Are you a relunctant President of a nonprofit or an association?

Many board presidents or chairs take on the role reluctantly.  No one else will do it.  They don't want to extra responsibilities on top of everything that they have going on.  

Leading your nonprofit or association board of directors can be a heavy responsibility and a big commitment of time and energy.  

It can sometimes feel like you are herding cats. The skills that you might have as a manager are not necessarily to the skills that serve you well in this position.    One of the reasons is that being a board president or chair has a diffuse power structure and requires a style of leadership related to influence and motivation.  


Are you grasping in the dark about how to best serve your organization?  


There is a vacuum of resources and they are hard to find to learn the skills that you need to be an effective board president.  

You could spend hours on the internet trying to find the right solution or resource that you need to address the issue that you are facing.  


Support and peer learning opportunities have been proven by research into the experience of many who have taken the role to be helpful and supportive.  They can enhance your learning opportunities and strengthen your leadership and facilitation skills.    


Here is what one board president said:  

"I probably should have taken more time to formally educate myself on being a board chair president or to be exposed to good governance - a model. When you start out helping a friend, you just do your best" 

"I had no training for this and feel others would do a better job.  However, this is where I am planted so I will do my best while I am serving.  The board chair and vice-chairs just quit one day and I was left. The ED begged me to take it she needed a board chair for grant applications" 

This experience is so common in the nonprofit and association sector.  It doesn't have to be.   



President Circle Peer Learning and Group Coaching Program

The Presidents' Circle is a very small group 6-month leadership program for volunteer board presidents and presidents-elect. No more than 6 to 8 people in the program to allow for individual solution creation.

Two hour monthly calls from October 2020 to March 2021

You could do this on your own by searching on the internet trying to sift through the overwhelming amount of online resources for the board and board presidents. You could miss the peer knowledge that is available in the program.

The program presents a combination of a solid curriculum of skill-based learning and then uses the group to support the application of this knowledge with your board. and gives you a safe and confidential place to share your challenges and struggles.

Are you interested but are not sure if this is right for you, talk to Christina directly. Book session with her to discuss concerns and to have your questions answered.
Book a call with Christina to find out if this program is right for you.

Curriculum and Suggested Dates

The 6-month program consists of monthly live zoom virtual classes. All sessions will be recorded in case you have to miss a session or want to review the content afterwards.

Sessions will be divided into two sections. The first hour will focus on a particular skill or knowledge set that is characteristic of an effective chair or board president. The second hour will focus on peer support and discussions based on the current circumstances facing your organization. It will function as a mastermind session where we as a group will create innovative and new solutions to the challenges that you are facing.

The program also provides for unlimited coaching with Christina in between formal sessions.


Session 1: Role and Function of the President - Wed, October 7, 2020
In this first session, we will dive into the role and function of the board president specifically the role that each person has inherited. We will also set our learning goals as a group and for each organization.

Session 2: What is your Leadership Style - Wed, November 5 2020
Each of us has our own leadership style. Assessments and other exercises will identify the range of leadership styles that people can use and the advantages and disadvantages of each. This section will focus on self-awareness and learning about your particular style.

Session 3: Setting the Tone of the Board - Wed, December 2, 2020
It is said that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Awareness of the dynamics within the group and in the organization is central to identifying this element of the tone of the organization. In this session, the group will unpack the beliefs, ideas and values within each organization to determine where there may be signs of dysfunction.

Session 4: Facilitation Skills and Meeting Management - Wed, January 13, 2021
The core of the board's work lies in the board meetings and, thus, meeting management and agenda setting are the ways to focus the board's attention and to ensure that the group remains on track.

Session 5: Legislative Leadership and Motivation - Wed, February 3, 2021
In the continuation of the previous session, we will look at how to facilitate consensus and group decision making. The nature of nonprofit and association leadership includes a diffuse power structure in which no one individual has the power to make decisions. The board president is the leader of the board and thus must facilitate the group towards the decisions that need to be made.

Session 6: Relationships and Conflict: Having Difficult Conversations - Wed, March 3, 2021
In the final session, we will tackle how to have difficult conversations and what to do when there is conflict on the board.

Who is this program for?

This program is for you if:

- you are a first time volunteer board president or board chair
- are about to take on the role within the next year
-want to embrace the role as a personal development opportunity
-want to ensure that you are well prepared
-want to have a safe and confidential space to work through your struggles and board challenges
-want to have a community of people in similar positions to learn from.
Not sure . . . book a call with Christina to find out if this is the right program for you

Christina Becker

Facilitator and Founder, Canadian Nonprofit Academy

Christina has been around the board room table for four decades.

As a volunteer president, executive director, volunteer and consultant, she has worn many hats.

She brings all these perspectives to facilitating a dynamic and transformative conversation.

If you express interest by September 25, 2020

Receive additional bonuses (Value $1000).

  • 30% discount on the Board on Board Leadership Training Program

    Imagine if you could have a board that is working so effectively as a team. Your board can be trained in our flagship training program for a 30% discount on our Board on Board Leadership Training Program. Value $500.00

  • Governance Assessment and Report

    You will have the opportunity to complete our comprehensive best practice governance assessment. The assessment will identify the gaps in your governance. You will receive a report with the key areas of your governance practice that need to be fixed. Value $500.00

Two Payment Options Available