On this episode of I 501(c) You, “Passion Driven Leadership” we are speaking with Shawn Sackman, Urban League of Broward County Board Chair, Commercial Banking Leader at Regions Bank, a top 250 Power Leader by the South Florida Business Journal, and much, much more.
Shawn is a servant leader to the fullest extent. He was once actively serving on 5 boards (being the board chair on one), coaching his children’s sports teams, and working full time. He has always had a passion for giving back, finding the most joy when he sees the outcome of his volunteer work bring joy to other people.
Shawn provides some amazing advice for board leadership, career development, and finding the right board to serve on. We can’t forget to mention, he lights a fire inside you to jump in and give back.
Some major takeaways from our conversation with Shawn are:
- It is not a unique problem to not know how to “get involved in the community”. It is a learned skill.
- For the Board Chair/CEO relationship, develop some informal communication habits. Business moves too fast to wait for a meeting.
- When thinking about becoming a board chair or board member, make sure the organization “checks your boxes”.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
01:09 – Interview starts
01:50 – Why do you choose to serve on nonprofit boards?
04:59 – First board you joined and how old were you?
09:00 – Why do you desire to be a board chair?
12:09 – How do you approach the role of board chair?
17:08 – How do you start to manage the board and the relationship with the CEO
23:15 – Alignment and communication with the CEO
28:00 – Highlights of your board chair career?
29:58 – What to do when a board member passes away?
32:59 – Advice for someone thinking about being a board chair?
38:38 – Recapping with Read
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