Board
of Directors seeks to increase revenues by 1900%
The Situation
A newly formed foundation board of directors was comprised of a group of
friends dedicated to helping disabled individuals receive alternative healing
treatments. Each volunteer came to the board with caring enthusiasm and an
intention of using their talents for the success of the foundation and its
constituents. This team had only been together for nine months, yet they were
beginning to encounter challenges with some of the typical issues that many
boards face: unclear expectations, lack of follow-through on the part of some
individuals, and not knowing how to handle disagreements.
The foundation had $5000 in the bank and wanted to increase those revenues to
$100,000 from grants and fundraising. They were aiming for a 1900 percent
increase in revenues in 12 months! They had so many things they wanted to
accomplish that they needed a focused plan that would direct them and help them
zero in on the most critical goals to get them to the next level in their
foundation’s evolvement.
Solution
We began by meeting with the team to develop a clear plan for their year. At
the same time, board members deeply considered whether or not they were a fit
for committing their time and skills to the board. As the plan progressed, 5 of
the board members voluntarily resigned. The clarity of the plan allowed people
to be able to choose to be on the team or not—to be committed or to move aside.
This team learned that without a clear plan, they could have lost momentum and
become splintered. But, their clarity of purpose ensured that their plan would
survive despite changes in the directors.
The Results
The team achieved 106% of their highly aggressive revenue goal one month
earlier than targeted, giving them the working capital to nurture several
disabled individuals with alternative treatments sooner than they had imagined
possible.
This volunteer team ultimately came away with the realization that although
it can be difficult for talented people with different personalities and
experience to work together, amazing things can happen when they commit
themselves to a plan with a focus on reaching a lofty goal. Champion Leaders'
work created a cohesive team heading in the same direction, aligned and focused
on the most important initiatives. Behavior and attitudes are healthy and
motivation is high.
