Working group recommendations and supporting documents, prepared for the board retreat.
Prepared for the September board retreat. The working group met twice in 2026 to develop governance recommendations for board action.
These recommendations are the structure the LX leadership expansion rests on. Over the next six years the founders' roles shift toward Brian's retirement, an Executive Director is hired to carry operations, and President and Board Chair become one seat held by the founders as Co-Chairs. That is the reason Brendon Maxwell moves from Chair to Vice Chair now. Three pieces of this framework make the handoff safe: the Chair and Vice Chair succession line, the executive committee on longer terms, and governance by reaffirmation. Together they let the founders hand off while the mission stays protected.
The board charged a working group with codifying how LX governs itself: how the mission is protected, how the board renews itself, and how new members join it, with a 30-to-50-year horizon in view. The goal is a structure that holds when none of the current members are in the room. The group reached consensus recommendations across four areas, presented here for the board's decision at the September retreat.
The group recommends the board adopt these and directs that they be drafted into bylaw language.
Recommendation: Codify a single, uniform standard protecting all three foundational documents (the Statement of Faith, Values Statement, and Mission Statement, in the Foundational Docs tab), amended only through a two-vote process:
A single high threshold is simple to communicate and administer, and it signals that all three documents are non-negotiable. The cooling-off period prevents reactive change under pressure. Routing member input through the curated MAC, rather than the full membership, gives the community a real voice while guarding against drift from those no longer aligned with LX's foundation.
Recommendation: Maintain a single board of no more than 15 members, organized in two tiers and governed by reaffirmation rather than term limits. The 15-member figure is a bylaw ceiling that preserves flexibility; it is not a target. The board sets and holds a smaller working target by design.
The board's working target is 7 to 9 directors (currently 9), with roughly 7 as the ideal. The bylaw cap of 15 exists only to preserve flexibility. The board should not expand simply to avoid off-ramping a director, or because there are many worthy people in the LX community. A smaller board also fits what the board leads and embodies: it strengthens the relationships at the heart of LX and keeps open the option to include spouses at gatherings, which grows harder as the group scales.
At-large directors serve 3-year terms; executive committee members serve 6-year terms. There are no forced term limits and no mandatory gap between terms. Directors continue through reaffirmation at the end of each term.
The longer executive term reflects that tier's role as the board's continuity and mission-protection anchor, reaffirmed on a longer cycle. The shorter at-large term keeps the broader board dynamic. Because reaffirmation governs tenure, term length primarily sets how often the routine renewal vote recurs.
Seats are filled only when vacant; there is no forced rotation. A seat opens through non-reaffirmation, mid-term removal, voluntary step-down, roll-off, or a deliberate board decision to grow within the target size.
At-large directors form the general board. The executive committee (no more than 5) holds the officer roles, serves as the nomination vetting body (see Recommendation 3), and anchors the board's continuity and mission protection. Directors are elevated into the executive committee from at-large by board vote when an executive seat is vacant.
Reaffirmation is a genuine decision, not a formality. Successful board service does not mean perpetual reaffirmation for additional terms. Many directors serve the organization well for a single term and then transition off, and a healthy board expects and honors that. Reaffirmation exists to retain proven, mission-critical leadership where continuity truly matters, not to make continued service the default.
Boards more often lose strong contributors to enforced rotation than to entrenchment, so reaffirmation lets the board keep proven, mission-critical leadership without a rigid clock, while still treating each renewal as a real choice rather than an automatic one. A single term, served well, is an honorable and expected outcome, not a shortfall. The annual evaluation provides continuous accountability and a compassionate off-ramp, and a small executive committee on a longer cycle delivers durable continuity without a second governing body. Holding a deliberate 7-to-9 target keeps the board aligned on size, so it grows only for genuine need.
Recommendation: Replace the informal, relationship-only process and the 12-month observer period with a defined pathway gated by demonstrated contribution rather than time served.
Baseline eligibility: candidates must be members in good standing of at least 2 years (see Job Descriptions tab).
Process: when a seat need arises, a director nominates and sponsors a candidate, who is then invited into real work through the MAC, a subcommittee, or a special project, with no promise of a seat and no fixed timeline. Once the candidate has demonstrated meaningful contribution, the executive committee reviews them against the criteria below and decides whether to bring them to the full board for a 3/4 confirmation vote.
