Develop and Expand Your Leadership Skills

By Central East Region of the UUA

crew of rafters working together to get a yellow raft through the rapids on a river

It's that time of the year again - new board members are just now starting. Being on a congregational board is not like being on a board of other non-profits and organizations, it takes time to learn the differences, and to figure out how your particular organization works. Your board will need team building, covenant creation and other activities to help welcome and include these new members.
To assist congregational boards in these challenges, we offer several different trainings and gatherings to help everyone with this work. We invite your and your board to join us!

  • Helpful Habits Board Retreat - Offered online August 5, 2023, 9-12 pm, $15 per person. Help your board follow good decision-making processes by developing helpful board habits. Self-paced pre-work will include frameworks such as governance, conflict and change dynamics, cultural competencies, fiduciary responsibilities, efficient meetings, mission-based budgeting and decision-making, self-differentiation and boundaries, and spiritual grounding. In the live session you will be able to engage with board members from other similarly-sized congregations as you work on case studies and creative problem solving. You will also be given planning tools for a self-directed goal-setting session.
  • Leading Large: Board Training for Large Congregations - offered online August 26, 2023, 12-4 pm ET, $200 per congregational team. This is for board members of a large “corporate” sized congregations with multiple staff focused on mission, policy, and strategy. Self-paced prework includes frameworks such as Hotchkiss's Governance and Ministry partnership, conflict and change dynamics, cultural competencies, fiduciary responsibilities, efficient meetings, mission-based budgeting and decision-making, self-differentiation and boundaries, and spiritual grounding. In the live session you will be able to engage with board members from other large congregations as you work on case studies and creative problem solving. You will also be given planning tools for a self-directed goal-setting session.

Can't make either of these trainings? Never fear! We have a free Board Member Training on our LeaderLab website. Use this 12-Part training to onboard new board members, to use as a monthly board in-service training, or for a quick reference during board meetings.

Interested in other leadership development or trainings for other roles? We can help! LeaderLab lists many options.

  • UU Institute offers a Core Leadership Series that any leader can benefit from. Every leader needs basic skills such as healthy communication, systems thinking, spiritual grounding and an understanding of the dynamics of conflict. Each of these trainings go deeper and deeper to help develop these skills.
  • There are also trainings and resources, some free, some at a low fee, for Finance Committees, Personnel Committees, Membership Committees and Greeters, Right Relationship Teams, Pastoral Care Teams, Worship Associates, Stewardship and Fundraising Teams, Committee on Shared Ministry Teams, Safe Congregations Teams, and Leadership Development Teams. See the entire list with detailed descriptions on LeaderLab.

No matter your role, there are resources and trainings available for you. Please reach out to our office or your primary contact if you have questions about these offerings.