Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.
– Simon Sinek,author and inspirational speaker

Contributed by Binta Dixon, Editor-in-Chief of Exchange Press.

For nonprofit child care centers, an effective and supportive board is vital to success. Building strong relationships that can withstand challenges and difficult moments within the organization can lead to sustainability long term. Barb McCreedy had the following to say about working with her board, in the article “Managing an Effective Board of Directors”:

I realized I had to get to know these individuals and especially my board president. Most were working full time, had families and children of their own, and generously agreed to volunteer above and beyond their current obligations. I began to see them as valuable contributors, each with their own set of skills, who were willing to give our organization their gift of time and talent. Getting to know their talents and their interests was the first step toward building our partnership and working toward our shared goals.

• Be positive about the work of the board, especially with your staff. Get to know what they are doing and avoid complaining to staff or families about their issues.
  
  
• Find colleagues who have a board of directors and use them to brainstorm strategies and ideas for building a more successful board of directors. Your board president may find this helpful, too, to have a mentor or sounding board.
  
  Read the entire article.