5 Tips to Help Your Working Board Work Better
Here at NMBL, we have discussed working boards frequently because they are critical features of nearly every young nonprofit organization. Nailing down the strategy behind a great working board can make or break the success of nonprofits and set them up for a brighter future. In light of that, here are four tips to help your working board produce better work.
1. Develop a plan. While a full strategic plan is a great step here, sometimes it is not in the cards. Use the plan to develop committees, assign tasks, measure progress and ensure that your organization has direction and is not reactionary. At the very least develop a plan on an annual basis that will allow you to measure your progress and follow the tips outlined below.
2. Divide and understand the work during board meetings. When your board is also your staff, board meetings are somewhat different and challenging compared to those at organizations with governing boards. With a working board, these meetings are really two meetings occurring simultaneously. While it may seem awkward in theory, it is important to distinguish between discussions on governance and discussions that assign and delegate ”working” responsibilities. The governance portion of the meeting must be guided by the bylaws and remain separate from working discussions and then shift over. This diligence will ensure that meetings remain structured and everyone is contributing in a governing-oversight way before contributing as a “staff” member with day to day details.
3. Be clear and thorough. When discussing goals, strategies, or really anything that will be implemented at the “staff” level, be as clear as possible in order to avoid confusion down the road. Why? If there are issues left unresolved or disconnects between governance decisions and the staff instruction, you will have the call the board together to straighten things out because your board and staff overlap. This will save you time from having your board squabble over ticket prices or who has which responsibilities.
4. Use your volunteers. Almost every organization has volunteers that are willing to give their time and talents to support your organization. As a young organization, utilizing volunteers to grow on a small budget is key, and it will build a group of experiences and loyal supporters.
5. Recruit board members that can manage critical functions of your organization. Give them responsibilities that relate to their skills to achieve big goals in your organization. Additionally, make sure to set expectations for outcomes. This all ties into the idea of recruiting board members with a purpose and building in expectations. Expectations are important no matter what task you are overseeing. For a position as critical as a board member, expectations must be built into the job description.
Your board plays an important role in governing the direction of your nonprofit. They also have a responsibility to be the number one supporters of your organization. From advocating to volunteering to introductions, board members ought to contribute essential benefits to your organization that effectively advance its mission. For a working board, they must also contributes the hands on work that drives the organization’s mission. This type of board requires more thoughtful construction and adherence to structures that allow for consistent implementation of board directives while providing operational flexibility and responsiveness. Be sure to check out our other board resources to start building your organization’s leadership.
Need help recruiting for and structuring your board? We can help. We’ve served on and for boards and turn that experience into expert insights for our clients. Reach out to us by clicking the button below and learn more about how we can help your organization. Also, check out our most recent insights on traditional and working boards below.
