Tag Archives: Michael Bowers

May 13, 2013 · 5:56 pm

Assessing Personnel “Problems:” Three Questions to Ask

imagesNothing drains more energy or time from an association/nonprofit executive than when there are indications of a problem with staff.  It may be phone calls about poor customer service from members or leaders, missed deadlines or failure to respond appropriately, or any other number of signs that something is amiss.

Many times I hear execs say that they waited too long to intervene.  Other times I hear from staff that there is a sudden confrontation with no ability to explore the problem in a collaborative manner.   How can executives proceed in a fashion that will address the problem directly yet leave the most opportunity and ground for growth and ultimate success in dealing with a problematic staff issue?

I’ve found a three step process allows for an exploration, understanding, and creating a sound strategy for moving forward in these circumstances.   At times, there may not be a personnel issue at all.  Here are the questions to ask—and the order in which to move through the assessment:

Is there a systemic/process breakdown that is creating or exacerbating the problem?

There are times when what appears to be a problematic staff performance issue isn’t that at all.  There is, rather a systemic problem that is leading to breakdowns in staff capability to perform.  If the systemic problems are addressed, the performance problem may disappear.  Systemic problems may be problems of coordination/communication between people, processes, or departments, hardware or software malfunction, or any other number of structure/process/program issues.  If someone hasn’t been responsive, it is not productive to confront them only to discover that because of some communication breakdown they never received instructions, directions, etc.  Unfortunately, in human designed systems, whether management systems or computer, etc., there are sometimes built in glitches that create problems.  Before presuming you have a staff performance issue, make sure that there are not impediments that have been “cooked in” to the system.  That’s your first job as a manager in assessing performance and creating a context for excellence.

Is there a resource problem that is preventing the performance that is expected?

If you are sure that the management and communications systems are working properly and are coordinated well, the next level of question is whether or not there is a resource issue that is keeping the staff person from performing appropriately.  Do they have the equipment they need to perform well?  Do they have the training to function with excellence?  Do they have the information/direction needed to complete the task in line with expectations?  Do they have the time to do the work?  Is there so much work assigned that it is unreasonable to expect a well trained, appropriately oriented and equipped staff person to perform the work well.  Until these two basic questions can be answered in the affirmative, there is no way to tell whether you have a true staff performance problem, or a system/resource problem.

After answering the first two questions, then there is the third: Is this problem chronic or random?

Humans are human.  Even superstars make mistakes, and sometimes they make fairly big ones.  But these mistakes are outliers, and not the norm for a good staffer who is trained, equipped, and placed in a working system.

On the other hand, there are people who are either not suited for certain work, not compatible with an organizational culture, or not interested in performing to the standards of the organization (although I believe this is rare if the first two conditions are addressed appropriately).  In such instances, after having completed the assessments in the questions above, it is time for legitimate intervention.

The Bottom Line

Most people want to do well in their work.  For associations and nonprofits, it is much better to tap into that desire to do well, and to ensure that staff are embedded in a functional management system, with appropriate resources, direction, etc., and a clear sense of expectation.  You’ll save yourself a lot of grief, grow your staff toward excellence, and potentially even avoid employment related litigation (a large and growing concern in our sector) if you can demonstrate that you’ve done everything you need to do in terms of providing systems, training, and opportunity for staff to succeed.

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May 9, 2013 · 4:26 pm

How to Move Boards from Operations to Strategy

A3d_pie_chart common theme that has been addressed in several forums lately (nonprofit vs. for profit challenges/styles, Boards that micro-manage, etc.) is how to get Boards to move out of operations and into strategic issues and discussions.  While there is no “one time” solution, or “one size fits all” intervention, there are some very practical ways to help Board members understand the horizon they should be considering in their role.

