 Well, we've got a real treat here today everybody, thank you so much for joining us, we are really, really excited to spend this time today on a big picture topic and that strategic planning and kind of melding that into board work so again we want to thank all of our sponsors without you we would not be here. And I want to really give my full appreciation to bloom or rang to boardable fundraising Academy mission that staffing boutique nonprofit HR moves management windspire. And of course the American nonprofit Academy and the nonprofit nerd herself, the Raven group Jared ransom. So we have a really big treat today again I'm Julia Patrick, CEO of the American nonprofit Academy, but today we're going to put Jared ransom the nonprofit nerd co host of the nonprofit show on the hot seat today. And we are going to drill down into that amazing grain of hers and talk about strategic planning board work retreats, all of these words are changing and swirling around in our heads. So thank you Jared for letting us take this time. Of course you like to put me in the hot seat and I kind of like it because it gives me that opportunity to nerd out. You know, and so this is this is certainly a topic that is a passion of mine, but one of the big service lines that I do offer. So talking about this, especially in our recovery phase is really important so I'm happy to serve this role today. Well, you know it's so interesting. The reason I think why I felt compelled to bring you in and talk about this is that we're looking at now of a recovery phase for our communities for our operations. And so I really wanted to kind of now look at this where a year into this life altering change that the pandemics have brought upon us. And I'm talking about COVID I'm talking about the economy. I'm talking about social justice issues, and even the political climate. Given that, I'd love for you to really help us understand how moving forward, we might look at board retreats with the notion of how do we bring people together to plan, especially when there's this has been such a time of fear. And a lot I've heard this I'm sure you've heard this, how can we plan when we don't even know what our reality is going to be. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's a fascinating problem, but I think you're going to tell us you still need to plan. Yes, spoiler alert. Absolutely. And really, you know, planning is part of the process and so you know really is a big commitment. So when I work with my clients and talk to nonprofit leaders, you know, I have started to bear away from the word retreat, as well as the word facilitation. So when we're looking in this modern space, you know it really is a process. And so it's a series of events that aren't that one and done retreat. And that's really the purpose of kind of taking those two words away is that it's not a one and done. It is a process. It's a commitment. It takes staff it takes board members and other stakeholders to really be focused on the process, so that you can truly, you know, meet your mission driven goals. Okay, so. So, in the traditional sense of it, that one day, you know, you start right after breakfast you work through lunch and hopefully you're done by three is not going to cut the mustard as they say. No, and I'm familiar with that process and I think that's something that maybe most of us have been a part of before either, you know, serving on the board or being on the leadership team, or like me being a part of, you know, the larger conversation. So I've done that but I have really seen a best practice in our sector, completely change and I mentioned to you in our Chitty chat chat session Julia. I really started seeing this change, probably five maybe a little bit more than that years ago. And so it's really not the one and done day of of a board retreat again that word retreat, you know, really lends itself to, we're come here, we're going to have this kumbaya moment we're going to get to know our board members we're going to be in the same space, it's going to help us feel good and get to know our peers. But I really believe that that one and done day does your organization to service so that should be one of several meetings and discussions so that you can truly work towards. I'm just going to keep saying it mission driven goals. Interesting interesting so. Wow so what you just said has asked me thinking about so many things I have so many questions because this is really a pretty substantial shift in approach and mentality. So, let's back up and talk about, you know, board meetings and board retreats or seminars or sessions, whatever we want to, however we want to frame that in I are out in real life. We're talking about recovery things we're going to be working with groups who haven't physically been together, whether they are physically together or not. Get rid of that one shot planning. And then just go back to doing your regular work right if your goal is to create a strategic plan. If your goal is educational in nature, or that camaraderie. The retreat and that our word could stay that you know that is is fine it's really coming down to what are our expectations right what is it that we're doing in this recovery phase. As you have on the slide here meeting I RL in real life. I have heard from so many individuals over the last, even I'm going to say 18 months right which shakes us before the pandemic really started to shake up our lives. Individuals or nonprofit leaders were really starting to cast their net wider with the board members that they were attracting and bringing on board. Well, since the pandemic, there have certainly been a shift into our increase of, of technology, right and so we have brought in even more champions of various communities so they may not be within our local community, but because of our access to technology. We have maybe caught the attention right and attracted individuals from other parts