Transformational Governance

There has never been so much pressure on nonprofit boards of directors to achieve a level of accountability that meets public and stakeholder expectations. Member-serving association boards may be especially challenged by their more complex affiliate structures and a greater emphasis on representative governance. But what does the journey to good governance look like? Markedly different from existing board development books, this modern approach focuses less on the behaviors and qualities of "high-performing boards" and more on the stages and processes that directors and their staff used to transform their boards. Based on research funded by the ASAE Foundation, the book fills a gap in the governance literature by emphasizing diagnosis and problem solving, using the actual tools and activities implemented by 85 transformed associations. Combining the credibility of scholarly research with lively and compelling stories, tools, and teachable moments, this book is designed to help associations and other nonprofit organizations achieve the entire journey to good governance, from first to last steps.

Foreword Anne Wallestad, BoardSource v Acknowledgments ix Introduction and Study Design xiii Chapter 1 Where Does Board Change Begin? 1 Chapter 2 Change and People 15 Chapter 3 Catalysts and Watersheds 43 Chapter 4 Implementing Change 75 Chapter 5 Leading Sideways: Influencing Change within the Board 115 Chapter 6 Leading Up: The CEO’s Opportunity 139 Chapter 7 Leading Forward: The Board Chair’s Opportunity 167 Chapter 8 Working with External Consultants 185 Chapter 9 Getting the Most from Assessment and Evaluation 197 Conclusion Strategies and Resources for Success 213 Appendix Tools and Resources 219 References 243 About the Authors 253 Index 255