For individual member associations, and even for many trades, Board members arrive at their positions having climbed the leadership ladder in the organization.  Many times, that means moving from components with lower budgets, fewer (or in some cases no) staff, and where the volunteer base is also the workforce.  We are all probably familiar with the terms “working Board” in that respect.  In the past, we’d refer to that as the fact that the Board and other volunteers not only do the governing, they also do the “lickin’ and stickin’.”  (No one does much lickin’ and stickin’ anymore.)  Sometimes the role is not clear, the practice is not consistent, even in an organization that has a larger staff and budget.  Staff can’t be critical of Board members if they aren’t clear and consistent in their actions as well, and ask Board members to do operational things without a clear understanding of the implications.

A tool I have used successfully to highlight this issue in Board member orientation that helps incoming (and reinforces for continuing) Board members see a bigger role for themselves is this:

1.      I make a list of different levels of staff:  a) receptionist/call center, b) “line” workers (project coordinators/administrators), c) department managers, d) executive staff, and e) the executive director.

2.      I ask the Board members to create two columns and write down in one the level of detail the positions require (at times I ask for a percentage of detail work vs the level of strategy).  In the second column I ask them to write down the length of “lead time” each level of worker needs to be thinking ahead to be successful at their jobs.

It becomes clear pretty quickly that the focus of time and attention is quite different for different levels of staff.  The specific focus of time grows shorter the closer to the front line of work one gets, and the level of detail more extensive.  You move from thinking about the work I’m doing right now (the call I have to manage, how many are in the queue) to what is next year’s budget going to be (or the year after that) and what kind of programming needs to be planned in the next three to five years.

Sometimes we then do the same thing with governance; with Components, Standing Committees, Task Forces, etc., and then the Board.  What is the focus in time that each should have, from now, to a year from now, to five or ten?  What is the level of operational detail each level of governance should have as a matter of concern?

Having Board members recognize that their job is to move farther out in time, and higher in strategy to trends and mega-issues allows them to grasp their role in strategic direction and decision in a very practical way. It becomes pretty clear that not only is there a great opportunity cost if you have Board members acting like receptionists or even project managers, but also if the Board is engaged in those areas of focus primarily, either no one—or possibly the “wrong” persons, are going to end up focusing on what should be the Board’s primary task.  I’ve seen more than one Executive Director get in trouble for “doing the Board’s work” when, in fact, the Board had neither defined its role appropriately nor equipped itself to do its job.  And if the Board isn’t doing its work at the strategic level, isn’t it better that someone is trying to do it than no one?

There is no one correct answer to the questions, or right way to fill out the charts, obviously.  And the percentage focus in time and operations/strategy can change depending on circumstances.  But this exercise gives Board members and staff a way to have direct discussions about the issue without saying someone is “right or wrong” in their view.  It gives a chance to clarify expectations, goals, etc., overtly and directly, rather than having things simmer with the real issue of scope of role never being discussed.

Yes, there’s more to it that could be written.  But this is a starting point that can be used—a tool in the toolkit for execs to help move their Boards from operations to strategy, or at least to be clear about who is doing what, and expectations of each.

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May 7, 2013 · 11:44 pm

Two Reasons Associations Are Not, and Should Never Be, Like For Profit Corporations

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      We are told almost continuously that associations and nonprofits must be more like businesses to thrive, and perhaps even to survive. Associations Now ran an article just yesterday talking about how difficult it is to get nonprofits to be more like for profits.   Early on in that article, there was a link to a Google search that showed how prevalent this theme is.  I believe there are two compelling and inherent ways that associations and nonprofits are not, and should never be, like their for profit counterparts.

Associations and Nonprofits Keep Score Differently than For Profit Counterparts

For Profit Corporations exist to create wealth, whether for owners, partners, or shareholders.  By definition, that is why they exist.  If they don’t do that, they don’t stay in business very long.  While associations and nonprofits should strive to use best practice business methods, metrics, and management, and always aim for a healthy balance sheet, they are mission and values based organizations.

No one (not stockholders, owners, partners, donors, or even members) owns associations or nonprofits.  They are “owned” by their mission, and by the values embedded that define the means and methods they will use to achieve that mission.  There is something about the DNA of associations and nonprofits that makes them “look like” for profit counterparts, but genetically, they are different because of this fact.  To forget that, or worse, simply ignore it, in the interest of being “businesslike” is to abandon a unique and specific identity and purpose.