of the world, or other parts of your state let's let's even narrow it down to your state. So what does it look like if these board members have not even met one another they really don't know their peers there's no camaraderie built beyond what's in the square. And that's the same Julia for staff for leadership right there have been organizations that have brought on as we've learned from our wonderful sponsor Katie with staffing boutique. You know many organizations and many leaders have not even met their staff in real life it's all been through this virtual reality. And so it's going back to your expectation, what is the expectation of your gathering. What do you want to walk away with. Is this a one and done or is this truly a series of events that make up a process for your strategic plan and that's what we're talking about today I believe is really this strategic planning process. Okay, so if that's the case, and this is like kind of an in the weeds question, but this is such a big concept, it's such a shift from what the normal board member is going to know or understand. I would argue that most higher functioning boards have board members that are serving on other boards right at the same time, where they happen so that that's even another deeper layer because there's like this cadre of community leaders board members that kind of are all doing the same thing. Right. So then how do you navigate such a change in thought action indeed to the organization, are you working with like the CEO, trying to explain this is how we're going, this is how we could structure this, or the board chair or a combination I mean like how do you, you facilitate and I know that's a word that we'll talk about a little bit as well. But how do you, you navigate such a major change. So that is something that I work directly with the CEO or executive director kind of an interchangeable term in our landscape as well as the board chair. So that's something that I work with them on to say, you know, here's the process in which I deliver. This is what it looks like this is the commitment that I need from you and the various stakeholders. But again, I alluded are shared that five years ago was really when I started seeing the shift. So it's not just me and it's not just a handful of, you know, professionals out there saying hey let's get away from the one and done retreat or let's get away from hiring someone to merely facilitate us right that's the F word that we wanted to mention was facilitation. And so it really is shifting how we at large our leadership really starts to look at this. Because I know most of us, I've heard you even say this. Oftentimes we create a strategic plan and we never revisit it. It sits on the shelf or nowadays it sits on our desktop right, we don't revisit it there's no accountability. There is no check and balance there's no course correct it's like. Oh yeah, that that thing we have one but I can't tell you the last time we've looked at it. It becomes a tool of shame because ultimately, you know you know within your calendar that you bring that back out right before generally the next strategic plan is developed, and then you kind of use the scorecard method or you just go through and you create boxes. Generally, there's going to be at least 20 and this is my opinion you're going to get at least 25% of the topics that haven't even been broached let alone not reached. And then everybody's like, I hate strategic planning, right, you know because it's such a beat down you never ever ever see the fruits of that all that work. Generally, because it's not in front of you, you know it's it's not being revisited it's kind of like the concept with mission met. And their software allowing you to go back and it's a living thing and you see it going on but I like the approach that you're taking of saying, rather than looking this at this is like a one action weekend or day or what retreat. Making it part of your your process throughout the year. Right, and here's, and here's the thing. Just as we all experienced last year I don't think any of you, including myself, you know had that crystal ball to envision a pandemic. When you have this as a process, it allows you the opportunity for all the champions, all the voices to come back together and say, What do we do now. How do we pivot that P word how do we adapt to the current environment what do we need to do to meet the community's needs right that's why we exist nonprofits exist because there is a problem in the community, and we're here to help provide a solution or solution, plural. So when that changes, we need to know what we need to do to address the current situation. So during an annual process that does actually deliver a higher performing pool measurement, all the nice words to put in there right so that you can then make changes tweaks and changes, according to what the current needs are, and that might even mean you know shifting your goals. And let me drill down a little bit and talk about understanding how we are successful, and maybe even looking at a little bit of the flow so I'm assuming you still would want to have like a bigger commitment of time, and unless I'm misunderstanding this, then throughout the course of the year, you have regularly the check ins or drill downs to make sure that you're still moving forward and the process is front and center and all that. Absolutely. So when I work with my clients, I can I can talk to you through my method right and I've certainly done some benchmarking of what's being done out there the sector at large or strategic planning professionals. So there's a four part process in which I walk my clients through, and of that has from me constant communication so it's not, you know, it doesn't go from a one and done to a four and done it's really an annual partnership. So changing that language at large tells the organization and me the board members again these stakeholders