Proposed eligibility criteria (for board refinement): mission alignment; faith alignment (clearly sharing the Statement of Faith, not a missional prospect); demonstrated contribution; and board need.
The observer period felt awkward and revealed little. Vetting through real work shows whether a candidate will carry water, and using the executive committee as the vetting body avoids a separate nominating committee. One cultural note: engagement carries no promise of a seat, and contributors who are not selected remain valued and may be invited later.
Recommendation: Establish a Member Advisory Council that is advisory only, board-curated, with no governance or voting authority (full charter in the MAC Charter tab):
The MAC largely already exists in function; naming it gives the membership a structured, aligned voice and creates a natural place for engaged members to contribute and be observed. The 2-year eligibility floor ensures members have internalized LX's culture before helping shape who leads it.
This packet has been circulated to the working group for review, with a follow-up call as needed ahead of the board's decision at the September retreat.
LX and its alumni affirm the doctrines of the Nicene Creed as foundational to our faith. Every ecumenical creed of the early church, including the Nicene Creed, is rooted in the belief that Scripture serves as the ultimate authority and final arbiter of truth. The Nicene Creed, in particular, affirms core Christian doctrines while upholding the primacy of Scripture, providing a shared foundation that has united believers for over 1,500 years.
We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.
We envision a future in which Christian marketplace leaders are known and supported through durable friendships that glorify God, resulting in radical generosity and lives lived with integrity.
We commit to relationships that endure through time, tension, and change. We believe that when people are truly known, great things happen.
We give sacrificially for the good of others. We seek creative ways to share our time, resources, and influence in order to inspire more generosity.
We live out our faith fully in leadership, work, and everyday life, rejecting the divide between sacred and secular. We don't compartmentalize our lives, and we seek to always align our beliefs to our behavior.
Life is hard. For Christian marketplace, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial leaders, the expectations of and commitments toward colleagues, spouse, family, and even church are complex. We want to see more men and women fulfill their callings in all respects, and be known and supported within a community that loves and cares for them deeply.
Leadership Experience (LX) creates community for highly driven Christian marketplace leaders who understand their unique challenges and share their drive toward their greatest potential. We envision a future in which Christian leaders are known and supported through durable friendships that glorify God, resulting in radical generosity and lives lived with integrity.
To serve on the board, a director must have been a member in good standing for at least 2 years prior to joining, and must uphold the Statement of Faith, Core Values, and conduct expected of the community. Every director should meet the annual membership giving floor of $2,400/year, with LX among their (and their family's) primary places of giving. The board looks for meaningful, demonstrated commitment sized to each director's capacity, and grace may be extended at the board's discretion for particular roles and seasons. Where a director is below the floor, that is a prompt for an honest, gracious conversation about their commitment for this season, whether to recommit or to transition off with gratitude.
The board leads the organization toward desired performance and ensures it occurs. Its contributions are unique to its trusteeship role and necessary for proper governance.
The board consists of no more than 15 members, with a working target of 7 to 9 directors; the 15 figure is a bylaw ceiling for flexibility, not a goal. At-large directors serve 3-year terms and executive committee members serve 6-year terms. There are no forced term limits and no mandatory gap between terms; directors continue through reaffirmation at the end of each term. Reaffirmation is a genuine decision, not automatic. A single term of service, well done, is honorable and common, and many directors transition off after one term. An annual evaluation supports accountability and enables a compassionate off-ramp or, where needed, a mid-term removal by board supermajority. Seats are filled only when vacant.
Standing officers are the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, each serving on the Executive Committee. The Executive Director serves as the board's chief staff agent, not a board officer. The Executive Committee and any future committees must be chaired by a director, with additional members appointed as volunteers. Ad hoc committees are formed as needs and projects arise.
Upon confirmation, each new director receives orientation on the board's role and governance model, the foundational documents, and an overview of current programs, plans, and finances.
The Executive Committee is the board's small inner tier, composed of the officers and no more than five members, each serving a 6-year term. In addition to the authority described below, it serves as the nomination vetting body (reviewing candidates against the board's eligibility criteria) and anchors the board's continuity and mission protection. Except for the actions enumerated below, it may act for the board on matters where it would be imprudent to wait for the next board meeting.
The board chair is the senior volunteer leader of Leadership Experience, presides at all meetings of the board, and must be a member in good standing. In LX's governance, President and Board Chair are one seat; the "President" designation is a founder title that sunsets as the founders transition, after which the board leads through the Chair.
