A board needs to do more than just take up space. It needs to provide value to the organization. Unfortunately, many boards are formless and useless. The reason for this a lot of the time is orientation. As soon as new members come on board, they need to be oriented into the organization and they must be told what is expected of them as board members.

The responsibility of orienting new board members should be shared between the executive director, board chairperson and a few other board members. It should not be the sole responsibility of the executive director or of any one person. However, from my experience you only have a few board meetings to get the new members "on board" and get them rolling otherwise they will fall into bad habits of expecting to do little or nothing.

So let's look at what is involved in an effective orientation program for new board members:

1. Introduce them to the organization. Make sure the executive director and other important leaders sit down with them and go over the organization's mission, goals, and objectives. It's critical that the new board members have a solid understanding of the vision and mission of the organization.
2. Give them a tour of the organization's office and facilities. Make sure they "see and feel" what the organization is all about and have them meet some of the clients who can tell them stories that the new board members can share with the community and others.
3. Give them a board list that includes board member names, bios, phone numbers, birthdays, etc. The relationships that are established are a key component of whether new board members will be productive or just take up space. Make sure they know each other and are welcomed into the organization.
4. Provide a board manual with the basics. Make sure the board members know what is expected of them in terms of committee assignments, dollar amount of financial contributions, the role of the board in relationship to the executive director, etc.
5. Take them out to lunch. Make sure either the board president or the executive director takes the new board members out to lunch during the first month on the job. When you take them to lunch, give them an assignment to fulfill that will get them active right from the start.
6. The board president should write a welcome letter to each new board member that formally welcomes them into the organization.
7. Assign them a buddy. Have the president of the board assign a new board member a buddy that will sit next to him/her during the first few meetings.
8. Provide them with necessary information. Give the new members information such as annual reports, auditor reports, strategic plans, job descriptions, etc.
9. Give them an item on the agenda. Most people like to talk about themselves so give the new board members the opportunity to talk to the board about their experiences, motivation, and passions. Within the next six months have them conduct a 10-15 minute educational session on an issue they are passionate about.
10. THANK THEM. Make sure you thank them for their time and participation.