Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • February 4, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 21 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Why you should join a nonprofit board By Mae Ryan Maloney and Bernard Kavaler T here is a nonprofit board for you. No matter who you are, where you're from, what you've done, or what you care about, you can strengthen a nonprofit organization, fortify your community and be better for the experience. Entertainer and social activist Dick Gregory once said, "One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people." That's at the heart of involvement with a nonprofit board. If you want to make a meaning- ful impact on your community, and experience some joy in the process, we encourage you to consider board service. At first glance, stepping up to serve on a nonprofit board may appear daunting. Understanding the basics is an important first step. Simply put, a board of directors is a group of volunteers who work to enhance a nonprofit's mission and strengthen its programs and services. Nonprofits need dedicated, thought- ful and passionate people to lend their skills, perspectives and ideas. In- trigued? Consider the following: First — Get past the misperceptions. You don't need deep pockets or decades of career experience. You don't have to have a long history with the orga- nization, be a renowned expert in the subject, or an adept fundraiser. You do have to bring passion and an eagerness to learn. You need to think strategically and participate in decision-making that will enhance the organization. Second — If you're muttering, "I haven't done enough; why would they want me," you're selling yourself short. Boards thrive on new energy and fresh perspectives. Every experience you've had comes with you and can be invigorating and much-needed. You'll find that your particular skills and experience translate well to non- profit board involvement. You don't have to have a network a mile long to bring productive connections. Third — Board service offers an opportunity to pursue endeavors that interest you but are outside the parameters of your day job. When you apply your talents, skills and interests in new ways or perhaps for the first time (or first time in a long time), you stretch yourself in new directions and can extend yourself further than you thought you could go. Lastly — You get as much as you give. Really. You quickly discover that your expertise and instincts add value. That realization can benefit your ca- reer and any number of pursuits, now and in the future. You'll meet people of varied backgrounds and know-how and work with them around the board table and, at times, beyond. The ben- efits extend to the board for sure, but also to you. Think about what kind of organiza- tion excites you. No matter your in- terests, there's a board for you. A large percentage of Connecticut's 12,000 charitable nonprofits call the Greater Hartford region home. Their missions run the gamut: arts and culture, hu- man services, transportation, youth — the list is lengthy and varied. Some nonprofits have an established pedigree; some are just getting off the ground. Some bear recognizable na- tional names; others are smaller and lesser known. Some are hyper-local, focusing on a single town or neigh- borhood; others work throughout the region, intertwined in the fabric of multiple communities. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves to pitch in — or even if you're only 85 percent convinced you're ready — go for it. Along the way, you'll have the chance to hone your skills, deepen your leadership experience, expand your network and improve your pro- ficiency in goal-setting and oversight. You'll help strengthen programs, develop partnerships or raise funds, all the while applying these experiences to your career as well as your com- munity. And if Dick Gregory was right, you'll have lots to smile about. With so many extraordinary organiza- tions in the region, opportunities are truly low-hanging fruit. There are so many attractive choices well within your grasp — you need only reach out and pluck the one that's to your liking. Mae Ryan Maloney is program director of Leaders on Board, Leadership Greater Hartford's program that trains and helps place volunteers on area nonprofit boards of directors. Bernard Kavaler is managing principal of Express Strategies, a public relations consulting firm. HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULT: Would renaming Bradley Airport make the airfield more marketable? NEXT WEEK'S POLL: Should lawmakers eliminate certain sales-tax exemptions to tackle the state's budget deficit? To vote, go online to hartfordbusiness.com BIZ BOOKS A leader's handbook By Jim Pawlak "Harvard Business Review's Leader's Handbook — Make an Impact, Inspire Your Organization, and Get to the Next Level" by Ron Askenas and Brook Manville. The authors define leadership as: "Achieving significant positive impact — by building an organization of people working together toward a common goal." Keywords in their definition are — "significant" and "organization of people." Significant means scaling results to transform the way a business does busi- ness. "Organization of people" means any group collaborating at any level. The keywords drive a leader's message that emphasizes change as vital to the pro- cess of personal and company growth. The authors identify six leadership practices: 1. building a unifying vision, 2. developing a strategy, 3. getting great people on board, 4. focusing on results, 5. innovating for the future and 6. leading yourself. While the practices are interdependent, their cohesion depends on 1 and 6. Here's a snapshot of those two: 1. Building a unifying vision goes beyond a mission and values. Vision defines the "what the organization wants to accomplish." It embraces the uncertain future where achievement addresses obstacles and takes advantage of op- portunities presented by changes in market technology, competition, etc. A vision statement gives employees a "connected sense of purpose." It should be short, clear and aspi- rational — like Amazon's: "To be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover any- thing they might want to buy online." 6. Leading yourself deals with know- ing, growing, sharing and taking care of yourself. Leaders develop followers; they understand how their behavior affects others. When followers sense the leader isn't living the vision, they question the leader and the vision and disengage. Leaders look for ways to strengthen their strengths and use the strengths of others to complement their efforts. They use feedback — positive and nega- tive — to feed-forward. 66% No 34% Yes Mae Ryan Maloney Bernard Kavaler Jim Pawlak Book Review

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