ARC – Reflection

Our Team/Our Board October 24, 2018
My Contribution to Our Board October 26, 2017

Reflection ~ Findings and Evaluation Comments from the Business Works workshop "Our Team/Our Board" for American River Conservancy Personnel held in Coloma, CA. 90 minute Workshop.

ARC Staff​"Reflection is offered to give power to voice, to promote understanding among team members and bring light to the findings from the workshops." 

Findings

Our Team:

  • Being a good listener is beneficial in my role as Gadfly & Donor because I ask difficult questions and still financially support our mission.
  • Being open is beneficial in my role as Board Member because I am willing to listen to others' point of view.
  • Being a team player is beneficial in my role as Executive Director because cooperation is required for success.
  • Being humorous is beneficial in my role as Campaign and Communications Manager because having fun at work is motivating, builds trust, team, and makes people more engaged and productive.
  • Being an active listener is beneficial in my role as a Volunteer Board Member because nobody knows everything and all need to be heard and considered.
  • Being thoughtful is beneficial in my role as Associate Director because it helps me make informed decisions & requires listening.
  • Being collaborative is beneficial in my role as President of the Board because it gets buy-in from others to come to a common goal.
  • Being a positive person is beneficial in my role as Stewardship Manager because I interact with many different people.
  • Being caring is beneficial in my role as Board Member because I try to do my best for ARC.
  • Being positive is beneficial in my role as Office Manager because a positive work environment helps with morale.
  • Being inclusive is beneficial in my role as Volunteer Facilitator because this delivers connection, enjoyment and is respectful to everyone's wisdom.
  • Being caring is beneficial in my role as Bookkeeper & Team Member because it makes things flow well within the office, and it's who I am.
  • Being an active participant is beneficial in my role as Board Secretary because I stay very engaged in Board meetings.
  • Being an initiator is beneficial in my role as (Interim) Board Member because I help connect the dots and take action to support getting things done.

(click here to read what others said makes a positive group member)

​Our Board:

+ One thing ARC Board is doing well –

  • Thoughtful decision making – they ask questions to understand as active participants.
  • Selecting our new Executive Director & helping her transition into the role.
  • Completing their responsibilities.
  • Being dedicated to the well-being of ARC staff.
  • Volunteering, communicating, moving ARC forward, forming committees to get things done (i.e. ED search), agreeing to attend teambuilding workshops.
  • Making decisions when they need to be made.
  • Having a positive impact on the community.
  • Supporting the mission and values of ARC, following through, and decision making.
  • Being representatives of ARC. Being involved in ARC's mission.
  • Supportive.
  • Asking questions to understand projects and not to poke holes.
  • Communication.
  • Making decisions regarding pursuing conservation properties.
  • Replacing our Executive Director efficiently.

​∆ Going forward, something else I'd like to see ARC Board do well is –

  • Being more active in fundraising.
  • Involvement in activities such as hikes.
  • Continue our mission for the good of the community.
  • Collaborating with staff in cultivating donors from those they personally know.
  • Lead groups of volunteers who are working & helping an ARC project.
  • Engage new people.
  • Support staff with fundraising efforts by bringing new donors/supporters to ARC.
  • Follow through on committee assignments.
  • Stay current/relevant by serving as brand ambassadors to advance ARC's reach.
  • Continue with good communication.
  • Prioritize goals.
  • Invite friends and family to get to know ARC (small meet and greet events). More leading of hikes and public programs.
  • Continue being approachable!
  • Continue to have trust and faith in the staff & continue doing a great job.
  • Better forecast our financial status and even out the ups and downs.

​Evaluation Comments

What did you gain from this workshop, what was valuable?

  • It is almost always good & interesting to get to know people that one has limited opportunities to know outside of 10 monthly meetings. The gains if any will appear over time! Also met Marie & Dillon!
  • Sharing, kindness, love & thinking of others. 
  • Time spent with board & staff. It's nice everyone is willing to do this. It's good our organizational culture supports this type of activity.
  • Getting to know ARC Staff & Board members better.
  • I gained insight into what the ARC Board wants to do well going forward. I also gained from being in a positive & supportive setting.
  • More in depth knowledge about the people in our group – more about who they are.
  • A very warm & insightful introduction to the Board of Directors. It was valuable to learn about one another & share openly.
  • Meeting the whole gang! Learning more about everyone. Hearing how better we can support the ARC staff.
  • Helped me to be more open. Learned a lot about the others.
  • More knowledge of others and their vision for the Board.
  • It was safe and inclusive. I enjoyed hearing the thoughts of others and being heard. Made me more aware of how thankful I am to be a part of ARC.
  • I gained knowledge of Board members that I did not know. Felt like we got a better sense of each other.
  • Got to know staff better on a personal basis. Built trust. Emphasized positives.

​Was this experience worth your time?

  • Yes
  • Yes. It was very uplifting. However the staff here is very well blended and we all get along and help each other very well. We mesh!
  • Yes, very much!
  • Yes.
  • Yes. Very much
  • Certainly!
  • Yes! I enjoyed getting to know such dedicated individuals.
  • Very much so.
  • Yes, I think so.
  • Absolutely – more time would be welcomed
  • On a different day, it would feel more worth my time. This month is very intense with deadlines and pressures.
  • Yes
  • yes
  • Definitely
  • yes

​Anything else?

