Building Effective Boards with Deb Macfarlan Enright
Listen to the Common Good Data Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
A strong and effective board can make a big difference for organizations, especially those that are looking to grow, get to the next level, be more strategic, and ultimately increase their impact.
With decades of experience revitalizing alumni boards and developing leadership in nonprofits, our guest, Deb Macfarlan Enright, shares her strategies for engaging board members and cultivating effective leadership that drives meaningful impact.
We explore how nonprofits can transform their leadership approach by leveraging the passion and expertise of their members to build stronger communities.
Whether you’re an executive director, a board member, or a nonprofit leader, this episode will share how to create a dynamic, engaged, and impactful board culture.
You’ll Hear:
(01:45) Three strategies for recruiting excellent board members
(06:28) How to attract board members with specific skills like legal, HR, or networking
(21:19) What a new board member needs to learn to be effective in their first 90 days
(27:11) What approach to take to ensure accountability among board members
(29:47) How to measure board members’ contributions beyond attendance
Key Takeaways
New board members need to understand that their role involves serious legal responsibilities beyond just adding a line to their resume or making connections. They should be aware of the fiduciary duties and other expectations that come with being on a board, ensuring they are committed to the organization’s mission and not just participating for personal gain.
Board members should be well-prepared for meetings and actively contribute to the organization’s goals. This means thoroughly reviewing board materials in advance, being ready to discuss and make decisions, and leveraging their skills and experience to benefit the organization. Their involvement should be purposeful and aimed at advancing the organization’s mission.
Implementing tools such as commitment letters and holding regular reviews can significantly enhance board accountability and engagement. Commitment letters set clear expectations for board member participation, while regular reviews help assess how well members are meeting these expectations. This structured approach ensures that board members remain aligned with the organization’s goals and are actively contributing to its success.
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Drew Reynolds: [00:00:00] Hello, everyone. This is Drew Reynolds. Welcome to the Common Good Data podcast. Today, we're going to talk about boards. I have found in my experience, talking with nonprofit leaders and also serving on a board myself, that having a strong and effective board makes such a big difference. for organizations, especially those that are looking to grow, get to the next level, be more strategic, and ultimately increase their impact.
So to do that, we've invited Deb Macfarlan Enright. She's on to talk a little bit about her experience in supporting board members as they become impactful members in the communities and in the nonprofit organizations in which they serve. Deb has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, having served as a volunteer, executive director, He's a board officer and also now as consultant.
She's the founder of Leadership After Dark, which is a program designed to enhance board impact in non profit organizations. And so I'm very excited for this interview with Deb as she shares some of her insight about the great work [00:01:00] that she is doing to help support and improve boards across the country.
So without further ado, let's dive right into the interview.
Deb Macfarlan Enright, welcome to the show.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Thank you, Drew. It's great to see both you and Roger. Thanks for having me on.
Drew Reynolds: I'm excited that we have Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville all represented on the podcast today. So we're doing a real tour of. Of cities in the Southeast. So let's dive right in. You do lots of work in supporting nonprofit boards.
And I know when I talk to nonprofit leaders, that one of the continuing challenges I hear is around recruitment. So what are some strategies that you've been using to help people recruit excellent board members?
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Well, let's look at it from a couple different lenses. Okay. So from the organization's lens.
They need to understand that their board seats are priceless and need to be strategic on who's gonna [00:02:00] Occupy those seats. So according to their strategic plan and where they find themselves headed They need to think about what they need around that table if you will So if they're going into a capital campaign Well, you need to make people you need to be sure that people who understand that heavy lift Who like that heavy lift and who have a network that can support that heavy lift are at least arranged in?
Really a good percentage of those seats. If you're going to be replicating a program or you're going to be expanding staff or you're going to be expanding programming, then you need to think about having some folks who are very adept in the human resources area. If you're moving into perhaps a new program that may include partnerships with folks that then require some more legal foundings.
In terms of how that partnership is going to be formed, then you need to have some legal folks around so understanding kind of [00:03:00] what expertise experience you need to lean into that is not currently on your staff or would be strengthened by having folks on the board. That's the first thing for those folks who are looking to serve on a board.
