Note: This is Part I of a two-part series on boards of
directors.
Good Boardsmanship:
Working as a Team
By Patricio Figueroa, Jr.
Congratulations!
You have been asked
to join the board of directors of an organization that helps people in your
community. You have been asked to join a team of people that makes sure things
get done — and done right.
As a new member of
the board, you might be thinking, “Am I qualified? Do I know enough? Can I
make a difference?”
The answer to all
three questions is yes! You are qualified. You do know enough. You can make a
difference. And, with time, you will be more qualified, you will know more, and
you will make a bigger difference. That is because, like any new board member,
you are about to learn many new skills and meet many new people.
First Things First
The first people you
are going to meet are the other members of the board of directors. They are
your colleagues. Like you, they care about serving your community. Get to know
them. Find out where they live, what kind of jobs they have, their interests
and why they decided to serve on this board.
That’s how
team-building begins. The board’s work cannot happen without a team
effort.
One important member
of the board of directors is the board president. Get to know him or her. Like
you and the other members of the board, the president does not get paid for his
service. Board members are volunteers. Another important person, one who works
closely with the board of directors, is the organization’s executive
director. This person is paid to run the organization that you and your fellow
board members oversee.
When you have
questions, the executive director, a fellow board member or the board president
are your best sources for answers. Another source of answers is the manual you
are now reading. It is designed to be your guide to the basics of
“boardsmanship.” Use it during and between board meetings.
With the help of this
manual and your fellow board members, you will learn a great deal about
boardsmanship. With time, you’ll learn even more by attending state and
national conferences, attending workshops and reading pertinent literature. A
board member’s learning never ends.
This job deserves your
very best effort. You come to the board as an amateur, but you must make a
difference in the most professional manner possible. If you can’t offer
that, you should let someone else have your seat at the table.
To sum up, serving on
a nonprofit board is:
- frustrating and rewarding.
- frightening and fun.
- confusing and enlightening.
And it is rarely
dull!
If you do the job of
the board member as it should be done, you’ll work hard and give many more
hours than you expected to give. You’ll find yourself investing much of
your time, and much of yourself -- and loving every minute of it.
Part II will appear in
the next issue of Independence Today.
******************************
Patricio Figueroa, Jr., is an author, artist, and first
generation ILC director. He lives in New York State.
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