Category: eConnections

Personal values drive our decisions in a fast-paced society with little time to reflect on why we do what we do. In health and social services organizations, your culture, client care philosophies, operations, marketing, advancement programs, and yes – investments – reflect your values.  

Your organization exists to create change in your community and the larger world while maintaining a positive reputation, reflective of your organizational values. Shouldn’t this be true of your investments too?

What is values-based investing

Organizational investments have multiple purposes, including funding reserves, uncompensated care, and future projects. The values of the companies represented in your investment portfolios are linked with your organization’s values.

Values-based investing has been around for hundreds of years and largely began with religious groups, including Anabaptists and Quakers who adopted this mindset early. Over the last decade, the ability to invest in ways that align with values has grown in popularity. In recent years, many firms are offering investment strategies commonly referred to as socially responsible (SRI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) but not all these offerings are the same and few have faith-based principles at their core.

Faith-rooted investing emphasizes aligning the mission of your organization with your investment portfolio. It is possible to pursue principles such as building a world at peace and free from violence, environmental sustainability, and responsible management practices, to name a few. This is all done in a well-diversified investment portfolio that serves your institution’s financial needs

Choosing the right investment

It is important to identify those key investment values that align with your organization’s values. This can include:

• Surveying your organizations’ current portfolios for factors that conflict with your values or with fiduciary responsibilities.
• Working with an investment manager whose mission is to help you integrate your faith and investment values for optimal return and who can fulfill your organizations’ needs.

Know you are making sound decisions that resonate beyond the reach of your own organization — contact Everence and have our financial consultants confirm that your specific investments fully align with your values.

Contact Everence at: bill.hartman@everence.com or www.everence.com.

Recruitment and retention are a constant struggle in today’s health and human service industries. It’s no secret that staffing obstacles are especially challenging in the current market, but how are organizations combatting this? In this webinar, Staying Relevant in Today’s Staffing Market, panelists discuss creative hiring and benefits strategies that have bolstered their staffing abilities.

Registrants joined from Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Colorado, all sharing insights into the successes and challenges their organizations are facing.

A few key conversation points:

• There’s no one solution!
• Be willing to try something new.
• Get creative in your marketing.
• Explore how you can be flexible for your employees’ needs.

For more on how to find success in today’s staffing market, check out the best practices, tools, and resources highlighted in this month’s webinar.

It takes more than “putting a ring on it” to unify a Board and CEO relationship – wouldn’t it be nice if it were that easy? Karen Lehman, President / CEO of MHS Alliance and Consulting, shared with us some helpful tips on how to foster that connection – no diamond rings necessary.  

Karen highlighted a few strategies that she says are must-haves in a supportive CEO/Board relationship:

• Annual CEO review
  • This is a big one. Annual reviews can help target any obstacles the Board and CEO are facing, and even address goals that weren’t fully accomplished that may need more attention in the coming year.
• Review of strategic planning every 3-4 years
  • If Covid taught us anything, it’s that plans change. Make sure your strategy moving forward still aligns with the mission and vision of your organization.
• Monthly meetings between the CEO and Board Chair
  • This will help build an intentional closeness between the Board Chair and CEO in a way that a board meeting cannot. Make time to check in and get to know one another.
• Regular assessment of the CEO’s compensation
  • Nothing is more awkward than asking for money, so don’t put your CEO in that position. Make sure to take into account workload and competitive pricing. Oftentimes, new CEOs will ask for a higher wage than the resigning CEO’s salary – this indicates a need for reevaluation of market trends.
• Discuss shared leadership: who oversees what, and where is the overlap
  • The duties of the board, Board Chair, and CEO are separate, but where does responsibility end and begin? Clear communication of roles and expectations is the foundation of a successful Board/CEO relationship.

For more on how to foster successful Board and CEO relationships, check out the best practices, tools, and resources highlighted in this month’s webinar. Watch the Webinar Replay

Jerry Lile, CEO of Fairmount Homes and MHS Board Member, shares a devotional exploring God’s calling on his life.

