Board Leadership
For most DMOs, organizational governance is provided by a Board of Directors. Whether appointed or self-selecting (or, hopefully, a mix), these are the community leaders that are expected to guide the sustainable growth of our destinations and organizations.
But…do they? Can they?
In their breakthrough book on Board excellence (Race for Relevance), authors Harrison Coerver and Mary Byers suggest that Boards have become “part-time amateurs” when it comes to leading associations. Where Boards used to “call the shot,” today’s Boards often find themselves passively listening to staff reports without engaging in meaningful conversation about the future...and ultimately forfeiting their opportunity to leave a lasting mark on their community.
Indeed, outside of performing the necessary function of simple existence in order to satisfy the legal requirements of a non-profit organization, many Boards have lost their raison d’être. And, if the Board isn’t engaged in advancing the organization or destination, the unfortunate result is hours of lost staff time preparing for a meeting that has no purpose.
But, what if? What if DMO Boards were more than a formality. What if they were a significant value-add to the crucial work that DMO professionals perform every day? What if their individual and collective influence were unleashed in our communities to reinforce the importance of our work, give voice to destination-defining visions and publicly support development projects that could elevate the region’s quality of life and place?
That’s the question that the leaders of 5 DMO-centric consultancies pondered over an early-morning breakfast this summer in Toronto…and we agreed that the reason that so many of today’s Boards aren’t fulfilling their destiny is that they have been ill-prepared to assume that role. That unfortunate reality ends now.
DMOproz, Searchwide Global, CFO by Design, Fired Up! Culture and Civitas Advisors (in collaboration with Destinations International) are announcing a first-of-its-kind symposium designed to prepare and inspire DMO Board leadership to be all they can be. We’ve designed a 2 day intensive workshop in which we’ll immerse Board Leadership in the issues of next generation Board governance, finance, culture, succession and new revenue streams, all hosted by the inimitable Maura Gast in Irving, Texas.
We’ll provide opportunities for Board Chairs and incoming leaders from across the country to interact and discuss the issues that are most important to them. And, we’ll devote time for DMO CEOs to discuss how they can empower their Boards to build a greater level of community engagement in order to enhance Quality of Life and Place.
To learn more, go to BoardLeadershipforDestinations.com and join us January 31st and February 1st in Irving TX at the sensational Irving Convention Center for this inaugural symposium. Seats for this immersive experience are limited to ensure participants benefit from a high-level of interaction with our panel of experts…so act today.