The 2018 World Cup has captivated my mornings over the last two weeks and I’m not even a soccer guy (or should I say “football” guy—for my friends outside the U.S.).
One quick note, while I can still utter this: “Go Sweden!” (As of today, Sweden is one of 16 teams in the knockout stage which starts on June 30. Win or go home.)
If you’re a soccer neophyte like me, you’ve appreciated the fast-moving game and the absence of TV commercials, time-outs, or interruptions in either half (45 minutes each). The reason: stoppage time. But then—try to explain “stoppage time” to your spouse or water cooler colleagues.
Google “stoppage time in soccer” and you’ll gain some insight. “Because there's no time allotted for…commercials and the advertising fare that clogs up most American sports broadcasts, soccer games consist of 90 straight minutes of unfettered gameplay. But, that gameplay is almost always interrupted by injuries, substitutions, and the occasional rogue pitch invader. That means, to account for the unforeseen stoppages in play, a few minutes are added at the end of each half. Longer stretches are usually tacked on to the end of the game, typically resulting in an extra three or four minutes on top of the standard 90.”
That got me thinking. What if your board chair instituted stoppage time at your next board meeting? “Well, it’s 5 p.m., and time to adjourn, but I’ve tracked stoppage time and I’m adding on another 23 minutes because…”
• “Frank, you took us down a very unproductive back alley when you went from policy issues to operations. Your in-the-weeds side trip wasted seven minutes.”
• “Maria, I clocked your point of order at 10 minutes. Your question was helpful, but then Kim, Cameron, and Angela all piled on with unnecessary speeches and nothing was resolved.”
• “Steve, as our CEO, you give us great leadership. But next time, please coach your VP so she stops reading her reports to the board. We had all read the report before the meeting, so that six-minute rendition was unnecessary.”
“So, board members, I’ll use the next 23 minutes to help us focus on our agreed-upon top priority this year—the XYZ Project. Meet in groups of two or three for eight minutes and then report back on the discussion question written on our white board.”
I know. I know. This might cross the line from good governance to picky governance. But…you get the point. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (NASB).
Named by ESPN as the Greatest Coach of the Twentieth Century, UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden said it simply, “Time lost is time lost. It’s gone forever.”
BOARD DISCUSSION: At the end of your next board meeting, read this tongue-in-check blog to the board and then ask for feedback. Did we steward our time well today? How did we measure up to John Wesley’s aspiration? "I value all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity."
MORE RESOURCES: Follow the “40 Blogs. 40 Wednesdays.” color commentaries on Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom. Click here.
Note: Below is a click-and-read index to 11 recent blogs featuring practical wisdom from the new ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 4: Succession Planning. Free to ECFA members, you can download the resource and video by clicking here.
But…before you click and read below, note this one last insight from the international bestseller, The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter (Updated and Expanded), by Michael Watkins.
“S.T-A.R.S.”
Board members should discern not only what CEO competencies they need for the next few years, but what kind of situation their new leader will inherit. Michael Watkins says there are four broad types of organizational situations—and there are risks. For example, a veteran CEO of a “Sustaining Success” organization may not be effective in a “Turn-Around” opportunity.
• Start-up: “Building structures and systems from scratch without a clear framework or boundaries.”
• Turn-Around: “Reenergizing demoralized employees and other stakeholders.”
• Realignment: “Dealing with deeply ingrained cultural norms that no longer contribute to high performance.”
• Sustaining Success: “Playing good defense by avoiding decisions that cause problems.”
OK…now click, read, and review the 11 principles featured in the last 11 blogs. Enjoy!
1) Principle No. 1: Avoid Buses and Boredom! - “My Heart Had Left the Building”
2) Principle No. 2: Discern Your Board’s Succession Values and Beliefs - “Appointment Without Anointment Always Led to Disaster”
3) Principle No. 3: Inspire Your CEO to Thrive With a God-Honoring Lifestyle – “Is Your CEO Thriving or Just Surviving?”
