A one-day workshop
All boards need to step back periodically and think about direction, where they are now and where they are going.
If there are causes for concern, whether subjectively in terms of perception or more objectively in terms of its impact, social value or ability to perform in the civil sector landscape, it may well be that the board is not functioning as well as it could with its existing resources or perhaps it has skills gaps. If there is no shared sense of purpose – no vision, no mission – then it is possible that there is mission drift or energies are not being well directed.
Equally, a newly formed board – or a recently restructured one – needs to focus first on the bigger picture before it can get down to the job of service delivery.
In situations such as this, a board identity day can be invaluable, helping it establish a sense of direction, of purpose, of identity.
- Create a draft (or revised) vision and mission statement, sometimes expressed as a ‘Board Charter’
- Increased sense of purpose and commitment and a better understanding of your own role as well as that of the board as a whole
- Have an agreed set of next steps
- Improvement in effectiveness and governance capability
Expert trainer
Amanda is a consultant, coach and facilitator specialising in working with VCSE organisations. She brings personal experience from working in the sector in operational and strategic leadership roles, as well as serving as a trustee and on boards and management committees. She provides one-to-one coaching for CEOs and senior VCSE managers and regularly facilitates board away-days and masterclasses, alongside providing specialist organisation development advice and support.
Session outline
This is an indicative agenda – a starting point for a conversation with you. We would be happy to tailor it to your precise requirements.
1. Introductions/scene setting
- Why are we here?
- What do we all want to achieve?
- What will be important to ensure we get the most from the day?
2. Beginning the journey to team identity
- In what way we do we operate as a board now?
- What examples do we have of working well together?
- What are some of our biggest practical challenges?
- Board SWOT and analysis
3. What’s our current landscape and what are the drivers?
- Internal and external? (Depending on context)
- Who else is out there and can they provide a better service than us?
- What are the implications for us?
4. Board perception
- How are we perceived by our staff and volunteers?
- How are we perceived by our service users and beneficiaries?
- How do we see ourselves?
- How do we see ourselves in the future?
5. Social impact
- What is social value? What is social impact?
- How can we provide it?
- Are we focusing on the right things?
- How will we demonstrate social impact?
6. Our board identity
- Who are we and what do we do?
- Why does our organisation ultimately exist?
- What are we here to deliver?
- Who are our beneficiaries?
- Who do we rely on for success?
- What consistencies in delivery must we demonstrate?
7. Our vision for success
- What is a vision?
- Why do we need a vision?
- What is our draft vision statement?
- What is a mission?
- What is our draft mission statement?
8. Review
- What is our vision?
- Do we have clarity about our identity and approach?
- What is our board charter?
- What are some of our immediate next steps?
