Podcasts about cause strategy partners

What if the biggest barrier to your mission isn't funding, or talent, or market conditions — but the people sitting in your boardroom?Not because they're bad people. But because they don't have clear expectations about their role. They weren't trained on the very real skills required for governance. And they're shoved into systems that don't allow them to bring their best strengths to the table.In this episode, I sit down with Rob Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, to explore what separates boards that multiply impact from boards that drain resources. After serving as a nonprofit CEO for 11 years and watching boards either accelerate or anchor organizations, Rob has spent the last decade placing over 3,000 board members across 1,500 organizations — and he's figured out exactly what makes the difference.It's not about finding wealthy donors or well-connected people. It's about design. Because most nonprofit boards aren't built — they just happen. A friend of a friend. Someone who can write a check. A warm body to fill a seat. That's governance by accident. And governance by accident creates dysfunction by design.In our conversation, we explore:The invisible hand problem: when boards feel like barriers instead of assets [01:59]The three foundations of effective boards: expectations, design, and culture [04:43]Why you shouldn't apologize for setting high expectations [06:33]Building strategic diversity beyond demographics [07:42]Getting outside your existing network to find the right candidates [09:46]Where to draw the line between board and staff work [10:15]The collaboration model: why boards can't set strategy alone (but CEOs can't either) [12:27]What fiduciary oversight actually means in practice [13:54]The B minus problem: why boards get mediocre grades from their CEOs [14:48]Why less than 5% of board members ever receive governance training [17:28]Where the buck stops: who's responsible for board training [18:32]What crisis reveals about board quality [42:38]Why high-capacity people lean in when things get hard [43:36]Notable Quotes"I can't think of anything worse than a nonprofit organization — we don't operate around the edges of society, we're taking care of homelessness, kids, the sick, the environment — to have a board that's actually draining resources instead of contributing." — Rob Acton [04:03]"I've seen people apologize for the roles and responsibilities and expectations. That makes me sad. There's no apology. You're stepping into a role where you'll be one of 10, 12, 15 people shepherding this important work." — Rob Acton [04:43]"Don't just ask 'who do we know?' Really be thoughtful around what is the right mix of backgrounds, experiences, skill sets, industries that we need represented in these strategic conversations." — Rob Acton [05:11]"When a board has delegated everything else to the CEO and said 'okay, we'll just raise money,' they've really lost track of their core responsibilities." — Rob Acton [09:18]Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

Rob Acton is the Founder & CEO of Cause Strategy Partners. Through his firm's signature program BoardLead, Cause Strategy Partners has placed nearly 3,000 professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom on nonprofit boards, while training tens-of-thousands more in high-impact nonprofit board service. Rob is a recognized expert on nonprofit governance and leadership. He has nearly three decades of experience founding, leading, and scaling social good organizations as both a nonprofit chief executive and board leader. Rob currently chairs the Board of Directors of Broadway Inspirational Voices. His causes are second chances for formerly incarcerated individuals, nonprofit capacity building, and the performing arts. Rob's forthcoming book, Becoming a Causie: Champion Your Cause Through Nonprofit Board Leadership will be available for preorders on July 5th and is slated for release in early September. In this episode, we discuss: ●     The personal—and professional—benefits of joining a nonprofit board ●     What makes a great board member (and what makes a terrible board member) ●     Why diverse representation on nonprofit boards matters Key Takeaways: ●     Shifting The Conversation To Meaningful Action. “What causes do you support, and how do you support them?” This was a question Rob started asking people, instead of the standard “What do you do for a living.” It stopped people in their tracks. I love this question. In an age when so many people confuse liking an Instagram post with action, this question moves beyond what causes matter to you and into the world-changing realm of actions. With that in mind, I'd like to ask you: “What causes do you support, and how do you support them?” ●     The Three T's of Board Commitment. Rob discussed the commitment expected of nonprofit board members, emphasizing the three T's: Time, Talent, and Treasure. Time involves dedicating 4-6 hours a month, manageable alongside a regular job. Talent means leveraging your professional skills to guide the nonprofit. Treasure is about financially supporting the cause, reinforcing your commitment. There's a psychological shift when you invest your own resources, and it feels disingenuous to ask others to donate if you haven't done so yourself. ●     Setting Up for Success. Cause Strategy Partners provides a blueprint for success that all organizations can learn from. They emphasize three key components: high expectations, training, and accountability. High expectations mean clearly defining the job role and responsibilities from the start. Training ensures individuals acquire the necessary skills to excel. Accountability involves regular check-ins to track progress and ensure each person meets the established expectations. This structured approach sets new board members—and employees—up for success. References: Connect with Rob on LinkedIn Cause Strategy Partners Taproot Foundation Broadway Inspirational Voices Connect & Share: If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading them! If this episode resonated with you, I ask you to send it to a friend. Help bring even more visibility to these leaders that are using business as a force for good! Subscribe to the Purpose and Profit newsletter to make sure you don't miss future episodes. This podcast is for you, the listener. I'd love to hear what resonated with you, or if you have a suggestion on who would be a great guest for this show. Please send me a note at info@KathyVarol.com.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Rob Acton, founder and CEO, and Erin Pierson, director of strategic growth, from Cause Strategy Partners to discuss how to engage board members in marketing and communications from recruitment through board service to alumni status.

