Getting the Right People on the Board Bus

When I facilitate board retreats, I always ask board members what they consider to be their biggest barrier to being the high-functioning board they know (at least deep down) that they are obliged to be.

The number one issue? They don’t fully understand their role as a board member—the job description and what is expected of them at this organization.

This is a landslide response, not a squeaker, close shave, or near miss.

I jump in with some consoling chatter to keep board members from spraining their necks from nodding too long. Board service is hard enough, let’s not leave the room in need of a neck brace.

At the same time, I see executive directors and board chairs slack jawed. How is it possible that people don’t know what’s expected of them?

As much as I am not a process person (anyone who has worked with me will attest to that), I know that confusion of this magnitude is an invitation to look at the process that led to this outcome. I probe:

• How does someone find out about becoming a board member?

• How do you determine what background, skills, knowledge, and resources you need board members to bring to your organization this year, next year, and the year after that?

• Who do they meet from the organization and when? Does every candidate go through the same process?

• What do the people they meet share about the organization and ask potential candidates?

• What does “ready for this organization” look like? How do you know someone belongs on your board?

• How is someone approved to join the board?

• What comprises your onboarding?

If the people in the room look at each other with confusion or embarrassment or audibly snort and visibly roll their eyes after any of these questions, I have my answer.

The process for joining a board should be as clear as hiring for a paid role—and should ensure that the 'pay' a board member expects (the warm, fuzzy feeling from making a difference, not cash) aligns with what your organization offers.

But, just like a paid role, the candidate and organization learn a lot once they are in the same room. With a role as complex and important as that of the board member, we need to frontload as much of that learning as possible before the experience starts. Board chairs and executive directors know what a drain on the organization a bad fit or mismatched expectations can be.

And for the candidate, they have the right to know that the group interviewing them sees them fully – star quality and warts – and still wants them to join.

I’m focusing on the actual interview here, but don’t forget that there are a few things you should always have in place before you get this far along in your process (future blog posts alert!).

• A clear picture of what board members you are looking for right now. Everyone on the board should know the priorities for recruitment so you don’t end up “all finance, no marketing” or “all check writing, no community connection.”

• A “board member requirements” document that details your organization’s expectations from meeting attendance to resource development to committee participation. This can be shared with candidates before the first meeting and current board members should review it annually.

• A clearly articulated process where governance/nominating committee members, the executive director, and the board president each know what they are covering in their interviews (I’ve heard from a number of board members that they got all the way through a rigorous process and never heard about key requirements for board membership).                                                                            

Before the Interview – determining commitment

In addition to getting information out of the candidate, you should be ready for the good questions a candidate will have for you. You should be ready for these three at least:

• How much of my time will this take?  Have a number – an actual number.  Add up committee meetings, board meetings, event time, and assume some prep time.

• How would you describe the board culture? Do your board members interact outside meetings? Do you have board service days?

• What are your current strategic priorities? How do you need board members to help in that regard? Do you have a strategic plan? Are you preparing for a process? What are the big trends and issues affecting your organization? Where do you need help?

Without drafting a pablum-filled script for everyone, the executive director, nominating/governance committee, and board chair should agree on how these questions should be answered. This is your opportunity to look like a cohesive team or a bunch of stray folks who never thought about any of this. You pick. 

Now, it’s finally happened.  You have a candidate sitting in front of you who fits the profile of someone you want to add to the board. You have goosebumps; I can tell.

Before I launch into my laundry list of questions, please ask only the ones that jump out to you as being particular to your board.  And make sure as a team that every important question is asked by someone (or more than one someone).

After the interview, you should feel like you know these four things:

• What motivates this person to serve

• How familiar with and passionate about your mission and work they are

• How well they understand the commitment that this board requires – from committee service to personal giving to being in community with your beneficiaries

• That they can devote the time and energy to board service that your board needs

Try these questions and let me know how they work for you in the comments (and share some of your excellent questions):

• What is your history with our organization? Have you had a chance to experience our work firsthand? What impressions or questions did it leave you with?

• What aspect of our work is most compelling to you?

• What excites you about board service; what do you hope to get out of this experience?

• How do you hope to contribute to the work of our organization?

• How much time are you able to devote? How will you fit board service into your personal, work, and other commitments?

• Our board members introduce our Executive Director to key community members, potential funders, and other individuals that could help our organization expand its network. How do you see yourself engaging in this area?

• 100% of our Board members make a personal financial contribution. Can you tell me what level of personal commitment you would be planning to make?

• What other boards and/or committees do you serve on now or have you served on in the past? What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from that service?

• Our organization Board of Directors is committed to reflecting the diversity of the communities we work with and having an inclusive Board culture. Do you have questions about how we approach this or thoughts on how you would like to contribute to the board in this way?

• Are there other resources you could bring to our organization in terms of pro bono support?

• Which skills or area of expertise do you have that you think would be helpful to us?

• Is there any committee that you feel particularly well-suited for? Is there any you would be interested to be a part to learn more about that aspect of our work?

• What support would you want from staff or your fellow Board members to ensure you feel welcome and fully prepared to serve?

Some closing thoughts

Resist the urge to talk. This is your chance to learn more about a candidate.  If you have one hour, you should talk for no more than 15-20 minutes. Remember, your candidate needs to know important information about the organization, but not everything you know after years of involvement.

Board recruitment is like dating. Board service is the single greatest volunteer commitment a person can make to your organization. If this is a “blind date,” you owe it to each other to spend time (probably a year) becoming familiar with each other before you decide that this candidate and your organization are ready for marriage.

"Tell me more" is your best friend in any interview. 'Why?' is a close second. The more conversation we have and the deeper we dig, the more certain we will be whether this is a good fit or not. 

A strong board member with a deep connection to your organization is a magical find and boon to your mission. Having a process that helps you find that person is time and energy well spent.

I help many groups think about board performance, recruitment, and nominating processes. If you would like to learn more, follow me on LinkedIn, or e-mail me at gary@garybagley.com.