Episode 23. Making the Case for Evaluating the Nonprofit Executive Director
You probably spent a lot of time in December completing staff performance evaluations.
You know how important the performance evaluation process is. It is an opportunity to acknowledge staff strengths, set goals for the coming year, and create professional development plans to support their growth.
But who gives you as the Executive Director formal feedback on your work performance?
Tragically, so many nonprofit leaders work so hard day in and day out and do not receive a performance review.
We all want feedback and acknowledgment for our successes and an action plan to shore up our weak spots.
I do not have to talk you into how important an annual performance evaluation is.
Instead in this episode, I am going to give you some talking points to share with your Board to convince them to set aside the time and resources to get you the evaluation you deserve.
You can read the transcript and hear the full episode at relishyourrole.com/23
You know how important it is to receive feedback.
Yes, we all know that the Board of Directors is responsible for evaluating their ED and setting compensation levels, but in my experience, they rarely conduct a thorough thoughtful annual performance evaluation of their leaders.
You are probably frustrated and feel a little underappreciated that the Board has not given you a formal evaluation.
You would think they would recognize how important it is to annually assess the work you have done.
While the Board may immediately think of performance evaluations as solely tied to decisions regarding pay raises, you can help them see all the other positive impacts of undertaking the process.
Sometimes you have to educate your Board on the importance of evaluating you and here are some talking points you can use to convince your board to put your evaluation on their ‘to-do’ list.
ED Evaluations Clarify Agency Priorities
In making the case for having your board formally evaluate your performance, you may want to start with what is in it for them.
A thorough ED evaluation creates an opportunity to reflect on the general health of the agency.
Through a formal and transparent process, an Executive Director evaluation will create explicit linkages between the agency and the work you have done.
A good evaluation references the agency’s strategic plan, and or their annual work plan and allows the opportunity to assess what has been accomplished.
In designing the evaluation, the Board and Director, in partnership, can reflect on those things that are most important to the agency and track progress.
It serves as a refresher of agency priorities.
Most importantly, in the process of identifying the most important things to measure, there is an opportunity for robust conversation to identify what is of utmost importance for the agency to thrive, and your role in making it happen.
Evaluating the Leader is a Key Board Responsibility
Boards have one basic priority- hiring and retaining a competent leader.
Hiring, developing, and retaining the Executive Director is the board’s main point of leverage of what is happening at their agency.
A primary responsibility of a nonprofit Board is to ensure exceptional leadership by overseeing and supporting the ED.
In reminding them of this key component of their governance role you might convince them to start the process.
ED Evaluations Strengthen the ED/Board Partnership
A strong evaluation is a mutual process between you and the Board and can strengthen your relationship.
It creates the opportunity to identify priority areas of work and establish expectations for what needs to get done and the acceptable level of achievement.
Issues that have not been addressed can be confronted through an evaluation.
If there has been miscommunication around expectations, an evaluation is the chance to get everyone on the same page.
In gathering data for the evaluation, the ED has the opportunity to explain some of the complexities of running the agency in a new way.
The give and take of identifying what needs to be measured and how it should be tracked deepens the ED’s understanding of what the Board values and conversely broadens the Board’s knowledge of the operational side of the organization.
In every evaluation I have performed, one of the more impactful elements is the growth in Board members understanding of the ED’s role and the work that they do.
Many times, the evaluation results in the Board understanding where they need to focus their energies to help the ED achieve agency goals.
ED Evaluations Unveils the work being Done
In designing an evaluation, the first step is determining the priority areas to assess.
All of the different areas of the ED’s responsibilities are identified, ranging from financial stewardship to maintaining the work culture to policy work and nurturing relationships with external partners.
While you know all the elements of your job your board is most likely unaware of the breadth of your responsibilities.
In the process of identifying the priority areas to evaluate, the Board is exposed to all the different responsibilities the ED carries.
As the Board becomes more familiar with the complexities of running the nonprofit, they tend to be more understanding and respectful of the work you do.
ED Evaluations Support the Executive Director.
It is common knowledge that exceptional nonprofit leaders must be recognized and rewarded, or they will leave, and great leaders are hard to find
While you do not want to toot your own horn, it does not hurt to remind your Board that all staff responds well to an objective evaluation, and it strengthens their bond with the organization. The same holds for you as the agency leader.
Suppose your agency recently undertook a major project or received a new infusion of funds. In that case, the evaluation is a way for them to assess how well the agency and its leader did.
If there are elements of your job performance that have been a cause for tension between you and the board, the evaluation helps clarify the issues that need support.
All evaluations should have an action plan based on their findings. These action plans may involve professional development, coaching, or additional leadership staff to lighten your load.
The evaluation process helps make this clear and gives the ED and the Board a road map for improvement.
I have conducted scores of ED evaluations and in almost every case the result has been a stronger Board/Ed relationship and increased clarity around both agency priorities and your leadership competencies.
Most importantly, as the Executive Director you get recognized for the work you have done and have a mutually determined action plan moving forward.
If this sounds good to you and you want help in getting your board to invest in you and your professional growth get in touch- let’s get you the support and acknowledgement support you deserve.