Board Consulting

The formula for a successful organization is practically written in stone: talented executives and staff, charged with a powerful mission, closely aligned with an effective board.

Since our goal as a search firm is to help clients recruit executive talent who can make transformative impact, our transition work with search committees often leads to in-depth discussions about governance and strategy—the junction where the work of the board intersects with that of management—and so we are pleased to also offer consulting services geared toward that crucial last ingredient: a highly effective board.

STRATEGY

In this time of exceptional challenges for nonprofits, strategic planning processes must be transformational, built on a strong platform designed to help organizations, not just survive, but thrive.

In leading the strategic planning process for clients, DHC Search has two goals: one, to enable your organization to create and deliver upon strategic and measurable outcomes; and two, to come out of the planning process with a stronger and more unified team in place, who will provide the energy and momentum necessary for your organization to fulfill its intended objectives in the end.

DHC Search enters into each consulting assignment with great respect for the organizations we work with. We believe that strategic plans are not designed to dismiss all that has been done over the years to build mission alignment, but rather to shape what’s working into a go-forward strategy while also embracing new and creative pathways to success.

GOVERNANCE

A bright line exists between governance and management—a necessary one. Unfortunately, too often that line between the two is seen as more of a chasm.

As both board members and as consultants, we have led changes in the governance side of the “equation for success” through focusing on several areas:

Leading efforts to develop bylaws and governance best practices that are foundational to both the work of board members and their interactions with management.
Coaching board members towards being more informed and strategic leaders.
Assisting nonprofit organizations in building diverse backgrounds and skillsets among their board members.

Our approach is geared toward building productive boards who interface seamlessly with talented management teams, everyone working in concert to successfully deliver upon an organization’s mission.