Boards and Balance and Balancing Boards

If you want a few chuckles, drop by New York Sports Club on a Tuesday or Thursday morning and watch me try to use a balance board. ‘Balance’ is not the word that comes to mind.

The first time I stepped onto the balance board, I admit to having been a wee bit cocky. I practice yoga to maintain flexibility and stability (although many might contest the notion of my having stability).

Once again, I got my comeuppance. My feet slid, my arms flailed, and I suddenly discovered muscles I hadn’t used in years (or possibly ever) as I clambered off the floor for another attempt.

The falling and getting back and trying again part didn’t surprise me. I was learning something new, and my instincts for physical activity remain underdeveloped despite years of practice.

What continues to surprise me – even after falling out of more than a few tree poses – isn’t how hard it is to stay upright – it is how active balance is. There is no stillness in balance; it is just movement wearing a different outfit – constant micro-adjustments and recalibrations.

And we all know “you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone…”

To me, boards of directors operate the same way (you knew I was going to take this metaphor toward governance or leadership or some combination of the two, right?).

I hear so many practitioners talk about governance as if it’s a steady-state – a matter of bylaws, committee charters, and meeting minutes. Those practices are important, of course, but strong governance is full of movement. Those micro-adjustments and recalibrations that are necessary on the balance board are necessary here too. The best boards are constantly shifting their weight – from support to accountability, from strategy to operations, from inclusion to efficiency – all while maintaining their center of gravity.

The question isn’t whether there’s wobbling. It’s whether you regain your collective footing.

Finding the Core

With a balance board, success lies in discovering and rediscovering the axis, the center point amid all the movement. For a nonprofit board, the axis is strong governance, grounded in purpose.

The purpose – mission, vision, and values – helps keep boards focused on what good governance looks like in any given moment. When purpose is clear and shared, conversations are filled with healthy debate, but they are concentrated on how to best support the organization’s purpose.

When we stray from the axis even a little bit, small disagreements can have big consequences. Meetings wobble into operational territory. People assume unpleasant posturing – my program, my committee, my donor. No board can stay balanced while pointing fingers.

Recalibration in those moments is about asking one of a few simple questions:

• How does this connect to the mission?

• What are the issues facing this organization that need our attention most?

• Does this discussion require the full board’s attention?

  
  

The questions aren’t meant to silence debate; they’re meant to reorient it. A shared sense of purpose acts like gravity. It pulls the conversation back to balance.

Good boards return to their core again and again. They use it to test decisions, guide strategy, and evaluate their own performance.

Micro-Adjustments and Recalibrations

Small shifts help us maintain our balance. The absence of those subtle corrections becomes evident in floundering posture, flapping arms, and wide-eyed panic.

Boards, too, are wise to focus on making constant small corrections. The difference between a high-performing board and a shaky one is often found in how it manages a few essential balancing acts.

Support and Accountability. The healthiest boards know how to be both a champion and a check. They celebrate wins and ask hard questions. They recognize that offering support doesn’t mean avoiding scrutiny — and that accountability, when rooted in trust, is one of the greatest gifts a board can give an executive director.

Strategy and Operations. Every board struggles with this. Some issues are unquestionably governance related. Some issues are unquestionably management related. Then, there are many issues (maybe most) that have elements of both. The board chair and executive director can work out what the right balance is and center the board where it needs to be centered.

Individual and Collective Voice. Boards need both candor and cohesion. The richest conversations happen when every member feels safe speaking their mind. The strongest boards remember that once the discussion ends and a vote is taken, their voices merge into one.

Disagreement during deliberation strengthens decision-making. Division after the vote weakens it. Balance means knowing when your voice serves the mission — and when it’s time to add it to the chorus.

Continuity and Change. Boards that endure learn to balance stability with renewal. Long-time members carry institutional wisdom; new members bring fresh perspective. A good nominating process isn’t about filling seats. It’s about finding new equilibrium.

Without turnover, boards and organizations stagnate. Without continuity, they lose their rhythm. The goal isn’t endless change or endless sameness. It’s the mix that keeps the organization upright.

Efficiency and Inclusion. The tension between getting business done and ensuring that every voice is heard is real – especially when we consider that most boards meet four or five times a year for about two hours each time. Making sure every voice is heard is a tall order.

Effective boards design their meetings intentionally: short consent agendas for routine business, time for generative discussions, and norms for when to decide and when to move on. Issues are handled well using strong and dependable processes and making minor adjustments to ensure the issue is not under- or over-debated.

Practicing Balance

We get steadier with practice. The wobble never goes away – it’s inevitable – we just recover faster.

Repetition, reflection, and a willingness to learn from the fluctuations strengthen governance (and – bonus – makes the entire experience more enjoyable). Practice must be built into the board calendar. Annual board evaluations, post-meeting reflections, and retreats matter. They’re not meaningless rituals – they are workouts. They help build awareness, trust, and the shared language that lead to constant learning and improvement.

They can also help boards develop norms – balancing cues – to ensure they stay on track with the limited time they have.

I worked with a board that developed a simple norm: whenever discussion started to slide into management details, someone would pause and ask, “Are we in governance or operations right now?” It wasn’t a reprimand. It was a gentle reminder (often accompanied with a knowing groan of recognition). Within a few meetings, some members began catching themselves before a balancing cue was necessary.

Balance is about strengthening your collective reflexes.

Why Boards (and Boards) Need Balance

Anyone who spends time on a balance board discovers that the real benefits go far beyond not falling off (although not falling is less embarrassing, for sure). You build strength in places you didn’t know were weak — your core, your ankles, your attention. You become more aware of small shifts and learn to correct before you go from upright to supine.

Boards work their core of shared purpose and trust every meeting. They stabilize regularly by strengthening structures, clarifying roles, and communicating openly.

If you’ve ever watched someone steady themselves on a balance board, you’ll notice something: they rarely do it alone. There’s usually someone standing nearby, ready to spot them, offer a hand, or at least a word of encouragement.

Boards are the same. Balance is a team sport.

It’s not about one heroic chair or one dynamic executive director; it’s about the partnership between them — and the shared commitment of everyone around the table — to keep learning, adjusting, and staying centered on what matters most.

Strong boards sway. They shift. They listen. They re-center. They don’t confuse motion with chaos or stillness with stability. They understand that balance isn’t a fixed state — it’s a collective practice.

Over time, you don’t just stay upright longer; you move with more confidence.

So, the next time your board wobbles (and it will) don’t panic. Take a breath. Find your center. And remember: the goal isn’t to stop moving. It’s to move together with purpose.

If your board could use a steadier stance (or a few new core exercises) I’d love to help. Finding a board’s center of gravity is one of my favorite balancing acts. You can email me at gary@garybagley.com or DM me on LinkedIn.