It's very important when you get an invitation, the honor, the privilege to serve on a nonprofits board, you need to know that it's the right fit. Quite frankly, if you like puppies more than people, it's okay to say no to the folks who may come to you with either hunger relief, maybe, or housing and security relief, If you want to stick to the shelter, if you want to stick to those folks who perhaps maybe are providing or helping pets find homes with those who are facing housing insecurity.
Choose an organization that feeds that passion. And introduce the [00:04:00] organization to one of your friends who may really want to help people. It's really a matter of finding your fit and for the organization to understand who they need to fit into the strategy of expertise and experience that's available to them on their board.
Roger Suclupe: So Deb, it sounds like it's almost like a financial package. Like you want to diversify your portfolio and for organizations, you want to diversify your board, right? So you don't want to have too many folks who are heavy on one side and then not have folks who can reach out or have that network on the other side.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Completely agree with that, Roger. It really is a matter of understanding that nonprofits are businesses and that's not heresy That's just to make sure that they are efficiently run and are sustainable and can grow so that they can serve more [00:05:00] So I love the idea of the portfolio Because as we know, portfolios are going to expand and contract.
They're going to need to be flexible and they're going to need to be responsive to the market responsive to the delivery of the mission. So just as you have said, it's a matter of who's around the table, but it's also, does the size still work? The bylaws are going to tell you how many that you agreed upon, and perhaps there's been some modifications to that over the years, but is that still a workable number Does that need to be revisited?
Does it need to be expanded as the organization expands? So exactly what is it that the organization needs in terms of oversight with the expertise and experience necessary to help them deliver the mission more efficiently? But also perhaps expand the reach of the mission.
Drew Reynolds: So I've heard a number of times from leaders that they say, you know, I know I need someone with legal expertise or HR expertise, or I [00:06:00] want somebody who represents the people we serve on our board to make sure that that voice is at the table.
What are some strategies that you have seen nonprofits in terms of recruiting some of those folks in, but I also know with your work that you work closely with companies that are looking to find opportunities for them. Their leaders to be serving in the community on nonprofit boards. So maybe could you talk a little bit about what that recruitment looks like, both from the nonprofit side and then also from a company side?
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Sure. So let's start with the nonprofit side. So as, as, as I see it, if you serve on a board, you're an ambassador. So you're going to lean in to the organization to make sure that it is structurally sound, financially sound, programmatically sound, and the delivery is meeting the vision. period But it also means you've got some folks who should be doing more than meeting once a month once a quarter You know twice a year for a full day a [00:07:00] half day an hour and a half To learn about the organization to make sure it's being run.
Well every board member Needs to know what seats are not only available. So not just the number like, okay We've got three empty seats now. We need to find out somebody who's got a pulse right who can make these meetings They need to be strategic to figure out well if we're moving into this portion of the strategic plan We need we need this expertise and experience Or we need this person who's hooked into this network, or we need this person who is either an alum of the program and has had success and now is working with another organization that could perhaps be a strategic partner.
So for the organization, it's not just up to you, the executive director, right, or the chair. Or just the nom com it's, it, it requires every board member. And I would also argue executive staff to understand what's necessary, what's next, what seats are opening [00:08:00] up. And then in an ambassador role, take someone to coffee, figure it out, explain what the application process is, explain what the commitment is, explain what the accountability measures are, explain what the term is.
And that's a great way for an organization to really have some filters in place So we move beyond well that person is associated with this bank So maybe we'll get a check for our annual event Which disassociates the person? From finding out if that's a good fit for them if they're even interested so using the entity, right?
When you look at it from a business point of view think about it if you think like you guys think about a triangle So if a if an organization is committed to civic leadership, you're going to serve Three entities all at once you're going to serve the individuals your [00:09:00] associates, right? Particularly with retention and recruitment People now are looking for a work life balance You Well, what would it look like if you're going to join an organization that is committed to civic leadership and helps train you To be prepared to be a high performing board member because you're doing a couple things You're representing your personal brand, right?