Parker J Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation

Listening to Life: Ask Me

Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt; ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say.  —William Stafford

Parker explains, “‘Ask me whether what I have done is my life.’ For some, those words will be nonsense, nothing more than a poet’s loose way with language and logic. Of course, what I have done is my life! To what am I supposed to compare it? But for others, the poet’s words will be precise, piercing, and disquieting. They remind me of moments when it is clear—if I have eyes to see—that the life I am living is not the same as the life that wants to live in me.  In those moments I sometimes catch a glimpse of my true life, a life hidden like the river beneath the ice.  And in the spirit of the poet, I wonder: What am I meant to do? Who am I meant to be?”

Reading this book made me start questioning my life and asking if I am truly where God wants me to be. I think most of us, at some point, have questioned whether our work is still fulfilling and if we are still in the right organization, especially during COVID. Maybe because I am another year older, with a birthday a few months ago, or maybe God is challenging me to look deep inside and question whether or not I am living the life God intended for me.  But then I am reminded in Philippians 4:8-9, in the Message:  “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious-the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

So, what have I learned or seen?

-I have learned that Jesus loves me unconditionally.
-I have seen caregivers hold hands and sing to the sick and dying.
-I have witnessed numerous team members sleeping on air mattresses during a winter storm.
-I have learned to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself.

I have learned and seen much more, but Philippians 4 reminds me again that I will have peace wherever I may be, as long as I follow the words of God and His teachings.  So, if you find yourself questioning life, I encourage you to read ‘Let Your Life Speak’ by Parker Palmer and reflect on Philippians 4.

Jerry Lile, CEO of Fairmount Homes; MHS Board Member

The strategic planning process can seem overwhelming because we do it so infrequently, but strategic planning should be a regular part of your board’s work cycle. It ensures that your organization is proactive rather than reactive, it establishes an opportunity for your board to consider new opportunities or changes to current service lines and programs, and it considers the mission and vision to ensure the direction forward is still appropriate. Continual focus on strategy will keep your organization competitive and healthy!

A good first step is to assign the strategic planning process to a board task force or committee.  This ongoing committee ensures continuity and maintains the strategic focus that you need to operate in today’s competitive environment.  

The decision to use a consultant can be made by the board or planning committee and is usually based on how extensive the process needs to be. If you haven’t done strategic planning for a number of years, it may be wise to have an outside resource to support you. A consultant can help you map out a good strategic process which might include:

• Stakeholder input to discern priorities
• Board and leadership education on industry trends
• Evaluation of the condition of buildings, land, and other capital
• Competitive market study
• An operations review of current programs and services
• Financial review to inform potential decisions and discern key financial ratios
• Analysis and interpretation of the data that is obtained
• A deep dive into the current mission and vision statements to determine if these statements still represent the organization and its aspirational direction

When all the data is collected and analyzed, often a 3 to 6-month process, a board retreat is an appropriate setting to discern what that information is telling you.  The use of a SOAR/SWOT analysis (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results, weaknesses, and threats) can guide your decision-making process. Again, a consultant or facilitator can help de-mystify this process and lead you to high-level strategic initiatives. 

Strategic planning is a lot of work but can, and should, be an exciting and forward-thinking time! Take the opportunity to create new energy, and ensure strategic direction and a vision for your future. 

MHS Consulting (MHSC) supports the strategic planning process and is a valuable resource for all of you who are looking to develop that process. For more information on how MHSC can support you, contact Jeremy Kauffman, Jeremy@mhsonline.org.  (MHS members receive a discounted rate!)

Karen Lehman, President / CEO, MHS

Welcoming a new board member is an important time. You have the opportunity to bring a new, fresh perspective to your board and organization. There can be a steep learning curve for a new board member and it can take months for them to get up to speed and feel comfortable sharing ideas. To speed up that process boards do well by having a strong orientation and onboarding process.

An orientation process that includes a tour of the facility and an opportunity to meet some staff members and customers allows new board members to connect with the mission. This will improve engagement and drive important conversations benefiting the board and the organization.

