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You were asked to be a director of your favorite voluntary organization. You attend a couple of board meetings. An issue comes up on which you have a strong opinion. You say to yourself: "I am new, should I say anything? How critical should I be?" You don't say anything and you leave the meeting frustrated. Or you say something and leave feeling guilty about being outspoken. An orientation session could have saved you this uneasiness, but too often voluntary organizations fail to orient their new board members. A good time to hold an orientation is soon after the annual meeting, when new members are usually elected. Key board members and staff should give an overview of the organization and the board member's role. Just as in paid or other volunteer work, it is essential to have a job description and to know what the expectations are. A board of directors is the policy setting body for any not‑for‑profit organization. They bring community validation, collective wisdom, and the democratic process to bear. They are responsible for the fiscal integrity of the organization. They decide the goals of the agency; hire and monitor staff to implement the goals; and in small, understaffed agencies, take some responsibility for implementation. Board members should be familiar with the organization's financial statements, its by‑laws, its constitution and its long‑range plan. Board members should serve on at least one committee, in addition to attending board meetings. The staff's role is to make it possible for the board, which is part‑time and volunteer, to do its job. Therefore the staff investigates alternatives for important decisions and may even make recommendations to the board. It is important for a board to hire staff it supports and trusts, make the day‑to‑day administrative decisions. However, it is also important not merely to "rubber stamp" staff recommendations in major policy areas. The difficulty that boards encounter, is defining major policy areas. For examples, a board should not waste time discussing how the furniture will be arranged in the office, but should take time to discuss whether the office will be located in the community or in a downtown office building ‑‑ a major "policy decision" in terms of reaching the constituency served. Between board meetings, members should communicate any organizational concerns they may have directly to the president or committee chair rather than to staff. Staff doesn't have time to react to each of the 20 or 30 persons on the board individually. However, the president and executive director must talk regularly. Board members are deeply immersed in one or two committees on which they serve, given their interest or expertise in program, personnel, fund raising, marketing, etc. But all board members need to resist any tendencies to develop "tunnel vision" and must keep their eyes on the "big picture." All board members share in the planning process. All board members are involved in fund raising. And all board members are involved in board development and making sure that new board members receive a thorough orientation so that they are comfortable in their role! Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