  • Thanks Joe!
  • The ability to collaborate and build relationships is historically what gave homo sapiens the edge in intra-species competition an unparalleled accomplishment.
  • Joe, you are a good man/human/community member. • Lets do this again some time.
  • Nice to do sometimes, possibly more often but too much work to get done.
  • Thank you, Joe! This was a positive and "bucket-filling" experience.
  • I have always enjoyed these exercises. Rarely see any changes BUT I usually learn a lot!
  • Thank you Joe for taking the time to work with us – I think this time together will get us to work better as a team.
  • Thank You! It is great to be a part of the community.
  • Good to reflect on year-over-year changes.
  • Felt awkward at times but it was worth it.
  • I like the inclusive style.
  • It was great to do this with the Board.

End of 10/24/18 Reflection for ARC Homo Sapiens
connect with Business Works on Facebookconnect with Joe at LinkedIN
reflections from other workshops       contact instructor Joe Tassinari

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Trainings for Positive Places

Reflection ~ Findings and Evaluation Comments from the Business Works workshop "My Contribution to Our Board" for American River Conservancy Board of Directors held in Coloma, CA. 90 minute Workshop.

Instructor: Joe Tassinari​ARC Board

​"Reflection is offered to give power to voice, to promote understanding among team members and bring light to the findings from the workshops."

REFLECTION – ARC Board of Directors Workshop: "My Contribution to Our Board"
Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Findings

One reason each participant is a positive group member:

Who is ARC's client? (cumulative answer)

  • Upper Consumnes River & Upper American River watersheds in conjunction with current and future generations.

​Generally, what are some responsibilities of Boards of Directors?

  • Set strategy and organizational objectives
  • Oversight
  • Make decisions
  • Be a team player
  • Monitor staff so that they're doing the work of the organization
  • Legally responsible for fiscal health

About how many years has each board member served?

  • Steve – 3,  Fred – 1,  Cathy – 8,  Kyle – 4,  Scott – 6

​One function I would like to contribute to the ARC Board:
(each Board Member serves in many capacities, during this workshop we explored one)

  • Steve – Push for both outdoor recreation and conservation.
  • Fred – My time and experience. 
  • Cathy – Be treasurer.
  • Kyle – My passion for conservation.
  • Scott – My time and experience to keep ARC solvent and relevant.

This function is beneficial to the other Board members because:

  • Steve – Reminds us of what our focus can be.
  • Fred – My background is different than others, so I may have different perspectives.
  • Cathy – Treasurer is a required position & I sign documents such as authorizing reimbursements.
  • Kyle – It helps them understand my genuine motivation.
  • Scott – I'm finally understanding how ARC is funded, what our mission is & how to communicate ideas.

This function is beneficial to ARC because:

  • Steve – Provides natural lands to community for recreation, exercise & connection to nature. It also provides preserved, undeveloped habitat for our ecosystem to thrive.
  • Fred – It helps the Board to make decisions to help the ARC client. 
  • Cathy – It assists ARC being an effective nonprofit Land Trust.
  • Kyle – It results in board decisions that support ARC's mission.
  • Scott – Because of my love of the outdoors & conserving the lands we have acquired.

This function is beneficial to the world at large because:

  • Steve – It helps preserve some natural areas for people & nature to thrive.
  • Fred – It helps the board to make wise decisions that might expand out to the world a tiny bit. 
  • Cathy – it allows ARC to maintain healthy water supplies & oxygen coming from the American and Consumnes watersheds.
  • Kyle – Making impacts locally can result in worldwide benefits.
  • Scott – We, however small, set an example of what can be done to preserve watersheds for the future by a group of dedicated people.

​Evaluation Comments

What were the strengths of the workshop, what did you value most?

  • Open discussion/non-threatening. Better understanding of what motivates each of us. Got to know each other better on a personal level.
  • It was very engaging for all of us. It helped me to open up a bit.
  • Learning about the other members and where they were coming from.
  • The inclusive nature of all workshop components.
  • The participation, fully, of everyone. Joe's insight and ability to subtly direct us to a good outcome.

​What could have been improved?

  • I don't know of anything.
  • Not sure.
  • Doing this 5 years ago.
  • Nothing that I can think of.
  • ??

How will you apply what you learned?

  • Connect to each other better at Board meetings. Open, trusting attitude in Board meetings.
  • Be more comfortable in the group.
  • I think this should apply to our 2017 objectives.
  • Reinforcing kindness & joy in all aspects of life.
  • Better appreciation of my Board Members. Use everyone's strengths. Understand our motivations.

Participants: Scott, Kyle, Cathy, Fred, Steve

End of 10/26/16 Reflection for ARC Board of Directors
connect with Business Works on Facebookconnect with Joe at LinkedIN
reflections from other workshops       contact instructor Joe Tassinari

Business WorksBusiness Works
Trainings for Positive Places