But you're also representing the company So think about it now the company has a core of people internally who can answer those questions of hey Xyz wants us to sponsor this event. Do you know anything about them? Sure. Hang on I've been through our training i've been through leadership after dark training and we know what a 990 is I can look up giving Matters, I know how to pierce through a website I'm going to check their board of directors and see I want to see where their strategic partners are and that informs the company So that they can more efficiently and effectively have an impact in their philanthropic dollars And then think about the [00:10:00] community if a company has embraced the notion of providing trained civic leaders particularly onto non profit boards Your organization is going to go to that company when you know You've got some seats opening up because they've been trained.
They've been trained to be a board member You can supply the secret sauce for your organization But you know that person day one is going to understand what the responsibilities are that are overarching Right what it means to serve on a board that it really matters that you show up that it matters that you prepare that there Is perhaps a launch into leadership You And there are some fiduciary things you've got to be aware of how nice to for somebody to start and be active Their first day versus waiting what we know from our research in a three year term Some folks will wait up to 18 months to truly get involved because they're not quite sure Oh my that breaks my heart for the organization for the delivery of the mission, but for that [00:11:00] person Who obviously is a leader or is working to become a leader?
Roger Suclupe: I love the concept of the triangle that you just mentioned, right? So there's a reciprocity in triangles so you give and you receive and then you look for other avenues to Replicate that, right? So you give and you receive. And so in a, in a, in a triangle, everybody's doing the same thing. You're giving and you're receiving, and it's a cycle.
It's fluid. And, uh, I started thinking about, Drew knows my passion for soccer. I started thinking about Triangles and soccer is really important. Like every, everywhere you look as a player, you should find a triangle. You should be in a position where there's a triangle present.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Thanks for using soccer so, or football as we call it in our house with two kids who went through travel soccer, one being a goalie and hearing about triangles in space.
Yeah, [00:12:00] absolutely. It, it, it is important for us to understand. That serving on a board as i've said before it's an honor and it's a privilege Not just in terms of serving the organization and making the world better But you meet some of the greatest people that you'll you would never have met before you get to Certainly show your expertise and experience, but you're going to learn stuff.
And if you're, if you are strategic in your membership on the board, you might pick up some stuff you never would have had the chance to play with, right? It may be that you are a back of the house person and you deal with accounting and it's all data management, right? And it could be that you're like, dag, I have always wanted to know how marketing works.
Here you go. You don't have to be proficient you can serve on a committee for an event or can serve on the communications committee or let's say You really want to expand your network and learn about more people who are in your [00:13:00] community My heaven's working on the nominations committee That could be an awesome thing just to meet new people So you're right.
I really love that that that triangle that thinking about the give and get thinking about the space That's necessary thinking about receiving as well as aiding and then if you have to block the shot you block the shot.
Roger Suclupe: That's excellent. I love that you, y'all have, uh, two footballers in the, uh, in your household.
That's awesome. This leads up to the next question here that I, that I have, uh, in mind about board membership. And so once individual is on the board, it's really crucial to keep them engaged and interested and involved, right? Can you share some examples of nonprofits that have done this effectively and efficiently?
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Sure. So I can do it from kind of three lanes, if you will. So one lane is the [00:14:00] startup. Now, folks who take on a nonprofit startup are a particularly passionate group of folks, because there's a lot of elbow grease that's necessary. So there is one organization called One Wilco. It's here in the Williamson County area that deals with racism and making sure that students of color thrive within the public school system.
That board had to form itself, form its bylaws, form its accountability structure, its commitment structure. And so they have done an extraordinary job. Of coupling that with their three year they decided to do a three year strategic plan Although now in this industry, we know it moves a lot But it gave them some form and purpose so that they could I guess what I would say is display their uniqueness In terms of how they are serving a population.
They want to serve the whole population, right? It's [00:15:00] an education and advocacy organization, but, but in particular, making sure that a certain group within that thrive. And I would say that One Wilco is a very good example of that. They are particularly humble in terms, they're passionate and they're, they are impatient.
