The Board Member Role in Your Organization
For your board to serve your organization well it is important to have clarity about the roles of the board and the board members. When prospective board members and the nominating committee can discuss expectations during the recruiting process, new board members can be set up for success. Let’s explore some of the roles of non-profit board members by considering three ways the role can be defined.
We often describe three different categories of boards. Each positions board members for very different roles. On working boards the board members make senior level decisions for the organization and do a notable amount of the day-to-day work of the organization. On governing boards the board members make senior level decisions for the organization and delegate all the day-to-day responsibilities to the staff and operational volunteers. Some governing board members choose to also serve in an operational volunteer capacity, but that is not expected of them as board members. The third category of board is the advisory board. Since the third type does not have any decision making authority, we suggest that it be called an advisory council to reduce role confusion. Advisory councils share their insights so that the staff or official board can make more informed decisions.
The CompassPoint Board Model, as found in Blue Avocado’s book “The Best of the Board Café” suggests that boards and board members have two types of roles in non-profits. One role is to govern the organization. This role is fulfilled by the board acting as one body to represent the community’s interests within the organization. The second role of the board in the CompassPoint Board Model is to support the organization. This role is fulfilled by individual board members and committees who represent the organization’s interests in the community.
A local chapter of the American Red Cross uses a one-page “Board Roles and Responsibilities” document which states specific expectations of its board members. This has been so well received that countless organizations in several nearby counties have adopted the concept. The stated roles include the frequency and timing of board meetings and the number board members are expected to attend, the requirement for giving a personal donation to the non-profit, the required committee work, the board members’ role in fundraising and in creating a positive image for the organization in the community, and the need for declaring potential or real conflicts of interest. This document enables prospective board members to truly consider if the job is for them.
The above approaches to clarifying the role of the board can help both individual board members and the organizations be more successful. The underlying concepts are all captured by Strive!’s Governance Excellence Model™ (GEM™), particularly in the Direct, Protect, Respect, and Connect disciplines.
