The following is an excerpt from NCA’s publication Board Toolkit: Club Leadership Essentials. To purchase a copy of the Toolkit, please click the following link. Members must be logged in to receive discounted pricing.
One of the crucial functions of any board, is to monitor and evaluate a club’s advancement in fulfilling its mission and, more specifically, in meeting previously set goals. The board needs to consider how results-oriented it is in measuring the club’s advancement toward mission, understanding its programs, and evaluating their performance. Actions to achieve these goals include identifying 1) standards against which to measure club performance and 2) performance metrics to track. Developing strategies and performance metrics for the board to track results and measure the impact of programs and services will help engage board members more and help with setting the strategic direction for the future by knowing what is working well now and where change is necessary.
The staff can facilitate this process by providing accurate, timely and relevant reports for board inspection, such as financial, membership, programs, etc. This cannot be accomplished, though, by simply overwhelming board members with excessive and overly detailed data. One approach staff can take is dashboard reporting, which makes it possible to present succinct, easily readable performance indicators that allow the board to view the club’s status at a glance. Being able to quickly review program results can generate more time in board meetings for more meaningful discussions and allow the board to monitor in a timely fashion the progress of its work. The board should let staff know what information is most useful, and staff can work with appropriate committees to develop effective dashboard reports.
The board also needs to build a culture of inquiry to ensure that all voices are heard and that solutions are based on analysis and not assumptions. As board members become better educated about programs and initiatives, the board will begin to deliberate differently —changing from a potential culture of politeness to allowing for honest, meaningful debate on important issues, and seeking information from other sources and different opinions. There will then be an open and accepted interchange of ideas and opinions and the development of leadership at all levels.