Many professionals automatically say “yes” to board positions without considering the organization’s mission, vision and values. Most organizations want active participation for the entire length of service. Therefore, clarity is everything when considering a role as a director or trustee.
Keith Hovan explains that individuals who accept board invitations without much forethought or research often fail to deliver on the required commitment. Serving means sharing the same values as the organization, which won’t be clear unless professionals consider these questions before agreeing.
What Does the Board Want from Its Members
Organizations don’t tend to ask professionals to join their boards for appearances, or status. Instead, they approach individuals they believe could offer value to the business.
More often than not, boards recruit people they already know or have noticed support the organization of their own initiative. However, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, they’re searching for a particular set of skills or understand the person has been generous in other situations, improving their chances of acquiring philanthropic support.
Professionals asked to serve on a board should determine precisely why they were nominated. That way, they’ll understand the expectations and whether they have the capacity or skills to meet them.
The Values
Similar to the above, potential board members should completely understand the organization’s mission before accepting the invitation.
One simple question goes a long way here:
Do the organization’s vision and values align with my own goals, values, and passions?
Think of it this way — organizations offering services to distressed communities will often have different values than boards of for-profit companies. One returns profits to the community served the other to shareholders.
It’s no secret that board members who are aligned with the overarching mission and day-to-day activities of the involved organization perform better.
Committing to the Necessary Duties
Unbeknownst to popular belief, joining a board isn’t the same as joining a professional organization or club where effort is optional. Instead, it’s an entire commitment. Individuals who accept serving invitations are pledging their skills, time, and energy to contribute meaningfully to entities’ missions.
There’s a lot of misunderstanding about the actual responsibilities of boards.
Some people believe the boards run the organization. But that isn’t true; they guide it and ensure strategies are executed correctly to increase the chances of achieving goals.
Typically, board members have three entity-based duties:
- Duty of care — It’s a legal responsibility that all serving individuals will act prudently to protect the organization from avoidable harm or risk.
- Duty of loyalty — Board members must be dedicated to doing the right thing for the entity, putting its interests ahead of their own.
- Duty of obedience — In highly regulated industries, obedience to legislation, licenses, and other mandates is essential.
Professionals asked to serve on boards should carefully consider the above questions before agreeing to commit their time and efforts.
