BookPastor >> "Called to Serve" (Max De Pree)

TITLE: Called to Serve: Creating and Nurturing the Effective Volunteer Board
AUTHOR: Max De Pree
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2001, (100 pages).

Have you ever wondered what a Board of Directors, a volunteer or non-profit organization do? How can they be more effective in their altruistic goals? What makes a successful nonprofit board? These questions are ably dealt with by one of the most respected names in the leadership arena: Max dePree. Known for his classic work entitled, "Leadership is an Art," DePree applies his knowledge and years of wisdom from the for-profit enterprise to the nonprofit organizations such as churches, charities, and other social causes. As money continues to pour into nonprofits, it is critical that there be increasing quality of management and leadership in them as well.

Written as personal letters to his friend, Verley, DePree talks about the eleven marks of an effective board as:

1. Having a mission statement;
2. Nurturing strong relationships with board members;
3. Maintaining an understanding of the surrounding world;
4. Planning well;
5. Enabling competent and inspirational leadership;
6. Cultivating growth in members of the organization;
7. Giving wisdom, wealth, work, and witness;
8. Maintaining intimacy with their responsibilities;
9. Measuring and doing what it says it will do;
10. Reflecting;
11. Thanking.

A good board has a clear agenda. It needs to have a future orientation. It also has specific present responsibilities for each member. It needs to evaluate senior leadership in the organization so as to improve leadership performances. The Board's role needs to be strategic and reflective, based on the administrative information provided them. Board meetings need to engage all members. 

DePree talks about the design of the Board. Structures must be thought of not in terms of work to be done but what the organization wants to become. They need to be primarily concerned with people, followed by financial prudence and managing of both hard and soft assets. The chairperson mainly chairs the meeting. Unfortunately, many places tend to see the chairperson as President or Chief Executive. That will be wrong. The authority of the chairperson resides in the running of the meeting, keeping time, sensing members' moods, and so on.  The single most important thing any chairperson can do is to cultivate trust. This is done through two ways. The first is to express gratitude frequently. The second is to uphold accountability levels of all members. So important is the role of the chairperson that DePree allocates two chapters on it. He calls the act of chairing a prime example of servant leadership. Other roles of the chairperson include:

• Building community
• Designing agenda
• Using a "bell curve" to know when is the optimum time for members' attention and discussion of important issues;
• Communicating well;
• Be Hospitable
• Be an accountability leader.

Having said that, there is also a list of duties for members to remember for themselves; such as statement of expectations; enabling trust to the other leaders; giving space; providing care; and others. He ends with a personal story about his brother at Herman Miller, where he reminds us that when we implement things affecting any one particular group, always consult the people who will be most affected by any change. Let me close with this powerful quote about volunteering.

"There's a lesson here for all of us engaged in volunteer activities. Be careful not to give people too many reasons for reconsidering their calling. Consider deeply and meticulously why it is that so many people are called to serve others as volunteers. Never forget that non-profit work, like no other endeavour, engages our choice, our hearts, and our spirits." (91)

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

Book Review: "9 Steps to Work Less and Do More"

TITLE: 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More
AUTHOR: Stever Robbins
PUBLISHED: NY: St Martin's Press, 2010

This is a surprise find. It is an organizing gem. I had initially thought that how can anyone better the phenomenal success of "Getting Things Done" by time management guru, David Allen. Stever Robbins new book comes close, and in some areas better than Allen's version. Here's why this Get-It-Done-Guy blows me away.

What the Book is About?
The premise of the book is that it is POSSIBLE to get more things done in less time. Using 9 steps to help one use their time and limited resources better, Robbins provides 9 extremely practical and helpful tips. They are:

1. Live on Purpose;
2. Stop Procrastinating;
3. Conquer Technology;
4. Beat Distractions to Cultivate Focus;
5. Stay Organized;
6. Stop Wasting Time;
7. Optimize;
8. Build Stronger Relationships;
9. Leverage.

Robbins makes a helpful summary at the end of each chapter, after giving lots of constructive advice in each chapter. There is a gradual movement from self-management to working with other people. The process of improvement builds up on the earlier steps, which is why learning the steps are best done chronologically, though the busy reader can jump in and out of the chapters depending on the needs. In a nutshell, the author is simply trying to convey the message that more things can be done, when we organize our own lives in the first place.

My Comments
I find the book highly readable and practical. The wit and humor in it makes the mundane process of organizing and getting our work done in a more fun manner. I could not help underlining many pages which speak to me at first read. I love the part about technology and aspect of focusing. I am a writer, and the examples he uses are so relevant and applicable, like breaking down writing into 3 different tasks: creating, editing and formatting. (No wonder I get all kinds of writers' block as I tend to mix these tasks up!) I can feel the energy and the excitement of the author oozing through the pages of the book. The other aspect about organizing forces me to make difficult decisions about keeping and throwing staff away. How easy it is to accumulate staff, and difficult to simply get rid of them.

There are two criticisms I have. Firstly, it is the long unwieldy title. It makes recommending the book a mouthful. In fact, the book should be retitled into something like "Streamlining Your Life," or "Quickly Done," or "Get More Done Fast." Keep the title as the subtitle instead. The second critique is a little more philosophical. Personally, I feel that using 'working less' as a catch-all for productivity is incomplete. I prefer working 'well' for there are certain things in life that cannot be reduced quantitatively. For example, how can we 'work less' on matters pertaining to someone who is ill. Can we rush his/her recovery? Often, it is more appropriate to work well rather than to work less. Moreover, when work becomes enjoyable, will we be wanting to work 'less?' This book is so practical that the suggestions can be immediately applied to most of our situations.

These two critiques aside, this book ought to be on the bookshelves of anyone who calls themselves busy, disorganized or addicted to things like technology. It could very well be a life saver! My conclusion: If you struggling to manage your own time and activities, of organizing the things in your life, and if you have only enough time to read one book, pick this book up. Invest in it. You will not regret it.

I am glad to review this book. Be warned. This book is not for bedtime reading. It makes you want to get up and simply get things done.

conrade

"Book has been provided courtesy of St Martin's Press, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."