What’s a Board to Do?
Posted on October 29th, 2008 by Cynthia D'Amour
Is the decision easy or hard?
At a recent board meeting, Linda, current chapter president, asked her team to help identify potential board members for the next year.
- The obvious hard workers in the chapter were quickly mentioned.
- They had enough people to fill all the open spots!
The board was happy – until Linda proposed Jason as a potential board member.
- Jason had been a member for several years.
- He worked diligently in the community on projects which moved the chapter’s mission forward.
- He had won a chapter award for his outreach.
Jason was not a normal active member.
- He rarely showed at the chapter events due to conflicting meetings.
- He had never served as a leader in any way.
The board members gasped at the thought of Jason!
- The debate was huge.
- The chapter martyrs vs. community leader.
- A break in tradition.
If this was your chapter, what would you do?
- Would you encourage community-connected Jason to be on the board?
- Or would you have stayed the course?
- And only supported real chapter volunteers?
Makes me think of chapter leaders…What’s your opinion? Should hard-working volunteers be kept from board service so those with different backgrounds can serve?
Filed under: Board challenges, Savvy Leadership
Community-connected Jason would be my pick.
Any Board should be made up of diverse types of members in my opinion to benefit the association. If Jason is out in the community doing projects, making the world a better place, by making him a Board member, Jason is now empowered to do those things while representing more than just himself or current company. He starts to represent his field, his occupation, and now the association has an in with community outreach programs, making it easier for them to support the community at large as well. Which in turn will increase their profile in the community.
I believe those that serve the chapters should be recognized, but by having a Board of people with diverse backgrounds and commitments, then you open up the association to more than just a “good ole boys club” (this can include women too). I think sometimes associations fall into moving along their “own”, as opposed to reaching out to those members that aren’t necessarily the “obvious” choice.
I would definitely find a spot for Jason on my board by creating a position for him so that the other board members would have the opportunity to work with him and realize what an asset he was to the board and the whole organization. Finding new and diverse board members is a must if you want to keep your organization moving forward in today’s world.
I have a real name, honest–but I’ll stay behind my cave and wield my club with this one.
Jason sounds like a paper member, and respectfully, maybe even a bit of a jerk, just breezing in and reaping all the rewards that come with recognition on being on the board, while meanwhile long-time members aren’t being rewarded for their hard work BUSTING THEIR BEHINDS and instead look at what they get.
Board membership is a privilege, and should be reserved for those who earned that privilege.
Sorry, it just kind of smarts with me.
Based on the information you gave us, Jason may be a good choice. Just make sure he knows he has to show up at meetings and fulfill whatever responsibilities are required of Board members.
This post makes me sad. I was a hard working volunteer who got blown off for some hot shot who could care less about the board.
It wasn’t fair. I invested hundreds of hours of my life into the chapter. If something needed to be done, I did it. My goal was to be president. Instead, I got told maybe next year.
It was supposed to be my turn. Why did they have to change the rules when it was my turn? Why didn’t they tell me? They just used me. I don’t feel good about volunteering there any more.
I don’t understand why so many people think Jason is better than someone who has been dedicated and loyal to the chapter. Seems disrespectful. .
Thanks everyone for sharing your point of view.
How do we bridge the gap from moving from hard work earning a space on a board - to adding board members who bring diversity and connections with them?
A shift to a more strategic board composition without education may cause hurt feelings like Caveman and Marcia shared. How do we sell the value of the shift?
Cynthia -
I think that it can depend on the size of your Board how you approach it. In my experience, Boards are notorious for protecting their own, unless something severely isn’t working. When a Board looks to diversify themselves, then they are missing something (also looking a little too late). I think I look at it as it’s what is best for the association now and for where they want to go in the future. A lot of times seeing how the addition of this person relates to the association’s mission statement or strategic goals will help distressed board members understand the “from left field” kind of choice. When nominations happen, also explain how the addition of this board member helps the Board and the association reach it’s goals.
Nice advice Lynn. I think you are right about the size of the assocation. I can see a local group needing a more transparent approach so folks like Marcia still feel valued in the chapter.