In terms of getting the work done, but they are humble in terms of learning from a variety of Different organizations the do's and don'ts right? The second lane is is the five year plus you guys know that in business Five year plus after that hurdle of the fifth year you kind of go. Okay, but then folks who maybe woke up at 3 a.
m Thinking about how to solve a small problem or a larger in you know, social injustice all of a sudden now have Incomes people are dependent on for their from their staff. They may have benefits. They may have a facility There may be rent. They may be buying something and more importantly they have [00:16:00] clients who now Depend on their services Not creating dependency but serving the mission delivering the mission And so for that there is an organization that is more in the it's it's been around a little bit more But after it hit that five year mark, it's one generation away again.
It's here in this area One generation away. So now they have been able to expand to two other states Another one that's approaching that five year is day one early learning community They are in Poughkeepsie, new york, and they've really knocked it out of the park their their founders were very smart in terms of how they Are delivering the mission but also in the business sense of being in the non profit world To the point where their success now has already caused Them to grow to another place Their board is highly engaged and has national people on it, which obviously helps [00:17:00] in a nonprofit.
One Generation Away has mostly local people, but these are people who are passionate about relieving hunger and security. The final has to do with legacy. One organization I would lift up is Mending Hearts. Mending hearts is 20 years old. It was started by a 17 time felon. It started in her home and now They have 17 properties in what is now than it not as now, but is the nation's neighborhood in nashville Which once was a drug infested?
Neighborhood that the founder of mending hearts literally is turned around through just elbow grease grit and love Their board had to mature As it started to not only gain properties but gain national prominence And it is a two year in house treatment facility For women suffering from addiction and breaks a variety of cycles.
There's no way that the cycles of [00:18:00] generational poverty Incarceration unemployment addiction losing your family and trying to regain it could happen without a board that had evolved So it evolved from a we're here to help you right go back to the startup. We're here to help you whatever you need We you know, we can mop floors.
We can get rats out of these old homes. We can we can make that happen We'll go help you find people to come To that five plus where all of a sudden oh my gosh now we really it's a budget We got to think about that. We got to keep rehabbing. We got to keep buying new properties We need to make relationships with the courts.
We need to make relationships with other strategic partners to now They truly are a beacon across the state, but I would argue Nationally and how to make this work how to take somebody who may even get high the moment They're about to open the door to mending hearts You And they're welcomed and how they have met the person where they are On a completely [00:19:00] sliding scale and how they brought in the government Foundations the faith community the for profit community and other non profits And that had to happen with a more mature board A board that truly understands oversight and organizational performance, operational excellence, etc.
Drew Reynolds: I love those examples and how you talked about the evolution of boards from startup to midsize to like established rear boards because you see such a big difference in how they operate, you know, just as you had talked about, it's almost like when you're a startup, you're rolling up your sleeves, you're mopping floors, you're doing anything that needs to get done to get the day's work done.
And what can happen a lot of times, as I've seen with boards is as they start to grow, and they realize they need to take on more of the strategic, the long term, the relationship kind of building that an organization needs to grow, is kind of pulling them out of those daily management activities and helping them focus more on governance, which can be a [00:20:00] real challenge.
That's something you also see with those with those kind of board evolutions.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Absolutely. So a friend of mine from seventh grade, Tom Bagamani has an organization called the Giving Spirit in LA. Tommy started in the, I shouldn't say Tommy, but I've noticed in seventh grade, Tommy started at the trunk of his car giving small packets of just essentials to those who were experiencing housing insecurity.
So from the trunk of the car 20 years later We are now at at helping 150 000 people in the la area to the point where All of the government officials including the governor and a lot of hollywood folks and a lot of for profit folks See this as an organization. They want to get behind which also includes Ding ding ding the vatican who has now moved their education department from the east coast out to california to support tommy's work
Drew Reynolds: That's incredible.
I mean [00:21:00] You run a great program called leadership after dark and i'm wondering If you could talk a little bit kind of about what are the key things that you think? Someone who's new to serving on a board needs to learn quickly so that they can be effective in the first step 30, 60, 90 days as a board member.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Yeah, great. So I think it's just the fundamentals, right? It's knowing that there are fiduciary responsibilities and we unpack those so that they understand this is not a coffee clash. It's not just something for your resume. It's not because it's something you can talk about at a cocktail party. I mean, there are legal requirements for a board and we go through all of those soup to nuts.