The Vice Chair supports the Chair in leading the board, serves as the Chair's partner in continuity and succession, and must be a member in good standing. The Vice Chair is the pipeline for future Chair leadership.
The Secretary ensures that actions of the board are documented and must be a member in good standing.
The Treasurer, jointly with the Chair, ensures current records are maintained reflecting the financial condition of Leadership Experience, and must be a member in good standing. These records include cash, outstanding advances, investments, accounts receivable and other assets, accounts payable, and fund balances (net assets).
The MAC advises; the board governs. The board may invite MAC members to participate in portions of board meetings. MAC service is also one of the avenues through which a prospective board member can demonstrate real contribution (see Recommendation 3). MAC participation carries no promise of a board seat and is not a prerequisite for one. The board values this service on its own terms, and members who are not invited onto the board remain valued in the community.
It is not a governing body, does not vote on organizational matters, does not set budget or policy, and is not a guaranteed pipeline to the board.
The board's real-time accountability layer, completed annually by every director.
This annual evaluation (1) confirms each director remains a member in good standing, (2) provides honest reflection on engagement and alignment, (3) surfaces where a director may need a compassionate off-ramp for a season, and (4) informs the formal reaffirmation vote at the end of each term (3 years at-large, 6 years executive). It is completed annually by every director as a self-assessment, then reviewed by the Chair (and, for officers, the Executive Committee).
Rating scale (Parts 2 and 3): 1 = Not at all · 2 = Rarely · 3 = Sometimes · 4 = Consistently · 5 = Fully
Yes / No / Needs conversation
| Statement | 1–5 |
|---|---|
| I attend and am fully present at board meetings and special events. | ___ |
| I participate actively in committee work or a special project. | ___ |
| I come prepared, having reviewed materials in advance. | ___ |
| I make LX a personal philanthropic priority and help identify, cultivate, or solicit funders. | ___ |
| I serve as a knowledgeable ambassador for LX in my professional settings. | ___ |
| Statement | 1–5 |
|---|---|
| Durable Friendship. I invest in knowing and being known within this board and community. | ___ |
| Contagious Generosity. I give sacrificially of my time, resources, and influence. | ___ |
| Integrated Faith. My beliefs and behavior are aligned; I don't compartmentalize faith and work. | ___ |
| I reflect Christ's likeness in humility, faithfulness, and generosity. | ___ |
| I contribute to the board's effectiveness and healthy decision-making. | ___ |
Completed by the Chair (or the Executive Committee for officers).
In a term-end year, this evaluation is the primary input to the reaffirmation vote. In non-term years, it is the standing check that keeps accountability continuous and makes any needed conversation, supportive or corrective, timely rather than deferred.
Every director completes and signs both forms below annually.
These forms are referenced throughout this packet, in the Board Member responsibilities (Job Descriptions tab) and in the annual evaluation attestation (Evaluation tab). The Secretary maintains signed copies as custodian of records.
Per LX's Conflict of Interest Policy (the "Policy"). In accordance with the Policy, I hereby attest that I:
For each item, insert "N/A" if no exception applies. If uncertain, please disclose.
It is the policy of Leadership Experience that board and committee members will not disclose confidential information belonging to, or obtained through their affiliation with, the organization to any person, including relatives, friends, and business or professional associates, unless the Organization has authorized disclosure. This policy is not intended to prevent disclosure where required by law.
Confidentiality is the preservation of privileged information. Board members and volunteers must demonstrate professionalism, good judgment, and care at all times in handling any information related to the Organization to avoid unauthorized or improper disclosures.
While members are encouraged to discuss the organization with one another and targeted publics, they shall not report opinions expressed in meetings, report independently on committee action, or engage in communication not approved by the Board Chair or unsupported by board policy, procedures, or decisions.
At the end of a member's term, or upon retirement, resignation, or removal, they shall return, at the Organization's request, all documents and materials in any medium that may contain or be derived from confidential information. Members shall not use trade secrets, client lists, or other confidential information acquired through board or committee service, even after their service ends.
I have read the Organization's complete policy on confidentiality and the statement above. I agree to abide by the policy and to inform the Board Chair immediately if I believe any violation (unintentional or otherwise) has occurred.
Source forms: Conflict of Interest Disclosure Questionnaire (updated 2024-02-16) · Confidentiality Agreement (approved 2025-08-19).