Does Your Association Board Have A Strategic Focus? At a time of unprecedented change, some CEO’s view strategic boards as indispensable and an important driver to the success of an organization. As demographics, technology, the economy, and the nature of commerce rapidly shift from one day to the next, boards with strategic focus could be the difference between success and failure.
Key Capability
In a joint survey conducted through the collaborative effort of Vertical Leap Consulting, icimo, and Potomac Core Consulting, very highly engaged boards who are strategic in focus were recognized as one of six capabilities reporting upward trending 3-year operating results. For Christopher E. Laxton, CAE, Executive Director, AMDA (www.amda.com),The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, and a 2014 Alumni Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the survey results have even greater implications. He views the results as providing external validation of the strategic focus that all boards must have to navigate a changing and challenging landscape.
“CEOs Must Lead The Board”
As Associations face increasing competition, more public scrutiny, and higher stakes, Laxton contends that “more CEO’s should take on board development.” Reflecting on professional experience and results from the Strategic Member Engagement Survey, he emphasizes that “when boards focus strategically, we can more easily see the results.”
Laxton believes that CEO’s should start the process by asking themselves, “How can I make my board more strategic?” and understand that boards don’t always understand how to become strategic in the first place. He works with board chairs to define the culture, i.e. “talking and getting nothing done” or “instilling a sense of urgency and taking action.”
Does Your Association Board Have A Strategic Focus?
From Laxton’s perspective, every minute that Association CEO’s invests in the Board can help deliver increased engagement and revenue growth.
For a free copy of the “Accelerating Strategic Member Engagement” eBook, request your copy at www.potomaccore.com.
