I am guessing that most of you either answer to a Board, serve on a Board, or at minimum, work for an organization that has a Board. Whether called directors, members, trustees, or governors, the bottom line is they are generally charged with providing the governance – legally, financially and ethically. Charged with seeing that the organization proves successful. Non-profit organizations or ministries are no exception.
What Does Your Board Do?
But is that ALL they do? We hope not. The role of serving as a board member is way more important than that. These members are in a position to provide influence. They are asked to serve as a cheerleader and give their time, talent, and treasure. They are also tasked with persuading others to give, to volunteer, and more.
How Well Does Your Board Perform?
Many boards struggle from time to time to fulfill these roles effectively. A strong, functioning and supportive Board can be the CEO’s best friend. A poorly performing or disengaged board can be their greatest headache.
I was recently talking with a friend who serves as the executive director for a small non-profit organization. When referring to his ministry’s future plans, he said, “I’m more and more convinced that I cannot build core competencies within the organization and it does not reside at The Board level.”
What was he really saying? Most likely he’s saying, “My organization needs to grow. There are things we do well and things we don’t do well. I have gaps within my small team and we could do so much more if only______. I need help. One place I can look to is our board, but I don’t see the time, talent, or treasure there either.”
What Should Your Board Be Doing?
So, let’s look at the opposite scenario. If (some of) the needed “competencies” did exist at the board level, what would these look like? Here are 6 things that your board members should be doing to help their organization grow and flourish:
(1) Engaging donors on behalf of the organization.
VIEW MAJOR DONOR ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVEALED
(2) Cultivating relationships through invitations; soliciting their support at the right time.
(3) Utilizing specialized skills or experiences to benefit the organization (accounting, financial planning, legal advice, strategic planning, counseling, etc.).
(4) Making calls (virtual and phone) to thank donors especially at year-end.
(5) Presenting on behalf of the organization at churches, service clubs, and the like – serving as an “ambassador.”
(6) Writing and sharing content, resources, and invites as posted to their organization’s website and social media accounts.
The key here is that not only can board members provide a level of expertise, but they can save their organizations precious dollars otherwise spent on hiring or outsourcing. This creates a “win-win” for both the board member and the organization being served.
What Is One Thing You Can Do To Inspire Unification?
You may want to consider inviting leadership and board members to participate in a shared book review or group study using “Ask For A Fish” by Ron Haas. It was written with board members in mind. Click here to review and order our copies today.
Author: Pat McLaughlin. Learn more about Pat and his published books.