Fit-For-Purpose Association Board Director Learning Series

Fit-for-Purpose

A collaboration between Association Forum of Chicagoland and Foresight First LLC
Association boards must become fit-for-purpose to navigate the current challenges of The Turbulent Twenties and the emerging issues of The Threatening Thirties. In other words, every association board must become more: more than it has been historically, more than it is today, and more than it imagines it can be. 

 
The Fit-for-Purpose Association Board Director Learning Series—the association community’s first-ever dedicated learning and development experience specifically for board directors—will help you build your capabilities for fit-for-purpose board service and contribute to setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight (SGF). 
 
 
Why Associations Need Fit-for-Purpose Boards
 
This live, virtual series will challenge the association community’s powerful orthodox beliefs about boards, including their purpose, work, and performance. Through this high-impact learning experience, you will gain fresh and actionable insights into what is required for boards to become fit-for-purpose, collaborate effectively with their board colleagues and staff partners, and move forward together in an irrevocably-altered world with greater capability and confidence.
 
The Fit-for-Purpose Association Board Director Learning Series is designed for current and future board directors/officers, chief staff/C-Suite executives working with or serving on association boards, and other association staff supporting boards or preparing for their own board service. 

Registration Rates

Member Early  $699
Nonmember Early  $899
Member Standard  $799
Nonmember Standard  $1,039

This cohort is currently in progress. 

 

CAE Credits
This program is approved for (12) CAE hours toward the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE's) Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification.

 
Fit-For-Purpose 1

 

THE LIVE, VIRTUAL SERIES LEARNING APPROACH

Before the Series Begins
 
  • You will be assigned to a learning team and matched with a learning partner.
  • You will complete a formative assessment in which you’ll share your
    • Reasons for pursuing this series.
    • Thinking about the orthodox beliefs of association boards and governing.
    • Intentions for learning throughout this series.
  • You will receive your learning partner’s assessment content for review and one-on-one discussion.
During the Series
 
  • Before each session, you will receive a link to access readings and a pre-recorded presentation previewing the module content and providing reflection questions.
  • During each module, you will participate in intra-team and inter-team breakout room conversations.
  • To earn The Fit-for-Purpose Association Board Director Learning Series Certificate of Completion, you will be required to complete a ten-question quiz within four days of the conclusion of each module and a forty-question final examination within seven days of the conclusion of the series. Following each module and after the Series, these focused learning assessments will ensure participants have developed an actionable understanding of the Series content.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Module

Description Date

MODULE 1
Foundations of Stewardship, Governing, and Foresight (SGF)

To begin setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight (SGF), Module #1 will focus participants’ attention on 1) confronting and interrogating the association community’s orthodox beliefs about boards and governing, 2) understanding the foundations of SGF, and 3) reflecting on their ability to pursue intentional learning and adapt to become fit-for-purpose. September 19

MODULE 2
The Six Core Convictions of Fit-for-Purpose Association Boards

Fit-for-purpose association boards need directors and officers who understand and will follow through on the core convictions that animate their shared service. Module #2 will focus participants’ attention on 1) exploring the six core convictions of fit-for-purpose boards, 2) examining how these convictions shape fit-for-purpose board work, and 3) reflecting on the implications of the core convictions for their board service.

October 24

MODULE 3
The Six Habits of Mind of Fit-for-Purpose Association Board Directors

Fit-for-purpose association boards need directors and officers who can develop and deepen the habits of mind required for board work. Module #3 will focus participants’ attention on 1) exploring the six core habits of mind of fit-for-purpose boards, 2) practice using these habits of mind with their Learning Series colleagues, and 3) reflecting on the implications of the core habits of mind for their board service. 

November 21

MODULE 4
Designing and Implementing SGF Next Practices

Fit-for-purpose association boards need directors and officers who are willing to design and shape different approaches for conducting board work. Module #4 will focus participants’ attention on 1) understanding the need for next practices to set a higher standard of SGF, 2) shaping next practices they can use with their current boards, and 3) reflecting on the implications of next practices for their board service. 

December 12

*All modules run from 1:30–5 p.m. CT. 

 

REGISTER

Early bird rate ends on August 29! 

 

 

MODERATOR

Jeff De Cagna

Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FRSA, FASAE, is a long-time association community contributor and executive advisor for Foresight First LLC, located in Reston, Virginia. Jeff is an association contrarian, foresight practitioner, governing designer, stakeholder/successor advocate, and stewardship catalyst. Jeff is the originator of both the board’s duty of foresight and the stewardship, governing, and foresight (SGF) board capacity-building methodology. 
 
A graduate of the Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities, Jeff has continued his learning with the future at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Oxford University, Harvard Business School, the London School of Economics, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, BoardSource, Competent Boards, Diligent Institute, the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, the Institute of Artificial Intelligence Management, and the Institute for the Future. 
 
In 2019, Jeff was named the 32nd recipient of ASAE’s Academy of Leaders Award, the association’s highest individual honor given to consultants or industry partners in recognition of their support of ASAE and the association community.