It was a functioning board of directors that supported the NPO during its succession phase

[Summary]
For an NPO in the transition period from a charismatic leader to the next generation, it becomes difficult for the board chair alone to support the organization, making the function of the board of directors even more critical.
In particular, for corporations with annual sales of tens of millions to 100 million yen where functions are not yet differentiated, there are increasing instances where the board of directors serves as the 'support for organizational culture'.
From today's board meeting and staff meeting, I felt that this movement has begun.

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Today, I participated as an observer in a meeting of field leaders held before the board meeting, and afterwards, I attended the board meeting as an auditor.
Overall, it was a 'brainstorming day' where ideas about direction were freely exchanged, and it became a rich time for staff and board members to think together about the future of the corporation.

■ Themes that left a particular impression today

Many perspectives emerged from the remarks of field leaders, board members, and auditors.
• The balance between independence and sociality as a business-oriented NPO
• How to interpret the organization's philosophy and translate it into operations
• Who is referred to by 'community,' and who is 'everyone'?
• Ways of being that do not end with just providing services
• How to utilize the perspective of intersectionality
• How to deal with the 'margin' that can sometimes be tiring
• The value of a place where one can simply exist

Themes that are difficult to bring up in daily work were naturally put into words.

■ What I definitely want to write down today

There is something I felt anew today.
It is that for a board chair who has received the baton from a charismatic leader, how to make the board of directors function becomes the 'lifeline of the organization'.

Especially in NPOs with annual sales of tens of millions to 100 million yen where organizational functions are not yet differentiated,
the board chair often embodies the organizational culture itself, and the impact of a change in board chair is very significant.
It is difficult for a successor with different values, experiences, and connections to reproduce the same style as it is,
and that is precisely why it is necessary to shift from individual power to management supported by the 'mechanism' of a board of directors.

Seeing board members with different backgrounds gather, intersect perspectives, and complement each other as they did today, I felt that this 'mechanism' was truly beginning to move.
I believe this accumulation will become the management strength of the next generation.

And,
the value of having board meetings where there are no absentees.
I felt that this is by no means a given, and is something realized only through mutual trust and commitment.

■ Finally

On the other hand, in NPOs that reach a scale of several hundred million yen and have differentiated departments,
the organizational culture is supported by 'organizational mechanisms' rather than the individual board chair.
Therefore, the instability caused by a change in board chair is relatively small.
I thought again that the weight borne by the board of directors during the succession phase changes significantly depending on the growth stage of the organization.

Today's meeting was a time when I realized that precisely because it is a corporation in a 'growth transition phase,' the function of the board of directors is the key to supporting the future of the corporation.

The photo is a reward after the board meeting, ramen with flying fish broth 🍜. It was delicious.

#NPO #BoardOfDirectors #Auditor #OrganizationalManagement #BusinessSuccession