 Associations and Nonprofits Have Volunteer Human Capital as a Major Asset

The article in Associations Now referenced above basically bemoans the fact that Boards get in the way of nonprofits being more businesslike, extending the decision cycle, etc., and perhaps making things a bit messier while doing it.  I’m all for Boards being well equipped, oriented, understanding their role, and allowing qualified staff to do their jobs, etc., but again, there is something in the DNA of associations and nonprofits that is different than for profits.

For profits simply do not have volunteers, who are consistently willing to give their time, energy, and money, on behalf of the purpose of the organization, with no expectation of direct monetary/wealth return.  For associations and nonprofits, volunteer time, energy, commitment, and funds are again, in the DNA.  Something unique happens in organizations when volunteers participate.

Those who are willing to give time, energy, and money to a cause, to make something different, to be change agents, end up being changed themselves.  The changers also become the changed.  That is about identity, purpose, values, commitments, etc., that make the world more human, and I haven’t yet bought into the notion that corporations are human, my friend.  I’ve never yet met a corporation that I wanted as a true friend and intimate.  To reduce volunteerism to a point that it becomes little more than a FaceBook “like” is to cheapen what it means to support and give yourself to something greater than you are.

Say what you will about associations and nonprofits being efficient, effective, and using all appropriate business tools to be the best they can be in service to their mission, and in having the resources to do it, and knowing when they have achieved success.  Associations and nonprofits should do all of those things.  But let’s not change their DNA.  We lose way too much.

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April 23, 2013 · 6:08 pm

Three Core Elements of Executive Director Success

Causeway

It has been axiomatic among Executive Directors that mishandling money or politics will get you fired.  But what elements are absolutely necessary for success?

When you boil it all down, it comes to these:

Create Results.  No Executive Director will survive today without creating results.  While there can be a lot of talk about meaningful, measurable goals, etc., you must understand how success is defined in your organization, and you must demonstrate your ability to lead successfully to that definition of success.  Many times Executive Directors fail because they reach success in their eyes, but that is not how success is defined by key stakeholders.

Build Relationships.   In associations and non-profits, perhaps more than any other enterprise, the ability to build relationships is vital to success.  This is so because a major component of the work is with volunteers, who not only expect the organization to provide value, but also have a stake in it that in many ways is as profound as that of the CEO.  For association and nonprofit leaders, those voluntary relationships represent most of the people with whom you will be interacting.  If you cannot build relationships there, and even more importantly, if you do not have a plan to continue expanding your circle of influence, you will ultimately fail.

Today, with the multi-generational workforce, by the way, the same dynamic is true.  While a CEO has no peer relationships on staff, if s/he cannot build collaborative relationships with staff, the possibility of success diminishes greatly.  The model of “command and control” in a staff team is no longer a credibly viable way to achieve success in most associations and nonprofits.

Manage Transitions.   Again, more than for profit businesses, associations and non-profits have more transitions.  Aside from normative staff turnover, boards, committees, task forces, etc., all have defined terms of office.  There is constant transition of leaders, opinions, stakeholder groups, etc.  If an Executive Director does not pay attention to, plan for, and ensure smooth transitions, trouble lies ahead.  And this is just in the internal process of the organization.  Outside, there are changing conditions, shifts in political context and alliances, and changes with collaborators and competitors.  Too many balls get dropped, with harmful consequences, when CEOs do not focus on the transitions and create opportunity with them instead of obstacle

All of these elements are necessary, but any of them alone–or even any two of them–is insufficient.  And we could mine all of these for a lot of other embedded ingredients. But at the core level, these elements begin to give you a map of the territory that you must traverse to be successful as an Executive Director.

If you look at your work today, you can identify where you are in a continuum with these three core elements.  You will then be able to create a plan to address them, building success not only for your organization, but also for yourself.

