Board Membership

Have you ever had an epiphany about people that you thought you knew pretty well? Maybe you worked with them over time, but were surprised by something they up and did? That's what's happened to me recently.

I have served on a few corporate boards and boards of non-profit organizations over the years. Currently one of my roles is chairman of the board of an international non-profit, with a very specific focus in Africa. 

Recently, the executive director resigned to pursue a similar role in another non-profit. It was a good move and I am genuinely happy for him. However, almost immediately after he resigned, a couple of valued board members decided to resign. They announced they were immediately terminating their financial support as well.

What happened? Well it seems that these board members were NOT passionate about our mission. They did NOT believe in our cause. It turns out that they never really did buy into what we are doing. Rather they joined the board to support the executive director - who is a personal friend of theirs. Their board service (and financial support) was mostly a favor to him.

A few years earlier our founder retired after fifteen years of service. He had served as executive director. We experienced a similar phenomenon then, as directors resigned from our board. They each conceded that they had only served on the board because he had asked them to. They wanted to be supportive of him in his endeavor.

Now I can tell you these all were good, effective board members. Or at least that's how I perceived them as we worked together over time. I found their wisdom priceless. I enjoyed working with them, and thought that they loved working with me. That is why I was more than startled, rattled, surprised, disappointed and even grieving over their respective resignations. The loss of their financial support just added to the pain.

You see, I am passionate about what we're doing. I believe in our mission and purpose. I can proclaim it from the rooftops. Our work transforms lives and impacts communities. I can't imagine anything more important than that! I am committed and could not walk away or pull financial support without some terribly good reason to do so. (And I cannot presently imagine what that good reason could be!)

It has been the same for me when I have served on corporate boards. I've believed in the mission and purpose of the company. I've felt like the company was doing important work that mattered. It energized me to be a part of the company. I was proud to be involved, and I definitely own the mission of each company on whose board I've served. Why else would you want to be involved?

I've always thought that I was in like company with each board I've served on. But as I'm seeing individuals abruptly make the decision to step down from our board, I'm realizing not everyone shares my passion for the mission of an organization. And when an organization loses a good board member, it loses more than a body or a name.

When a board loses a good member, wisdom, discernment, insight ... all walk away as well. Strategy is hindered. Execution may be crippled. The effort must be made to find other board members, and then they have to come through a learning curve. If it's a non-profit and financial support goes too, it can even be very crippling to organization. That financial support must be replaced quickly or the mission falters for lack of funding.

People like me advertise (in our LinkedIn profiles) that they'd like to serve on boards. I'd guess that most are looking for paid board positions with companies. But some of us are looking for both kinds of board positions. Have we thought about the criteria we would use to respond to an invitation to serve on a board of a corporation or non-profit?

No matter the type of organization, this epiphany I've just had makes me think differently about the criteria for prospective board members. Whether its my own criteria for serving on a board myself, or its the criteria that I use to recruit board members, I now have to look at it quite differently.

I've learned that it isn't enough for the board member to be experienced and wise. It isn't enough for the board member to have industry experience or connections. If it's a non-profit, it isn't enough for the board member to provide some financial support. In fact, I'm coming to believe that the most important criteria for a board member of any type of organization is that they "own the mission."

It's becoming very evident to me that it's crucial for board members to be passionate and believe in the cause. For example, if I'm on the board of a mortgage company, I should be excited about housing finance. It facilitates housing. It prevents homelessness. It builds stable societies. Gosh! That is important work that I can get excited about!

If it's a non-profit that, for example, rescues abused women in the sex trade industry, I should care deeply about those women. I should have a personal stake in seeing them get help and support to find new hope for their miserable lives. Evil is stopped in its tracks. Lives are transformed. Could there be anything more important than that? I don't think so!

If you're on a board of a company or a non-profit, how much do you really care about the cause. Is the organization's mission really personal to you? Would you be willing to sacrifice for it? Can you say why it matters what the organization is doing and how it's doing it?

If you're considering a board position, investigate the mission. Ask yourself how important that it is to you. When your own passions and priorities align with those of the organization on whose board you will serve, I believe you will be a much more effective board member. I also believe you may find that serving on that board is more rewarding for you. After all, the organization is addressing a deep need that you feel passionate about.

So my new rule for recruiting board members? I only want board members that are NOT my friends! Seriously. I am looking to recruit board members with whom I have no personal affiliation. I most definitely do NOT want anyone serving on the corporate or non-profit board as favor to me or anyone else!

I want my board members to be bought into the mission of the organization. I want to make it personal for them. Because I believe in the long run, we will both be better able to serve the organization. And the mission will be advanced because the board is a bunch of crusaders for the sake of the cause!

What are YOUR thoughts? What criteria do YOU use (or think you would use) when considering the role of a corporate or non-profit board member?