I advise the nonprofits with which I work to dedicate at least one board meeting each year to reviewing the strategic plan and the organization’s progress towards their shared goals. This same meeting not only presents an opportunity for the executive director or president to present the key elements of the action plan for the…
In the strategic planning work we do at Starboard Leadership Consulting, it is not unusual for us to engage in discussions about organizational values. While the mission succinctly tells people who you are and why you are in business, value statements describe what you care about, how you treat people, and what you value most….
If your recruitment process has reached the point where you are ready to sit down with your prospective board candidate and make the ask, give some consideration to the following tips for managing a successful meeting: Be clear on what you want to cover and who will do what – This should not be an…
We advise our clients to give careful thought to how they will orient their new board members before they recruit them. Think about the message it sends to the board prospect if, during the recruitment meeting, you are able say: “If you join the board, we will be hosting an orientation in August where you…
For years we’ve been telling anyone who will listen “Not having a strategic plan is like trying to sail without a rudder.” Without a strategic plan, you are at the mercy of the changing winds with little control over how far you’ll drift or where you’ll end up. Of course, while there are lots more…
One of the major issues facing nonprofit boards is the burnout of key members and leaders, which is often a byproduct of a lack of board development and leadership succession. While most boards understand the inherent risks that overdependence on key members can create, they nevertheless continue to struggle with doing anything about it and,…
After investing significant amounts of time and money developing a strategic plan, nonprofits often struggle with “operationalizing” their plans, squandering opportunities the planning process has created and rendering a low return on the time and resources they’ve invested. In order to successfully turn your strategies into actions, think of the plan as a multi-layered process…
Searching for a new leader and ensuring a smooth transition from one leader to the next are two different things. While some search committees end-up being called the “transition committee,” and may even find that their work extends beyond the search, we recommend nonprofit boards consider having one committee for the search and a separate…
While most nonprofit board members appreciate that one of their core responsibilities is, as they often put it, to “hire and fire” the chief executive, they usually work very hard to avoid doing either. Leadership transitions can be traumatic moments for organizations, especially if they aren’t carefully planned. Yet, when I ask board members if…
From the start the training is geared toward the individual as well as the specific company while maintaining a broader overview of the topics. Mary was a great presenter, an excellent listener, and overall made this an enjoyable experience unlike the typical training programs.
Starboard’s team took the time to get to understand our project and the motivations behind it, offering honest feedback and clear steps we could take to bolster our future campaign.
Starboard Leadership played a key role in Maine Discovery Museum’s most recent strategic plan. Thanks to Starboard, MDM’s Executive Team and Board of Directors were able to craft a solid, inspirational, and meaningful plan – one that has been our guidepost since completion.
The training provided by Mary Budd of Starboard Leadership not only met our expectations but exceeded them. Our mission with this training was to provide our leadership staff (both new leaders and experienced leaders) with a tool to help them with building strong teams, encourage employee engagement on their individual teams and facilitate talent development.
We’re always pushing to take our organization to the next level, and Starboard has helped us reach new heights in our leadership and management, employee engagement, and talent management. My experience has been that Starboard works hard to add value in every way possible. As a result, I always hear positive feedback from employees following Starboard’s engagements with us.
Scott helped me see through the fog to focus on the most pressing issues creating tension, challenges and structuring the organization for success in a new environment. My regular connections with Scott kept me on track, focusing on moving the needle on the items that required my attention.
Scott’s style is direct, empathetic, and thought-provoking. He has provided critical knowledge, experience, and connections that have allowed us to build a stronger Board and take advantage of opportunities. Coach, cheerleader, and catalyst are three words I would use to describe his work with our organization.
The interviews that Starboard conducted with our partners and key funders proved to be an invaluable part of our strategic planning process, as was their expertise in helping to shape a plan that guides our work every day.
We hired Starboard to lead us through our first ever, professionally led strategic planning process. We were at an important juncture in our growth and direction and had to make some really big decisions. We definitely hired the right firm to guide and support us! The Starboard team were great facilitators, professional, yet at the same time, down-to-earth. We couldn’t have hired a better firm to work with us. The results have been fantastic!
Mary Budd was EXCELLENT in helping us find the right ED for Ketcha Outdoors…She was firm where needed with our large committee, but she listened very well and “got” what our organization was all about. She’s personable, smart and a true professional in this space.
We had a great experience with Starboard Leadership Consulting. Mary Budd provided deft guidance with just the right combination of structure and flexibility to support our strategic planning process. The framing questions she brought to the process resulted in rich and robust conversations. Our Board was fully engaged and appreciated the straightforward, streamlined process that resulted in a clear and focused strategic framework for our work in the next five years.
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