Yeah. We also believe that if you understand the financial kind of structuring Of a non profit you're going to understand the non profits do make money, right? and they you kind of want them to they're not going to give returns to shareholders or to You know initial [00:22:00] people who have been who may have some financial interest You need to also know that this is not for you to network You can have friends.
I mean, I know we've kind of, I kind of used that word probably unintelligently. It's not for your gain. It's for the organization's gain. It's to understand that your expertise and experience is necessary or you wouldn't be invited. This goes back to the first question of like, what should an organization do?
Find the best people. Don't look for a pulse. Look for a person who's actually committed and is going to help you. It's also a matter of understanding that there are seasons to a board and seasons to board members. So sometimes you may find somebody your first day who's highly active And that's because that's their secret sauce is necessary at that time.
You may find somebody on your first day that's a little bit that that has been there for a while and may be more quiet than you thought they would be. And it could be that that their their positioning in terms of expanding their expertise and experience may have changed a [00:23:00] little bit according to the strategic plan.
What we want to do and what we make sure after leadership after dark, the training is completed that that folks understand even if it's your first board meeting, Now, that doesn't mean you have to talk the whole time, but you need to be prepared. You and I, all of us know that when a organization puts together the board packets and sends out the board packets, the minimum they are hoping somebody does is open the file and look at the documents, right?
What we underscore. Beat over the head. Make sure they know is it's more than opening the file. You're responsible. These folks are doing all they can in 60 hours in a day. I know those metrics are wrong. To make the world better, the least you can do. Is be prepared so we help them understand how to be prepared We help them [00:24:00] understand how to find their fit And how so they can not only choose or choose the organization they want or organizations they're looking at But then how they're going to leverage it and how they can do on their own accord find out things About the organization and so I think for folks what leadership after dark does is in a very concentrated time With a curated curriculum that leans on decades of experience, but also research We provide folks with a how to on the first day to become high performing if I can so one one One story we're just kind of thrilled about i'd love to share so in an initial cohort we did We had some folks it was interesting the age range 30 to 70.
So it's not just emerging leaders, right? It's anybody but we had two folks who They were gearing up for their first fall meeting on a board We got [00:25:00] feedback from the chair of that board that both of them were asking questions That the executive director and chair had been hoping would be asked for an extended period of time prior to that meeting That there was energy behind them that they were humble and asked very good questions But they leaned in because they had looked at the material because they knew they were supposed to So that's how we get them ready for day one.
Roger Suclupe: Thanks for sharing that Deb. I think it's important for folks to realize, you mentioned earlier, that it is an honor and it's a privilege to be asked to be part of a board. Folks aren't just picking folks out of the air and saying, Oh, this, I like this name or hey, this person's doing this. It, um, there's intentionality behind the possibility of, of getting somebody on a board.
So there should be intentionality from that individual to do their research. About [00:26:00] the organization, about their mission, about their vision, about their plan, and then figure out, is this going to be a good fit? for them and for me. So you're right. It's not just about putting up a body, putting a pulse into, into a seat.
So,
Drew Reynolds: Hey, real quick, before we continue our discussion today, I wanted to share an opportunity with you. If you're interested in building your capacity for evaluation and demonstrated the impact of your organization's programs and services, you You can actually work directly with common good data. Go to www.
commongooddata. com slash impact to book a no pressure, no cost consultation session. I'd love to meet you and learn more about the great work that you're doing and help you figure out how best to show the impact of your work that you and your team is doing day in and day out. So again, that's www.
commongooddata. com slash impact. Now back to the show.
Roger Suclupe: Boards take different approaches to holding themselves accountable. And so how do you recommend non profit leaders and [00:27:00] Their board members to ensure accountability amongst colleagues, especially when when times are difficult
Deb Macfarlan Enright: That's a great question.
So roger what we recommend and we actually walk the classes through Is the application process? That we hope organizations at least use some of part of that application process is the understanding the review of and the signing of a commitment letter. You could call it what you want. It could be an engagement letter if that feels more comfortable, but a commitment letter that outlines kind of the minimum show up right.
