Most Boards of Directors term out their Board Chair every two years, and face the possibility of having someone in that important position who has absolutely no qualifications for that job. Is this a way to run a successful organization?
Executive Directors who face this prospect every couple of years have two dilemmas. How to get anyone to accept the job, and once they do, how to quickly help them learn how to do the job.
The most constructive answer is to not let this happen. A good Board builds a succession plan, having a vice-president or a president-elect in the wings learning for a year how to be a chair. This should be the gold standard. Even if the Board moves in that direction, they need to use that year to make sure the future Chair is using that year to learn the skills and information needed to assume that role. Some organizations, such as Rotary, have a formal training program, and it shows. New Presidents may be nervous at first, but they have been taught what to do.
But most nonprofits don’t have that luxury. The Executive Director, who hopefully has been on the job for a while, becomes the coach. There are also several agencies around town that conduct Board training programs. There is lot’s of good material online, particularly at http://managementhelp.org/freenonprofittraining/program-description.htm, which has some very well written, simple forms which the Board Chair and Executive can go over together. Urge agencies to join Board Source, http://www.boardsource.org/, the premier training organization in the US for Boards of Directors.
When I face this issue I focus on two aspects of the Board Chairs job:
- How to conduct an effective Board meeting. This involves learning how to be a facilitative leader, allowing for full discussion while keeping the Board meeting focused and on time. Too often those items at the beginning of the agenda get all the time they need so that items at the bottom don’t get discussed at all. Allocating time for each item, and holding the Board discussion to those time limits, will assure that each item on the agenda gets the time it needs. You may even want to appoint a time-keeper to make sure the Chair covers the agenda. Chairing a Board meeting is not that difficult, and the new Board Chair should get a quick over-view of Robert’s rules of order. The Board may also appoint a Parliamentarian who can give the guidance on rules of order when it is needed.
- More difficult is the task of managing the business of the Board, the organizational structure, committees, executive director’s evaluation, and giving the leadership needed without being an autocrat. People from the private sector who are used to giving orders have a real tough time with this. They are not the boss, and must work with the Executive and other volunteers to get the most out of everyone. In this case, success comes from the relationship between the Executive and the Chair. Most execs have some experience in Board management, and a good Chair relies heavily on the skill and knowledge of the ED.
The more emphasis the Board places on Board orientation and training, the more prepared will be members to step into leadership roles in the agency. Don’t treat Board training as just ‘fluff’. It’s really the foundation of an effective Board and a successful agency.