Not surprisingly, most people have a cause or two that is very near and dear to their heart – the plight of economically challenged school systems, the need to bring literacy to life, or the care capacity of animal shelters, to name a few.  What is surprising though is that most people are not actively engaged in the causes they care most about!  Rob Acton, Founder of Cause Strategy Partners, has some valuable insights on how to move “from the sidelines to the center field” by combining our passions with our professional skills as nonprofit Board Members who can bring impact and outcomes to those in need. Story highlights: What causes the gap between the desire to engage and actually engaging, and why it's so important for each of us to bridge that gap. Why nonprofit boards seek professional talent in their efforts to meet their mission and engage their stakeholders. What unique challenges boards have faced over the past few years and the strategies they employed to overcome them. How to maximize any board's effectiveness in utilizing key resources such as time, money, and networks! Related link:  Cause Strategy Partners  Contact: Rob Acton

Our episode today is one that is fueled by our own desire to continue to push for a fair and representative democracy. While voting is not something that everyone does in every election (local or presidential) we want to urge people to go and vote so that your voices are heard more loudly and consistently. The Atlantic is saying to brace yourself for the voter “tsunami” and Pew Center Research is showing that Gen X’ers, Millennials, and Gen Z are turning out in higher numbers than Baby Boomers. The importance of getting your voice heard through your vote has never been more apparent or needed, which is why we wanted to bring on our guest today, Jess Riegel. Jess Riegel is Co-Founder and CEO of Motivote, a voting accountability platform for Millennials. Jess started her career with Teach for America, leading first-grade classrooms in New Orleans and Newark. As a consultant with Cause Strategy Partners, she advised nonprofits and foundations on board governance. She also led impact evaluation efforts for an educational tech startup, Kinvolved. While earning her MPA in Social Impact, Innovation and Investment from the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, Jess served on the Rockefeller Foundation’s social finance team. Jess holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and Political Economy from the University of Pennsylvania. Connect with Jess: Learn about Motivote: https://www.motivote.us/ Join Motivote: https://join.motivote.us/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/motivoteUS Meanwhile, we want to invite you into the Backstage Pass Goal Magic Community Group on Facebook. Our group is a very dynamic, supportive, and creative bunch who is full of awesome ideas, is always willing to help, and has already had some amazing conversations about our struggles and goals. We’d love to meet you, and so would our community, so drop us a note to say hi once you’re in! Here’s to Getting Unstuck, Cynthia & Brennen     Goal Magic Music Credits

Episode 36 features Robert Acton, the CEO of Cause Strategy Partners who discusses board seat placement, managing pushback, setting a vision, and inspiring a shared vision.

Board builder Rob Acton joins us to discuss specific strategies and tactics to optimize your board. He offers actionable tactics that you can implement today. Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, discusses the three categories of tactics: making better use of board meeting, treating board members as individuals not “the board” and reshaping board culture. ****Timestamped Highlights***** (10:00) Designing board meetings that are not snooze fests (11:30) An alternative to simply reading the Executive Director’s report (13:30) The “Plus, Delta, Question” exercise every executive director can use with their board (17:00) The power of generative questions (21:40) Building the strategic dashboard your board needs (28:00) Uncovering the unique strengths of board candidates (33:15) Rob’s advice for nonprofit board candidates to consider (35:45) The amount of time a board candidate should expect to volunteer each month.   Links: Cause Strategy Partners: http://causestrategypartners.com/ Robert’s Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/robertacton Cause Strategy’s Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/causestrategy

Board builder Rob Acton joins us to discuss specific strategies and tactics to optimize your board. He offers actionable tactics that you can implement today. Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, discusses the three categories of tactics: Making better use of board meetings Treating board members as individuals not “the board" Reshaping board culture Links: Cause Strategy Partners: http://causestrategypartners.com/ Twitter: @RobertActon Twitter: @causestrategy *****Time Stamped Highlights***** (10:00) Designing board meetings that are not snooze fests (11:30) An alternative to simply reading the Executive Director’s report (13:30) The “Plus, Delta, Question” exercise every executive director can use with their board (17:00) The power of generative questions (21:40) Building the strategic dashboard your board needs (28:00) Uncovering the unique strengths of board candidates (33:15) Rob’s advice for nonprofit board candidates to consider (35:45) The amount of time a board candidate should expect to volunteer each month.