Rest up be prepared But it really outlines in an accountability structure So for us education people a rubric of how we will understand [00:28:00] What engagement looks like and how we can hold ourselves accountable? So that also serves For a for first first year board members a six month, but for all board members an annual conversation How's it going?
Are we having trouble? You know, if there's trouble with folks attending the meetings is still a good season Or has something changed? Are you really digging the committees that you're on or is there something else you might like to try? I mean so then there becomes a conversation about service and it's not just A task you're ticking off or a meeting you're showing up for we found the commitment letters are very very helpful It also going back to a question before it also educates the board as to expectations Constantly and those commitment letters which are signed by the board member the chair and the executive director serve as a point of celebration like [00:29:00] Congratulations.
Welcome. We're so glad you're here but underscores You're here because you were chosen. You're here because we do have expectations on delivery and you're here because we need you.
Drew Reynolds: So our podcast focuses on data and evaluation. And so we always have some type of data or assessment kind of conversation.
And I'm curious about what you're seeing nonprofits do with respect to metrics. We always talk about metrics of the organization, impact of the organization. But what do you think are useful either assessment tools or, you know, good metrics or performance measures that evaluate board performance? And what would you want to see if you were asking somebody to say like, Hey, how's your board doing?
What's something that would be important for you to say, Hey, I think this is a sense that this board is, is really having a big impact.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: I like that so I would I would certainly we could certainly start with a commitment letter Right that that thing that we just the thing we just talked about and build out a rubric from that And you could do it you could I mean you could do it on a scale if you wanted to I [00:30:00] would just do a one To five I wouldn't do a one to ten.
So you could really do it more formally. I I think that you would You have to think about the sensibilities of boards, right that that would be somewhat revolutionary right for them to think that there's going to Be more than a conversation, but you could certainly do that. I think there's a couple big metrics, right?
So one would be attendance, right? The other would be What they're bringing so some we think i'm trying to stay away from is how much money did they raise? But you really need to know if the relationship of the board to the organization is give Give and get give and get right. So what are those expectations?
Is there a is there a minimal metric? What else what other strategic partnerships that they're bringing along? How have they moved if they have moved into leadership how many terms they may what's what does that look like? What does membership look like drew you? You and I know that if it just if nobody ever [00:31:00] cycles off that becomes a Not an invaluable seat.
It becomes a seat without value and You If it is somebody who's been there since the beginning A board needs to think about making an emeriti board or a alumni board so that that Institutional knowledge stays but the seats aren't taken by folks who can't bring fresh ideas i'm not saying that folks who've been around for a long time can't that would make me look bad, but Just bring on new new people right more people new people new experiences More representative of the community.
You're not only serving but the community you find yourself in. I think that that's that's very important So going back to hard and fast metrics, I would set up the commitment letter so that that rubric is already created And then if you wanted to do some kind of numeric scale, you could, [00:32:00] but I would have that agreed upon so that people don't feel they're being graded.
I'm not sure where the, I would love that. I'm not sure we're there yet in terms of boards. The one thing that's important for us to remember is while we ratchet up this notion of privilege and honor to be on a board and it's strategic, this is. This is new. It's new thinking about approaching a board as you would a for profit board that thinks about growth, operational excellence, leadership development, professional development, etc.
It's kind of, it's different. And we want to make sure that in accountability, we're not making it appear to folks who could do good service, that it's another, it's like a second job. I, I want that vim and vigor to come into their service, but I would hate for folks to misinterpret [00:33:00] what a evaluation could look like.
Roger Suclupe: Accountability is key, intentionality is key, but then also finding the right fit. is key as well, not only for the board member, perspective board member, but also for the organization. I think it kind of circles back to one of the points you made earlier, is you just don't want to put a pulse in the seat.
You want to make sure that that is somebody who is not only going to bring fresh ideas, but who wants to be there. Not because they need to check something off of their personal agenda box. And I think that's important. I love the idea of the alumni board, right? And perhaps maybe even not having to be a board, maybe an alumni committee.