Boards can facilitate an onboarding process for new board members that includes:

• Assigning a board mentor: This experienced board member would serve as your “go to” colleague. They would be available to answer questions and interact with the new board member before and after board meetings. They should also be the bridge in introducing them to other board members to begin developing relationships.
• Provide a Board Member Resource Book: This resource is everything that is essential for board members to know about the board and organization. This can include items such as articles of incorporation, bylaws, board policies, the strategic plan, board minutes and many more items critical to the board and organization. Share board minutes from the previous 2 years, highlighting important actions taken.
• Host a social gathering: This dedicated social gathering is a time outside of any board meeting to give time for new board members to meet their fellow board members. This allows your new members to build relationships and personal connections. This will bolster the board’s ability to have candid conversations when making tough decisions.

These steps can help a new board member feel welcome and engaged. MHS offers many more resources for recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring new board members. These practices will help your organization develop and cultivate strong and engaged board members who will become your nonprofit’s best ambassadors, advocates, strategists, and all-around supporters.

To learn more and utilize MHS’s full list of governance resources, click here.

How do you get noticed when everyone is competing for the same attention? It is almost impossible for a business today to not have a social media presence. It is the most direct way to communicate and receive feedback from your audience. Since everyone is on social media, it can be tough to cut through the noise and get your message out there.

Here are a few tips to help get more attention on social media:

• Connect To Your Mission and Values: Anytime you publish anything, it should always align with your mission and values. Take some time to discuss what content aligns with your mission and values. This could be client success stories, community advocacy, educating the general audience on your industry, and more.
• Be Consistent: Posting content on a regular basis will keep your organization in people’s social media feeds and stay top of mind. It will help your audience know when to expect to see content from your organization as well. Find a schedule that works for your social media manager and create a content calendar. The more consistent you are with your content, the faster you will grow your audience.
• Have a strong advocate group: Social media platforms like Facebook will show content to a small sample of your total audience to see if your content will be engaging to a larger audience. One way to make sure your content is getting visible to as many people as possible, is to have a group of advocates that can like and share your content. These advocates can be employees, board members, community members, family, and friend. Advocates will help connect your content to more people.
• Give it time: This might be the hardest step to take. If you don’t see growth as quickly as you would like, it is a common feeling to think your strategies aren’t working. Growing a social media audience takes time and patience! It is recommended to give a social media strategy between 3 – 6 months of time before re-evaluating. Platforms such as Facebook have excellent analytics tools and insights into your social media strategies to determine if they are effective.

These tips can help your organization cut through the noise of social media and build meaningful connections with your audience. MHS members who are in Marketing and Communications are encouraged to join the Marketing and Communications Network Group and connect with your peers on how they are growing their social media audience.

What are some additional ways that you’ve grown your social media audience? Leave a comment below and share your tips and success stories. and share your tips and success stories.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – Adam Clear, Atomic Habits

Many people have spent the last few years trying to find the best and most efficient ways to stay productive, amid ever-changing work landscapes. Where we work, how we work, and what we work on are changing rapidly and, at times, with very little warning. Having a tracking system is a crucial part of any individual’s or team’s success at hitting goals and reducing stressful moments.

There are productivity systems that range from a loose ‘make-it-your-own’ style to a rigid system comprised of many organizational steps. These methodologies have their pros and cons, but they are intended to help you increase productivity and reduce the stress of keeping track of everything. Here is a select list of systems:

• The Daily Trifecta (or Top 3 Tasks): The goal is to pick the top 3 items you need to accomplish in a day and write them at the top of your to-do list. You should not start any other tasks until your top 3 tasks are completed. This allows you to take care of your most important tasks and gain productive momentum for the rest of your day.
• Pomodoro: If you are struggling to begin a task or keep getting distracted by other things, the Pomodoro technique can help. To begin, set a timer for 25 minutes and begin working on a single task without any other distractions. After 25 minutes, allow yourself a 5-minute break and repeat 4 more times.
• Bullet Journal: This is a flexible system that is built around your needs and what you find most important into a single place. It allows you to become more mindful of your tasks and projects. This does require some setup but the system allows for easy customization and also requires a notebook or device to capture everything.
• Getting Things Done (GTD): This is probably the most well-known productivity system and there are many resources such as books, classes, and videos to get you started. The philosophy of this system is to allow your mind to think, instead of trying to remember everything you need to do in a day. This is a very rigid system that is designed to help you focus on the right things, at the right place, and at the right time.

