Why are some boards ineffective?
There are two kinds of boards. One that is based on expertise and are usually stakeholders. These boards are usually highly effective because their bottom line is profitability or success in the undertaking to which they are committed. Most times these board members are specifically asked to be on the board because of their relevance and expertise in a particular field. The motivator for this type of board is usually profitability or success.
The second kind of board is more advisory. It is made up of interested people from the community. This kind of board is most often a bit more difficult to work with because each individual’s goals may not be in line with the organization’s goals.
Understand the emotional payoff needed by board members. When a board member is not a shareholder or directly impacted by the profitability or success of the board, their decisions may become more self-involved. In this scenario it is very important to understand the power or emotional payoff needed by that board member. The leader must understand what would inspire this type of member to work collaboratively to accomplish strategic organizational goals. Leaders must understand what inspires members to work collaboratively to accomplish strategic organizational goals.
How often should you meet with your board?
Shareholder boards should meet based upon the schedule of profitability. Many boards meet quarterly to manage the success of the organization, while others also meet bi-monthly. Community boards should meet quarterly. Members may begin to feel entitled to more authority in the decision making process, and less willing to compromise with other members because of their investment of time into the program. It is also important to note that having meetings too frequently can cause fatigue in members and this increase the chances of bored, board members. This limits their success and progress towards organizational goals. Frequency does not equal efficiency.
How often and when should you change board members?
Two-year terms give board members the chance to learn the ropes and to be versed at the strategic workings of the organization while keeping members from becoming too traditionally bound in their decision-making process.
Another thing that is more important than term is qualification. In order to have an effective board of community members, having some type of qualifier will help you maintain functionality. If members have never been on a board before or have not been part of any community development in the past, it is much more likely that they will not be as effective as a person with experience. There are cases when this is not true, but having a process that helps you pick the best people to help you meet your organization’s needs, will be a great help to you in your collaborative process.
Having a removal plan is also important. The goal of the board is to maximize the success of the organization. In some cases, that may not be the goal of an individual board member. Or, outside circumstances may cause the organization to disconnect from a member. In these cases there should be a contingency plan already in place to make sure this process is fair, legal and without bias. Make sure your bylaws cover this type of situation. Again, the organization’s mission should be the basis of any and all decisions. Make sure to plan for this type of crisis.
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