So these are folks who have served, who, who have been intentional about their service, maybe can't serve on a board because of whatever, but then there's this committee. So you have folks who can be part of that committee and sort of be a [00:34:00] consultant to the, to the new board.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Well, so if it's helpful, so I actually chair, Chaired the formation or I guess the reinvigoration of that at Vassar So I served on the alumni board for just under 10 years and then as I rolled off They either were afraid to let me loose on the street or something, but then they asked me to revitalize What was a great idea?
So you guys all know once you've served on a board when you're in it You're probably the best ambassadors possible, right? Because of all the variety of of requirements and hopes Uh for the purpose of serving on a board. So what we did was formalize it And we even, uh, and, and we structured it for engagement as well as leaning in on their leadership.
So we have a class and club structure. Most alumni groups do that's across the world. And so we asked these people who are high performing board members. To [00:35:00] lean back into their classes and lean back into their regional clubs to offer support Like here's what we've done before it sort of worked. Here's here's how you navigate this.
Here's who you can talk to Here's how we made this work So it's just kind of a it's just somebody who can lean in right but not an official role Very clear about that to your point. We also granted exclusive access So we would have because it's across the world We would have virtual meetings that would have president bradley on or would have a special speaker on or When one of our board members current board members who's chip reed who served at on abc, you know As a network news reporter including the white house interviewed an alum Chip also met with us after and we had a free range q about his work as well as what we had just heard You We also do something at reunion.
So we have now a kind of bridging. So when the board members leave and they leave in June, it's their [00:36:00] final one, and they're vetted by the board. They come now to a, to a luncheons now in its fourth year. And it keeps continues to grow where we're called the 1871 circle because the alumni association started.
Then the circle hosts a luncheon that recognizes the retiring board members. Welcomes them in and actually provides a pin that we designed think about the Congress and how they went where that pin It's really for security, but it's also identity and starts a conversation So roger when they walk along the campus at reunion people say well, what what is that pin about?
You get to talk about leadership, get to talk about how great it is to see the college through different lenses of the different decades of classes. And you get to talk about what it means on a local to the international level of serving the college. We have found it to be very successful and we know it will continue to grow.
Roger Suclupe: Beautiful. Thanks for sharing that. I'm, I was stoked because [00:37:00] we got to talk a little bit about football. Yeah. And, uh, that's always exciting for me. I, I'm even more excited because, you know, we, it's never, when I'm on, it's never a full episode until I ask a pop culture type question. And so we're not, we're shifting a little bit here.
and making it a little bit fun. So because the theme for today was around leadership and development and intentionality, my question is, and I'm steering away, usually I do 80s, 90s, but we're going to go 2000s as well, or, or whenever, just whenever. What movie, and I'll start us off, right? So what movie brings, comes to mind when you think of leadership and development and strategy?
And I'm, I'll, I'll go first and I'll let y'all kind of marinate on that and think about it. So I'm going to pick a movie that I've watched a number of times. It's actually about football, F O O T B A L L. Remember the Titans. Remember the Titans is a really powerful [00:38:00] movie and it has so many different layers, but if we're thinking about leadership.
There's leadership on all levels. From the coaching staff, there's leadership, obviously, and development, and struggles, and challenges. But then also from the player's side, there's leadership, and development, and struggles, and strategies. And so when I think of, I'm thinking about leadership, Remember the Titan comes to mind, because there's so many pivotal scenes.
But one of the scenes that I remember is when a player who was a running back decided that, He was going to switch over to defense instead of offense and then the head coach Denzel Washington's character Decided like you know what if you want to do that, that's fine but the defense coordinator Recognized that this this player is going to be an asset and asked him to step up and the player stepped up in that scene And it's just a beautiful movie, but I'm thinking of leadership and there's just leadership on all sides It doesn't always have to be one sided, so that's my pick.
Deb Macfarlan Enright: And [00:39:00] actually, I've got to say, Roger, it's going to go way, way, way far back. I don't, you know, these questions are so cool. I enjoy the answers others give. For me, I go completely blank. But just to piggyback off, remember the Titans. So, um, I, I grew up in Arlington. So I, I know that school. I didn't go there. I went to Washington Lake.