4) Principle No. 4: Model Successful Succession in the Boardroom First - “’One Size Fits All’ Is Bad Counsel”
5) Principle No. 5: Delegate Succession Planning to the Appropriate Committee – “The Ongoing Continuous Process”
6) Principle No. 6: Invest in Growing Your Leaders (Every Leader Needs a Coach) – “Does Your CEO Need a Coach?”
7) Principle No. 7: Trust God and Discern Direction! Wisdom on Ending Well - “Wise People Know When to Quit”
8) Principle No. 8 - Plan for Plan A: Your CEO Retires - “Do I Still Have Fire in My Belly?”
9) Principle No. 9 - Plan for Plan B: Your CEO Resigns – “The Five Stages of CEO Abandonment”
10) Principle No. 10 - Plan for Plan C: Your CEO Is Terminated – “Hire Slower and Fire Faster”
11) Principle No. 11 – Discern If a Search Firm Would Be Helpful – “Differences Between Search Firms”
BOARD DISCUSSION: List one principle you are well-prepared for. List one principle that needs more attention by the board. Pray and discern!
TO DO TODAY: Download the Facilitator Guide and inspire your executive committee (or governance committee) to review the toolbox materials. Remember: every CEO is an Interim CEO!
DOWNLOAD: ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 4: Succession Planning – 11 Principles for Successful Successions: “Every CEO is an Interim CEO.” The toolbox includes
• Read-and-Engage Viewing Guide (20 pages) – photocopy for board members
• Facilitator Guide (10 pages)
• 4 short videos (4-5 minutes each)
• Additional resources and succession planning tools
MORE RESOURCES: Follow the “40 Blogs. 40 Wednesdays.” color commentaries on Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom. Click here.
Note: This is the eleventh (and final) blog of 11 blogs featuring practical wisdom from the new ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 4: Succession Planning. Free to ECFA members, you can download the resource and video by clicking here.
Principle No. 11 - Discern If a Search Firm Would Be Helpful
The toolbox materials list three options for conducting a CEO search:
• Option #1: Retain a Search Firm
• Option #2: Retain a Consultant/Coach
• Option #3: Conduct Your Own Search
But heed this warning from the authors of You’re Not the Person I Hired!—a very helpful resource: “When you are tempted to rush a hire, think in terms of Return on Investment over the course of years, not months.”
Boards of larger organizations that rely on retained search firms for senior level positions will often engage a firm to conduct their CEO search. Just as organizations have unique cultures and methodologies, so retained search firms will have unique approaches for your important search. Interview at least three firms.
In his article, “Differences Between Search Firms,” Bruce Dingman suggests that the firm selected should find at least four candidates to be considered. His article outlines other factors to consider:
• Ethical issues and “out-of-bounds” and “off-limits” industry practices
• Reputation of the firm versus the recruiter
• References of the recruiter
• Pros and cons of specialists versus generalists
• Speed versus quality
• Cautions about saving time with a recruiter’s “short list”
• Importance of pre-recommendation reference checking
• Recruiters’ experience with search committees
As your board reviews the resources in the toolbox, don’t skip the spiritual discernment process—which takes time. And time is a significant issue for busy board members. But note this counsel from Michael J. Lotito: “If you spend a lot of time figuring out who you’re going to hire, you’ll have to spend far less time figuring out who to fire.”
BOARD DISCUSSION: When our CEO exits (Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C), are we confident that we will make the search firm decision (see the three options above) based on God’s leading and our mission and vision? Or will our budget parameters push us in the least desirable direction?
TO DO TODAY: Download the Facilitator Guide and inspire a board member to review the numerous resources, books, and articles on selecting a search firm and interviewing candidates.
DOWNLOAD: ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 4: Succession Planning – 11 Principles for Successful Successions: “Every CEO is an Interim CEO.” The toolbox includes
• Read-and-Engage Viewing Guide (20 pages) – photocopy for board members
• Facilitator Guide (10 pages)
• 4 short videos (4-5 minutes each)
• Additional resources and succession planning tools
MORE RESOURCES: Follow the “40 Blogs. 40 Wednesdays.” color commentaries on Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom. Click here.
