During the 2015 Young Nonprofit Professionals Network National Conference in Little Rock, there were a few great presentations focused around getting the most out of your board, which particularly highlighted intentional relationship management as the core of nonprofit board work.
One point that stood out to me during these sessions was how some boards create “mission moments” — opportunities for their members to reconnect with the mission and critical work of their organizations.
A few examples of ways to do this are:
- a performing arts organization that holds one of its meetings each year on the stage;
- inviting beneficiaries of the work to share their stories with the board during a meeting; and
- having a board member share why he/she is committed to this work.
I believe that mission moments can be a great way to deepen commitment and provide insight. We’ve certainly had some success with this in my current organization and I hope to do more of it as our board grows.
Have you used mission moments with your board? Please share any experiences in the comments.
