At its best, an advisory council can provide a tremendous benefit to your organization and the pursuit of your mission. At its worst, an advisory council can drain resources, tie staff in knots, generate governance challenges for the board, and transform allies into adversaries. We’ve seen it happen! Building a successful advisory council takes time,…
It is important to be clear about the difference between a board of directors (or board of trustees) and an “advisory council,” and it is especially important that the members of your advisory council know the difference. It is not uncommon for advisory council members to want to become engaged in the work of the…
What if you were asked to join an advisory council? What would you want from that experience? What would make it a meaningful experience for you? What would be required in order for you to feel like it was a good use of your time? Take a moment to ask and answer those questions yourself….
One of the biggest mistakes organizations make with their advisory councils (and with their boards) is limiting them to a “monitoring” role. They bring well-intentioned volunteers together, fill the meetings with reports on this or that (monitoring), and then wonder why the volunteers don’t seem engaged, have spotty attendance, or descend into micromanaging. Remember, volunteers…
Not too long ago we were at a meeting where a hospital administrator was talking about their Patient Advisory Council and the goal of engaging a diverse cross-section of patients. As she talked with some excitement about planning for a full-day retreat with the members of her advisory council, we couldn’t help but think about…
In much the same way that a board of directors is guided by bylaws, advisory councils should have a guiding document too–a statement of organization and purpose that describes the role of the group and the responsibilities of its members. Don’t confuse this guiding document with bylaws, however. In fact, the word “bylaws” should be…
In our consulting practice we often work with advisory councils. In one case, we worked with an advisory council that had been in existence for over a decade. Where they once played an especially active role in the organization, they were finding they were in more of a “responsive” role. “Responsive” seemed like a better…
We knew an executive director of a nonprofit who did a time study (tracking her time by 10 minute intervals) that showed she was spending more than 40% of her time on the business of the board—supporting them, preparing for meetings, engaging in board communications, attending meetings of board committees, and so on. While we…
In our consulting practice we are often working with organizations that have an advisory council, or are considering one, so we’ve developed what we see as a list of essential ingredients for a successful advisory council: Clearly delineate what level of responsibility and authority the advisory council has It’s important to be clear, right from…
The name “advisory council” suggests there will be advice offered. While the intention may be that the advisory council is offering advice to the board of directors, be sure the board truly wants the advice and is ready to respond. Advisory councils to which no one is really listening can leave the participants feeling empty…
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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