One of the ways I spend my spare time is serving on nonprofit boards of directors. It’s something I started doing when I was a recent college graduate. At the time, I had no idea what being a board member meant or what responsibilities came with it. But the nonprofit sector intrigued me enough to spur me into getting a Masters in Nonprofit Management. With education and years of experience under my belt, I am now very clear on the roles and responsibilities of board members. One of the most important, but under-emphasized responsibilities of a board member is board recruitment.
The make-up of a board can make or break an organization. I have seen poor board dynamics or missing skill sets all but destroy organizations. I can think of a couple of examples where poorly configured boards left their organizations in shambles, nothing but a shell of what they were at their prime. I have also seen the converse, where a board’s configuration was just right. The personalities were well balanced and the key skills were well represented. Their successes buoyed the morale of the staff and donations increased. But, after just a couple people cycled off the board, the magic was gone. Like someone had turned out the light.
I wish there was a formula that one could follow to create a highly functional board. But alas, it is not possible. The magic relies too much on intangibles and synergies that are just really hard to predict. But that doesn’t mean that its not worth trying.
I currently serve as the Secretary/Treasurer for an organization that has recently had some significant board turnover. We are a brand new organization trying to build ourselves from the bottom up. But that doesn’t mean we are starting with a clean slate. The organization is an outgrowth of a previous organization that no longer exists. That transition brought with it some baggage that has been a minor, but relevant hindrance.
This afternoon I am meeting with the board President to identify who we would like to recruit for the board. Frankly, the task seems somewhat daunting. I can think of some great recruits, but most of them are already too busy. Those that aren’t too busy are going through significant life changes and don’t want to take on any new responsibilities right now. That shrinks the quantity, but not the quality, of the names that remain on the list.
Our task today is to play with hypothetical matches. What combination of people, should they even agree to serve, will create that organizational magic? The organization has no staff, so we need people who are both interested in pontificating on organizational infrastructure and getting their hands dirty making it happen. Suffice it to say we have our work cut out for us.