But I also know that scene in Alexandria, I can see it happening. In that time so it's and you're right. It's a great movie And it could be that that because you said remember the titans I went immediately to I mean, this is this is a ways ago Probably found it on tcm. What are those turn of classic movies or whatever and i'll tell you why it's it's it's to sir with love And this is the sydney portier and he's in a uh, you know It's in a marginalized school and he kind of turns it around What I love about that is it shows that leadership Has to be distributed [00:40:00] and dispersed and that leaders are not necessarily sure they are until they have to be And I think that happens on a board If you find yourself on a board with a lot of either icons or people who have just knocked it out of the park and everybody knows who they are and you're coming in, you need to know, you have to believe that you are there because you were chosen to be there and you need to speak.
Don't wait. Don't feel as though you have to gain some kind of currency. You're there because they want you there much like in the movie where people you would think Could only contribute to the rambunctiousness of the class At some point when they see the leader starting to falter, rise up and speak up to, to help.[00:41:00]
Drew Reynolds: Oh, those are great examples. I, I love it. I love Sydney Sydney Poitier. I mean, that's just, it's classic, right? You know, we had mentioned football and soccer earlier. So I almost feel compelled to say Ted Lasso as a leader, which would be amazing. I just feel like I love the believe picture, but I'm actually going to go with soccer.
Star Wars because I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and I'm going to go with Star Wars Episode 8 with the character of Vice Admiral Holdo, which is played by Laura Dern. And I really like the way that she is portrayed as a leader because it runs against the stereotype of what leadership is seen in Star Wars, which is typically a male figure who comes in in a very heroic manner.
almost kind of cowboy type way to save the day through some giant battle. Vice Admiral Holdo in the situation towards the end of that movie says, you know, really, they were facing certain defeat from the empire. And so retreat was really the way to keep the spark of the resistance alive as they talk about it.
So she presents this sort of different narrative and then [00:42:00] also a very self sacrificial one in terms of how her character ends up at the very end. that counters a narrative around bravado in leadership, and more about what does the organization need for the long term. And I think that that's a great message for nonprofit leaders out there as well.
Roger Suclupe: Excellent choices. I'm going to go watch these movies again.
Drew Reynolds: They're good ones. Yeah, I'm a huge Star Wars fan, unapologetic, unapologetic. So as we wrap up our podcast episode today, um, Deb, thank you so much for coming. If people want to learn more about you and the leadership effort at ARC, where can they go to find out about you?
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Thank you. It's it's it's simple. It's long but it's simple The website is leadership after dark. com And you can check us out on linkedin. I think you may have to go to mine Deborah Macfarlan and right to get some of the stuff, but we we post things that are You know, small little curations of thoughts to help those who are on boards, as well as those who are executive directors.
But yeah, leadershipafterdark. com.
Drew Reynolds: Wonderful. Well, Deb, thank you so much for joining us again today. [00:43:00]
Deb Macfarlan Enright: Oh, it's been a joy. I'm so glad to see you, Drew, again, and continued success. And Roger, it's been a delight. Thank you so much. And now my mind's going to think about 80s, 90s, 2000 references. For the rest of the day, so I appreciate that.
Roger Suclupe: Oh, thank you for joining us. We appreciate your time and definitely the wisdom that you're sharing with leaders out there in the world. So thank you.
Drew Reynolds: Thank you so much again for listening to today's show. If you enjoyed the episode today, please take a moment to head over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and review.
You can also visit our website at www. commongooddata. com forward slash podcast to get the show notes and access resources from today's episode. Anyways, that's all for now. And I want to give a huge shout out before we wrap up to our amazing co hosts, Roger Cicloupe and our fantastic producer, Jessica Whipple.
And thank you of course, as well for tuning into the Common Good Data podcast today. See you again [00:44:00] soon.
Our Guest
Deb Macfarlan Enright, Ed.D., has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, having served as a volunteer, executive, board officer, and consultant. She is the founder of Leadership After Dark, a program dedicated to elevating board impact and ensuring effective governance.
Her work focuses on equipping board members with the knowledge and tools they need to perform effectively and contribute meaningfully to their organizations. Through Leadership After Dark, Deb provides tailored training and resources that help boards navigate their responsibilities and drive organizational success.
Learn more about the Leadership After Dark.
