan on using this book as a study guide for a board development process."
— Paul Ramseth, board chairman, Lutheran Community Foundation
"As a board member of several not-for-profit organizations, I find the practical tips and understandable writing to be very helpful in understanding my role."
— Chris Bauer, chairman of the board, Next Door Foundation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Synopsis
Organized as a quick and user-friendly roadmap for board members and chief executive officers as they reflect on their roles and duties together,
Transformational Boards offers an engagement framework for board leadership designed to help boards lead their organizations through times of change. Using this proven, highly effective model, boards and CEOs work closely together to set responsibilities, outcomes, and strategic direction for the organization. Byron Tweeten identifies key issues with supporting research, presents practical how-to examples and advice, and includes questions that will stimulate further thinking and discussion.
About the Author
Byron L. Tweeten is the founder and chief executive officer of Growth Design Corporation, an international resource and consulting firm working with nonprofits. He has designed resource strategies for national health care organizations, global religious organizations, community development initiatives, and colleges and universities including a national ten-campus system. A well-respected facilitator for organizational growth and strategist throughout the nonprofit community, he is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars in the U.S. and Europe.
Table of Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv
The Author xix
About Growth Design Corporation xxi
Introduction: Nonprofit Boards Face Change 1
1. Leadership Recruitment 17
2. Preparation for High Performance 43
3. Policy Review and Formation 61
4. Continuous Thinking and Planning 77
5. Positioning and Public Relations 103
6. Financial Resource Solutions 125
7. Performance Evaluation 159
8. A Final Word: The Future of Board Leadership 173
Checklist for Engaged Boards 189
Resources 193
References 201
Index 203