Connecting: Board volunteers need well-defined expectations

Volunteering for boards can be a frustrating experience.

Long meetings, low turnout and other issues continually beg the question "Why did I join this board?"

Carol Weisman, president of Board Builders, a St. Louis-based consulting firm, said that board membership can be rewarding.

"Part of the fun is in the learning curve," she says.

Weisman's mission is to help nonprofit companies reach a high level of success and to have board and staff find greater joy in their work. To make the board experience enjoyable it is important to set expectations, clarify the roles and create processes.

Set expectations

Pat Walker, the coordinator of Founder's Park and life-long volunteer, said the key to a good board is preparation by the organizers.

"The key to a good board begins with the nominating committee, and a good committee will have analyzed the needs and expertise as the board changes." Walker said. "The most difficult thing is recruiting.

"Often potential board members don't know what is expected of them, such as how often they meet, how much they are expected to give and how much time is required of them."

Before recruiting "warm bodies" to serve on the board, the organizers must answer several critical questions regarding time, commitment and money.

If they haven't made these expectations clear, or if volunteers are uncomfortable asking these questions, then that is a good sign there will be conflict.

Clarify

One potential conflict is in the way people view volunteerism. Many people believe the word "volunteer" implies there is no commitment, when in reality it means volunteers are committed, but they are just not being financially compensated.

"I just want to pistol whip someone when they say, After all, I'm just a volunteer.' Volunteer is only a pay category." Wiseman said. "As a board member you are morally, legally and fiscally liable."

Walker says that board members who don't understand the importance the commitment have no business being on a board.

"Most boards require that you exercise some fiduciary responsibilities so it is a serious responsibility. They need to look at it as a professional responsibility," she said.

Volunteers should be replaced if they are not able to fulfill the commitments that they have agreed upon.

Create a process

The first part of that process is to determine the skills and talents that are needed, said Walker.

"Boards should outline a matrix to use in the process where they can plug various levels of expertise into the needs of the group, and then you can determine the gaps and at what time those gaps might show up. It aids you in fulfilling positions on your board," Walker said.

Weisman stresses the importance of a board orientation.

"We send board members out to raise funds, but they often don't have a clue what their nonprofit does or how they do it, so they need training," Weisman said. " Even the cosmetic salesman gets training, yet we allow people to be on a board without any training whatsoever."

Qualify candidates

Look for warning signs that indicate a poor fit for board service. For example: "Since I'm out of town a lot, my attendance won't be regular, but I'm interested in serving on the board." That statement is a red flag and should alert you to a potential problem unless the attendance requirement is low.

Red flags are used to qualify or disqualify. If you hear, "I'd love to be on your board of directors, but don't expect me to raise funds." That means that board membership is not a good fit for this particular candidate. Another red flag is a potential member who is already overextended with other obligations.

Weisman suggests having potential board members first serve on a committee so they will understand more about the organization.

(Marlene Chism is president of ICARE Presentations in Springfield.)