Team Building, Strategic Planning, Board Member Recruitment, Governance Issues, and Policy Revision
Kurt has worked with a variety of Boards for Financial Institutions, Nursing Homes, Professional Associations, Social Service Agencies, Church Judicatories, Schools and County Government.
Our board made a wise decision in selecting Kurt Bickel to guide us through this process. Thanks to his wisdom and guidance, we now are a more focused and organized team. — Mark Geisler, Board Chairman, Children’s Network of Southwest Florida.
Read what one client has to say about Kurt’s consultation process:
Kurt Bickel, Cornerstone Consulting should be considered as a leader if you have CEOs and Board Members interested in assessing, updating or changing their governance model. Kurt was recommended by Gerhard Michael, District President LCMS.
We took over a year, one half-day at a time at a regular board meeting to write 4 board-level policies about the governance of LSF. Kurt’s style allowed us to make progress at a pace the board was comfortable with and at the same time have the work completed by time for COA. We “passed” the governance section with flying colors. From my perspective, Kurt brought the following value to our board:
- Extremely well received and respected by both judicatories.
- A strong Lutheran churchman. He connects what we are trying to do with our mission.
- Always available by phone, email etc.
- He is smart and patient.
- He truly cares about the well-being of his clients.
- He is flexible, yet firm (A dichotomy but he handles the tension well)
- Always well prepared!
Kurt was at our September Board Meeting to help the board complete a self-assessment. He is also currently helping the board define and implement a “permanent” nominating committee that will constantly be looking for qualified members that are being groomed/developed. He envisions a three-tiered model that starts with candidates who are volunteers proceeding to committee/task force members leading to board membership.
Jim Wells, Former President, Lutheran Services of Florida
It is about proper alignment
Boards continue to evolve through the decades to accomplish more and more for a changing society. There is a profound need for organizations that are overtly driven by values and ethical vision.
Too much attention to Identity and the board spends most of its time just dreaming and debating. Undue time and effort to Guidance and chances are the board will drift to micro-management. Finding the proper balance between Identy and Guidance provides the aligned result of effective governance, which guides a powerful, responsible and ethical pursuit of the organization’s mission. Reconstruction of the post-modern society will require board that governs.
A Board of Directors that understands and implements leadership can transform their organization. When they become preoccupied with management, the full benefit of trusteeship escapes them. – Kurt Bickel
Kurt’s Governance Heroes
We are informed and inspired by the great work three people who have contributed to a significant revival in the not-for-profit world. They are Robert Greenleaf on Servant Leadership, Peter Block on Stewardship, and John Carver on Policy Based Governance.
When speaking of governance, Peter Block says, “There needs to be a clear connection between the idea of stewardship and achieving concrete results for the organization.” His book “Stewardship”, is an excellent line of reasoning for the alignment of stewardship (capacity) and concrete results (competency).
Greenleaf inspired us to consider how the core values of servanthood should shape the identity of a board’s leadership and thereby transform society. Here, he emphasizes capacity, “The servant leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that on wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings on to aspire to lead. The best test is: do those served grew as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” Emphasizing the capacity of the individual leader, Greenleaf has transformed the way we view leadership.
John Carver’s extensive contribution is more in the dynamic of competency. Carver has given boards specific tools that help them create policies that align the board for guidance.