that I continue mentioning because it's not just the CEO and me doing this, this is really a process and an invitation of stakeholders. So for me it's a four part process and it begins with a really a survey and assessment of some key data points. I pull in those data points from the various people that the survey has been sent to. I analyze that data, I present the data at what most would would remember as a board retreat so we are meeting in person. I just did this a couple of weeks ago couple of weekends, and it was a Friday. It was a large conference room right everyone had their own banquet table, everyone wore a mask, including myself. So, when we're looking at this recovery phase, I do think that people are looking at the opportunity to get together for multiple reasons I mentioned and having people really build that community. So that that is one step of the process and that really helps to take the data that's come in, you know, provide this the synthesis or the data report and then carry us forward, right. So based off of what you said here's where we're going, are we in the right direction do we have the right people in the car to get us there, and, and it's just a series of conversation, right it is an ongoing annual partnership of conversations. I'm thinking about this. I'm thinking that this gives even more credence to the concept of really, really front and loading your consent agenda, so that when your board members come that that you are actually spending time on this work and not the, you know, the reports and kind of your your arming your board with more information so that they are in essence more governance and planning oriented. Absolutely. Absolutely. And that really keeps the ball in the, you know, forward moving, or if something halts that ball and it can't move like the pandemic you know we're all in the same space and again that's whatever kind of space works for you and your organization to really address this and absolutely that consent agenda for the board meetings then you know it really does change change the conversation. Yeah. Now, let me ask you this with this higher level thinking and approach. What if you are an executive director that says I mean I just worked with somebody last night for two hours. And the topic was board engagement, and they are really struggling to get their board members to engage. And I was like well what does engagement look like and so we had a conversation about, you know, is it everything from fundraising to just simply attending to just responding to emails or whatever. What do you do, or let me rephrase that can you do this method, if you don't have a fully engaged board. That's always you know the million dollar question and one of the big, I know one of the big questions I get you know of how do I get my board to become more engaged. So just go back to the 8020 rule, right you will have 20% of the board members doing 80% of the work. Unfortunately, I will say that, you know, you want that to change you can set those expectations as you onboard your, your board of directors so as you bring them on you want to set very clear expectations of their service to the organization. I don't know that you know we can address that specifically one in our time that we have left, but it really is the culture of philanthropy and the culture of engagement that the organization sets right when you bring on that new board member. But as it relates to the strategic planning process Julia you definitely do want to have that 20% there right and again I'm talking about you need a quorum of course I would think that it's not necessarily a voting meeting so we're not you know pushing forward any, you know, request a vote, but you do want the lion share of your board there but you definitely want those that are actively engaged, and I find those that show up for the process and for these series of discussions. Those are the ones that are engaged. It almost seems to me to that it might build engagement. Yes, meaning that you know, versus like that one shot day deal where you put all your eggs in that basket and then it just sits there. I can see where it might foster stronger engagement because there's a thread there that you can follow, and that I believe and this might be a Polyanna thing but I believe board members want to be successful. I just don't always know how to be successful, and what it means to be a board member, and what the expectation is so that if you can spell that out up front to your point on the onboarding, then you're going to have, you know, a better performance from everyone. But I'm wondering about this process, if it just really takes a normal board person board member to that next level because it's more strategic in terms of helping them short a chart that course. I think it does. I definitely think it does from the ones that I've been a part of and you know I really had the privilege to be a part of the strategic planning process. I continue to see the same faces and I continue to hear, you know their voices being shared in the discussion and so it gives them something to one people support and that in which they help create I you know that is a great statement and people support that in which they help they create. So, bringing them into hey you are helping us create the strategic plan. We want your mind there we want your opinion we want your thought process we want you to help us create the plan, and then to continue that conversation right and so when it is consistent throughout the year in this partnership that I say right it really does foster a higher higher engagement, higher engagement. Also I want to ask you we don't have that much time left but I'm, you know, a lot of times I have felt when working in the strategic planning sphere that if you're not there for that. You know one day, long day or weekend or long weekend or whatever. You're not a part of it. Pardon me, it's, it's hard to