10 Tips for Making a Good Board Great

Over the past 30+ years of working with nonprofit organizations I've consistently found two common indicators that determine if an organization is truly successful: the quality, skill and passion of the executive director and the board of directors. To an even greater extent, I think the board is at the heart of whether an organization will simply survive. . .or thrive. I can't tell you how many organizations I have seen go down the tubes because of the lack of an effective, focused, and accountable board.

When I look at the organizations that have failed, it is almost always because the boards were "sleeping at the switch," disengaged from the mission, and totally reliant on the executive director/CEO for information. If you think your board is lukewarm, it's time to figure out a way to heat it up. Let's look at some tips for turning your good board into a great board.

1. Don't pick YES people. You need people who will exert independence of thought and action. You don't want people who will just ratify the executive director or are afraid to express their ideas and opinions. Recruit strong willed and clear thinking people to your board.
2. Be careful when selecting major donors. Yes, I know you'd love to have your major donors as key board members. Be careful with this. One of the larger organizations we work is having major problems with a major donor board member who is trying to control every move of a capital campaign - the other board members are afraid to raise issues with this donor for fear of alienating him and losing support.
3. Pick experience, skill, and expertise. Select people who have served on other boards of directors and can bring knowledge and wisdom to the table.
4. Do not drive through the rear-view mirror. Recruit proactive rather than reactive people to the board. Find people who are focused on the future, but rooted in the present. Too many people drive the organizational engine by looking at the rear-view mirror from the vantage point of where things WERE rather than where the organization wants to go.
5. Don't check your business hat "at the door." I cannot tell you how many times I have seen major nonprofits fail because the business members on the board (who frequently are CEOs of their own companies) are sleeping at the switch and not using the same skills that made them successful in their own businesses for the mission of the organization.
6. Show the board members that you value them. Find ways to reward and support the board.
7. Board and management should be partners. The board and staff should be operating as a team with different roles, responsibilities and expectations. Clearly define what role(s) the board members play in relationship to the staff, and work together to see that the whole team wins.
8. Recruit passionate people. These ambassadors are skilled at selling the organization in the community and in developing strategic partnerships.
9. Lead, do not micromanage. Micromanagement is NOT the road to accountability but the path to mediocrity and ultimately to disaster. Make sure the board understands its leadership role and that it delegates the management function to the staff.
10. Pick people ready to contribute financially to the organization. Board members need to be able to make a financial contribution to the organization.