Carry on, and remember the big three!

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April 18, 2013 · 4:30 pm

The Life Cycle of the Executive Director

map and compass

“Somebody once told me that it’s time to leave when you’ve gotten enough, when  you’ve given enough, and when you’ve had enough.”   So said Edward Bernstein, President of the Industrial Research Institute, on ASAE’s Collaborate Network, quoted in the March, 2013 issue of Associations Now.

How different that is from the advice I got from my mentors when I became an Executive Director in 1993!  At that time, many execs spent a career at one association, so my mentors coached me on how to grow in my job and keep it over a longer period of time—which I did.  I remained as the Executive Director of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) for 20 Years, and I could have remained longer had I chosen to do so.  Many of  my peers, especially in the mental health field, also are having or have had long tenures, from 39, to 25, to 20 years, etc.

Now we hear from executive recruiters that the average tenure is significantly shorter in associations—somewhere on the average of 7 years.  Granted, the cycle of change is much more dynamic, and the demands and skills needed for one association may shift much more dramatically in 7 years now than they did in the past.  It is also true that as the field of association management has matured, there is more “churn” in jobs as for many execs, the only way to grow dramatically in a career is to move from one association to another.

It would be helpful to have a career map—and a compass—in order to navigate a career as an association executive, both for those who are currently executive directors and those who aspire to be.  This is especially true for those who have hit a period of uncertainty about their current context or their future.  Executive recruiter Paul Belford, in a soon to be published book, The Association CEO Handbook, refers to this period as the “zone of great complexity” and defines it as “that special corner in association Hades where the CEO’s performance in a position is affected adversely by his/her inability (or refusal) to maintain the balance of professional fulfillment and Board enfranchisement.”

The question, of course, is what to do when one hits that period?  Renew, or resign?  And how important is the notion of “professional fulfillment” or “personal fulfillment” in building what one will look back on and say, “that was a career I can be proud of?”  This notion—how to do a better job, and build a better person for the job, is something we will be exploring more.  Sometimes it may be a 5 point list of ideas.  At other times, it will be more narrative and thought provoking.  Careers (and life) can’t be condensed into a short blog post—and certainly not a twitter post.  It’s a long plot play, with nodal points of transition throughout.  We intend to draw a map, and give the tools to use your own compass.  But remember—the map is not the territory, and there will always be surprises…

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April 12, 2013 · 4:07 pm

The Path Ahead? Executive Directors in a Maze

maze (2)

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), in a booklet written to explain careers in association management, refers to a maze.  In my experience, that is certainly true.  Growing up, through college and into graduate school, I never heard anyone say that their career aspiration was to be an association executive.  In many ways, it is an accidental career.  Yet, it is a noble one, and can be incredibly meaningful for those who find their way to it.

The same is basically true for other nonprofit organizations, although cause based organizations do have a somewhat different pull and career path.  However, the challenges faced once one arrives in nonprofit world are at least parallel, and in many cases overlap with those of leaders in associations.

What is needed to navigate this maze?  A map and a compass would be helpful, along with the necessary supplies (or means to acquire them) that will allow someone to make the journey successfully.  But here is the secret for any association/nonprofit executive director: there is no final destination.  And in this environment, even to stay stable, one must continually be learning, adding tools and resources, and checking the map and the compass.  The terrain and climate is changing rapidly.

This blog has one mission: to provide executive directors (and others who aspire to be) a resource and home for finding, sharing, building the tools necessary to continue through the maze successfully.  We will want to build a community here and in related media, that can scrape through the clutter and noise and deal with the direct issues executive directors face.  We will focus on the whole person—from the professional aspects, to the personal issues about what it all means, and how to continue to find meaning and fulfillment in a career as an executive director.  Perhaps just as important, what does one do when the fulfillment and meaning is lacking.  Our goal will be to find resource for replenishment as well.

Join us!  It will be a worthwhile journey.

PS:  You can find us on twitter at @exdirtoolkit.

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