catch up. It's hard to get looped back in. This seems like that helps take that that away that it keeps engaging people, and then I don't want to say they can jump in but they can, they can come up to speed faster. It's, it's more of a consistent piece. Sitting on the shelf right sitting on the shelf. It's not sitting on your desktop, it is a constant resource and reference point that is being discussed at that board level so it gives everyone an opportunity that if you didn't make, you know, a gathering, or, you know, you had to leave the switch that happens, but you definitely still have a big piece of involvement. Right. Okay, last, I mean this has been fascinating and I really appreciate you helping us explore this. My last question to you kind of is is a question that I wouldn't have even thought of. A few months ago and that is the relationship and you said this the very beginning, the relationship of how we're looking at boards are not just coming from our immediate neighborhood. They're coming from around, in some cases the globe but certainly, you know, we've spread our wings we're getting more people outside of our communities, maybe in rural parts, regionally, even across the nation. How does this structure work. If you have a board that is not all in the same community. Yeah, you know, I think this takes us back to that technology component, ideally when we can meet in person. That's great. But as we look at this recovery phase and continue our life. You know, we've said for the longest time, I don't think we'll ever go back to what was right so we're continuing, we're continuing with what is and what will be. So there could be an opportunity for your board members to come into town, are you all meeting one specific area or these series of engagements, but again the way I engage it does have that technology component so we are able to really bring everyone back into the conversation regardless of where they're located. And so that's you know that's good but it is a question of does this change does this really shift the paradigm of how we engage with our board, and to whom and do we even look at to bring on to the board. What are you saying Julia because you, I mean you're very involved in the board piece of this so even pre pandemic right have you been on a national board where you've brought in other board members or you've had other board members from different communities come into town. So I think there are a couple strategies. I think that in some cases I've seen organizations where they choose a different community that has a link to what it is they're doing. So for example in the cultural world. I've seen, and I'll speak directly to opera boards where they'll go to another city with an opera company, and then they use that time to learn what that particular company is doing. And it might be from visiting their campus, their training facilities, their performing center, and in watching the performance and then learning and sharing from that, because that sector works together. They, they rent each other's equipment and stages and costumes and technologies and even actual property. So that works. I think the other piece of that is that you have to have a board that has the ability to do that, right, or to fund that. So this is a big thing is how do you fund this. You know, do you have a requirement, which is that sometimes they call board dues that says you're going to have to cough up five grand a year in travel. And now that's going to be a heavy lift for some people. You might have to scholarship in a couple of those board members if you're looking to get younger or more diverse board. And that can be done. But yeah, there's a reality there to how you expense this out because it is, it can be incredibly expensive. Yeah, I have seen it done both ways where the organization and covers the cost, or the organization says upfront, there will be travel, you know, cost, and so the board members are aware of that. Right, and that becomes part of their donation. You know that becomes part of what their stewardship towards supporting, you know, the organization and a lot of times you call that you will call that board dues. So that people know and then a third way before we, we have to wrap up today's episode, you pay your board dues into the organization, and then the organization facilitates the travel and management. For example, when you're spending on let's say I've been on boards where the board dues were only 500 bucks but you know that $500 is going towards the cost of travel and, you know, meeting space or whatever. A lot of different ways. Well, this has been, you know, I always, I have to say, Jared, I do think you're one of the amazing minds of our nation in the nonprofit space and I'm so honored that you are here with me every day but I really have to say I love it when I just get you by yourself as a guest to explore something different because it's just so eye-opening. Again, here's Jared's information you know my information you don't need that, but check out the ravengroup.com. Jared, Raven's your middle name? It is. Yeah, so that's where it comes from. Okay, that's where it comes from. Awesome. I think you told me that once and then I because I always wondered like, where did that come from but anyway, yeah, check it out. There's a lot of really good information and I think this is something that is a new dawn for us in the nonprofit sector and it's very exciting, so yay team. I also want to share with you we've got our new book club. Check it out. There are a lot of authors on our book club that have actually been on the nonprofit show and you can see this on the American nonprofit Academy website. Thank you to all of our presenting sponsors. Again, we would not be here without you. And I want to remind everybody as we bid adieu to this episode of the nonprofit show. Stay well, so you can do well. Thank you, Jared, for doing so well today.