But did you know that the same holds true for not-for-profit boards of directors?

According to research conducted by Judith Sharken Simon and Susan Kenny Stevens, among others, not-for-profit boards of directors typically go through six distinct stages: 1) the imagine and inspire pre-stage, 2) the ground and grow (developing) stage, 3) the produce and sustain (mature) stage, 4) the visible and abundant (fund-raising/institutional) stage, 5) the review and renew stage, and 6) the decline and dissolution stage.

The imagine and inspire pre-stage is the stage during which the organization's vision or dream is identified. As the organization is established, the board enters into the ground and grow stage, with heavy volunteer involvement and limited paid staff. As maturation occurs, the board moves into the produce and sustain stage, with a comprehensive board profile, strong volunteer and staff systems, and a focus on oversight and fundraising.

The visible and abundant stage occurs when the board accepts primary responsiblity for fund-raising. An executive committee may be established to handle immediate issues and problems. A board will then enter into a review and renew stage, which will occur as board membership and leadership turns over, and as new generations of leaders become involved in the organization. Boards entering into the decline and dissolution stage are typically characterized by inappropriate, weak leadership, lack of passion for the cause, and a resistance to change; agencies in this stage may experience dramatic staff and board turnover as well as a continually shrinking board.

According to Carol Stone, former executive director of the Volunteer Center of Orange County and an instructor in Executive Consulting's Board Chair's Academy, "Assessing the life cycle stages is a good discussion tool for developing your board and for future planning. It helps establish benchmarks against which you can gauge board performance, both now and in the future."

The information provided in this article was presented during the first session of Executive Consulting's Board Chair's Academy, a program provided exclusively to Executive Consulting's past and present clients. For more information about the Board Chair's Academy, please visit www.interimexecutive.org and click on the Board Chair's Academy link on the home page, listed under Nonprofit Management Training.

Let's Have Lunch Together reveals the secrets and how-tos that turn boards and supporters into legions of powerful mission partners. The book follows the story of Oscar, an Executive Director who tries everything to move his organization to the next level. Oscar could easily raise a lot more money and get more of what he wants. He's smart, works hard and is deeply committed. There's one thing stopping him: Oscar can't build strong relationships with enough of the right people. He thought he knew all about relationships - until things took a downturn. He needed answers quickly and discovered the secrets to more powerful partnerships. Now, his organization and his life are on the upswing.

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As Executive Director of Desert AIDS Project, Inc., Marc expanded the agency from a $1.9 million budget to a $5 million budget, increased paid staff from 25 to 65, and expanded medical operations from a part-time physician and one LVN to a multi-physician practice serving 800 patients.

Currently, Marc is serving as Interim Executive Director of CASA Riverside, an assignment arranged by Executive Consulting. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so that they can thrive in safe, permanent homes.

"I've enjoyed being affiliated with Executive Consulting for the last two-and-a-half years," explains Marc. "The caliber of affiliates is outstanding. In fact, I believe the firm's affiliates represent some of the finest nonprofit talent in Southern California, if not the entire state."

Through its Service Partners Network, Executive Consulting has an affiliation with just such a resource. Denise Davies of Aleph, Inc., specializes in Internet strategy and implementation for not-for-profit organizations. The company's clients include AFP Orange County, Family Service of Long Beach, Developments in Literacy, and, of course, Executive Consulting for the Nonprofit Sector, Inc., among other clients.

A native of Nova Scotia, Canada, Denise has spent the last 10 years creating Internet solutions for not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Denise has lived in more than 10 countries, working in education, libraries, information management, consulting for information systems, and in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

"I am committed to working with not-for-profit organizations for a number of reasons," comments Denise. "The sector is so important to our society--whether it's education, social services or health care, not-for-profit organizations are so key to our communities' infrastructures. By providing my Internet skills to these organizations, I can be part of the sector's effort to change or save lives."

Denise is just one member of Executive Consulting's Service Partners Network, a program designed to provide specialized services in areas such as not-for-profit accounting, marketing, and human resources management, among other disciplines. To learn more about our Service Partners Network, please click on the link below.