Peter Zehren: Nonprofit Management and Leadership—
The Cold
Growing up in Wisconsin winter’s I became an expert at using jumper cables. Ground the red clamp and secure the black one to the battery. Similarly, to “jump start” your board into giving, you have to hold the malcontents (red clamp) at bay while channeling the energy through those willing to engage (black clamp).
Channeling the Black Clamps
The board members who are willing to at least listen and offer ideas, time and financial resources are the ones to focus on. Inform them. Wine and dine them, like major donors. Get to know them. Build relationships and give them something to focus on. Engage them with a task.
A car battery won’t start if you don’t clamp down on the post. Focus. Don’t waste your board’s time. Educate them with succinct executive briefs. And give them easy tasks that build relationships that will lead to gifts, especially if they’re “afraid” of making an “ask.”
Make It Be Their Idea
If you tell me what I need to do. I might do it. Once. If you guide me to find the way so that it becomes my idea. I’ll love doing it every time. Don’t tell. Don’t show. Don’t even ask. Guide.
The hardest part of working with a board is thawing them out of their comfort zone. If you have sleepers just going through the motions, your board will never raise a dime. They believe their task is to tell you what to do, instead of work with you to further the nonprofit’s mission.
Lead Them From Within
My father would explain as he set the jumper cables. At that point all I wanted was to start my car! But the cables came off. I had to use my own hands. Lead by example. At a recent board workshop, I had members handwrite thank you notes to donors. I wrote one too.
The most successful way to guide your board is from within. Ideally, you have a couple of respected members who champion fundraising and your direction. They act as your voice on the board. And, if they add some of their own ideas, celebrate that instead of feeling threatened.
The Red Clamp
Don’t feel threatened by the red clamp either. A no-show, uncommitted board member cannot be moved. Conversely, a wild card, though distracting, is committed. When someone challenges your information or ideas, feel empowered. They care. Suggest the “both/and” perspective, that various ideas can work simultaneously when raising funds.
Once you ground red clamp energy the current can flow to your board. For example: “Great! I look forward to you getting us 10 chairs for the event.” Like the red clam, set the board member off to the side, but in a way that contains the energy. Do that, with a compliment.
How Do You Jump Start Your Board?