You may want to try one or more of these productivity systems and experiment with what works best for you.  If you have tried any of these systems, we’d love to know about your experience, both positive and negative. Or, if you have a productivity system that is not listed, but you’d like to share, please let us know. Email us at info@mhsonline.org!

Nick Matthews, MHS Communications and Program Director

What is one of the most important reasons why an organization goes from being a good organization to being an exceptional organization?   It is the people, their values and commitment, that make an organization exceptional!  At the helm of an exceptional organization is a strategic and visionary Board of Directors who understand their important role in the hiring and setting accountability of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  This important partnership is what can strategically move an organization forward through the challenges that nonprofit, faith-based ministries encounter today. 

When a Board of Directors hires the CEO, they are hiring the person that they most trust to bring the right people with the right skills into the organization to carry out the strategic direction they have established. It is the leadership of the organization that the Board counts on to carry out the mission.

There are many ways that a Board can set a solid foundation to ensure a positive relationship with their CEO. From the initial hire that establishes employment compensation, role parameters and policies, to setting aspirational goals and strategic planning. Along the way there is monitoring and at appropriate intervals an assessment of the CEO’s progress. These are important processes in maintaining and strengthening the partnership between the Board and CEO.

Today, more than ever, the Board has to be aware of the need to review the CEO’s compensation. Awareness of the compensation structure for the executive team as well as for all staff to ensure there are appropriate and fair practices across the organization should be part of an overall compensation review.  While pay and benefits are only one part of an employee’s continued engagement and commitment to an organization, it is an important one. There are many other ways that a Board and CEO can build and foster a positive relationship. In the webinar presented in August, MHS will provide additional ways that can strengthen and nurture these roles to achieve exceptional outcomes for your ministry.

To hear more thoughts and insight into the relationship of the Board & CEO Relationship, please register for “Fostering the Board & CEO Relationship”. In this webinar, we will share information on best practices, tools and resources that are available to foster a positive and enduring relationship between the Board and CEO. This will be an interactive webinar with time for attendee participation and your organization’s CEOs, Board Chairs, Board Members, and Senior Leaders should attend.

Click here to register.

Karen Lehman, President / CEO, MHS

Board service is truly a labor of love to the organization that you serve. Board members can have a wide range of responsibilities including developing strategic goals and objectives, identifying goals and opportunities of the CEO, and governing the organization, among others. One responsibility that can get overlooked is fundraising.

Board members are excellent fundraisers due to their deep connection to the organization’s mission and vision. The familiarity a board has with the inner workings of your organization as well as understanding what drives the mission and goals make them ideal advocates.

There are many ways board members can support an organization’s fundraising efforts including introducing staff to prospective donors, educating community members on the importance of your organization’s mission and vision, and making personal donations.

To keep fundraising from getting overlooked, set clear expectations with board members when recruiting and onboarding. Consider including fundraising responsibilities in a formal job description prior to recruitment. These expectations will help a board identify potential board members that will drive your organization forward and allow your board members to excel. Members can access board member recruitment and onboarding resources through the MHS website to strengthen your processes and set clear expectations.

Boards can continue cultivating a fundraising focus by dedicating time during board meetings. We recommend spending a few minutes at each board meeting to share previous successes and talking points for future fundraising conversations. Also, take some time to pair up in meetings to practice your “elevator pitch” for fundraising efforts.

To hear more thoughts and insight into fundraising efforts, please register for “You Want Me to Do What? Engaging Boards in Fundraising”. The webinar will be July 19 at 2:30 pm EST/11:30 pm PST. Panelists include William S. Hartman, Vice President Organization Services, Everence; Elyse Kauffman, Charitable Consultant, Everence; Hugh Davis, President & CEO, Menno Haven Retirement Center; Wayne Yeager, Board Chair, Menno Haven Retirement Center; and Missy Kauffman Schrock, MBA, Executive Director, Center for Healing & Hope.

Click here to register.

Nick Matthews, MHS Communications and Program Director