Tue, Apr 03, 2018 at 3:05PM

Hardy Smith

Naturally, organizations want to attract the best possible board members, but wishing doesn’t make it so. The recruitment process must be intentional.

But where to start? Let’s look at the well-structured approaches of three successful organizations.

When the National Speakers Association (NSA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) provide qualification criteria and performance expectations to their membership, they ask interested prospects to submit background information, and NSA also conducts individual interviews. All three give contact information for prospects with questions, and all initiate their solicitations well in advance of decision-making deadlines.

Review how these three have structured their board nomination announcements. How does your organization’s board solicitation communication compare?

National Speakers Association call for board nominations:

I am writing to you to seek your assistance in identifying those individuals whom you feel could make a valuable contribution in service as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Speakers Association (NSA) for the coming year (i.e., 2018) and beyond.

This Call for Nominations is one of the most critical aspects of NSA since it has the potential to shape our Association for years to come. With the selection of a new CEO, it is also critical that we identify those individuals who can help move NSA forward to be its most vital, vibrant, and valuable to its members.

If you are interested or if you would like to nominate someone to serve on the NSA Board of Directors, please put forward your name or the name of a colleague. Now is the time to do so. The deadline for receipt of your nomination is November 10, 2017, by the end of the business day at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

When thinking of individuals to nominate, please remember the following duties as a member of the NSA Board of Directors:

* Must attend a minimum of three (3) Board meetings per year.

* Must cover the cost of travel, hotel, and most meals for the Board meetings.

* Must commit to spending time in collaboration with other Directors, members, and industry experts, which may impact the ability to conduct business activities during those dates.

For this Call for Nominations, the NSA Board of Directors and the NSA Board Nominations Committee are especially interested in those individuals who have demonstrated one (or more) of the following skill sets:

* Leadership Ability

* Financial Acumen

* Strategic Thinking

* Strategic Planning

* Diverse Background Experience

* Prior Board Experience

* Profitable Speaking Business Model

For those nominees who pass an initial screening, each will be asked to complete an online questionnaire and attend an in-person interview during the Winter Conference (being held in Baltimore, MD) on February 16-18, 2018. There will be up to five (5) positions to fill.

Please send your name or the name of those individuals you wish to nominate to Arleen Guerrero, NSA Board Liaison, via email (BoardLiaison@NSAspeaker.org), via phone (480-968-2552), or via fax (480-968-0911).

Also, please feel free to pass along this Call for Nominations to anyone within our Association who you feel would best support the spirit of NSA and would be a good fit for our Board.

Thank you for your attention to this request. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at BoardLiaison@NSAspeaker.org. 

American Society of Association Executives call to fill officer and board vacancies:

ASAE and ASAE Foundation’s Board of Directors need you! Here is your chance to help lead the association dedicated to furthering the profession of association management. ASAE and ASAE Foundation are currently seeking the following association professionals and industry partners to serve in leadership positions:

Secretary-Treasurer (Industry Partners are not eligible to serve as Officers) and At-Large Directors (4); Industry Partner (1)

The benefits are many:

* A significant role in advancing your profession.

* An opportunity to enhance the value of ASAE and ASAE Foundation to the association community.

* Access to up-to-date information about the challenges facing your profession.

* The chance to exchange ideas and perspectives with other volunteer leaders.

ASAE and ASAE Foundation value and seek diverse leadership as defined by race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, appearance, geographic location, professional level, etc. It seeks leaders from all types and sizes of eligible organizations. The Leadership Committee has identified a number of desired attributes that will be part of the selection process for new Board members:

Demonstrated leadership commitment and involvement with ASAE and ASAE Foundation and the nonprofit community. Examples include but are not limited to: service on an ASAE and ASAE Foundation committee, section council, commission, task force, and/or obtained the CAE credential.

* Recognized leader in the association community. Examples include, but are not limited to: serving as the chair of an Allied Society, ASAE, and ASAE Foundation committee, section council, commission, task  force, or philanthropic organization.

* Relevant expertise in the disciplines of organizational management. Examples include, but are not limited to: branding, fundraising, component relations, finance, international, strategic alliances.

* Commitment to participate in 3-4 board meetings a year. ASAE board members are asked to provide financial support to Annual Giving, APAC, Power of A, special events and/or campaigns.

* Positive leadership attributes; emotional intelligence; ability to work collaboratively and engage in appropriate debate and discussion when needed.

* Visionary and strategic thinker. Demonstrated ability of new and innovative programs within their sphere of influence. Examples include, but are not limited to: incorporating strategy, leadership, future focus, risk taking, and an entrepreneur spirit.

We want and need to hear from you. If you are interested in serving, or know of potential board members you would like to recommend, please contact Carole Murray, CAP-OM at cmurray@asaecenter.org. 

Nominations must be received no later than April 27, 2018.

Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) call for board nominations:

The FSAE and Foundation Nominating Committees are seeking nominations (Self-Nominations only) for Executive and Associate individuals with leadership experience to serve as Directors At-Large on the FSAE Board of Directors as well as Officers and Trustees for the Foundation Board of Trustees.

Members of the Board provide leadership, a shared vision and sense of mission and are responsible for the fiscal health of our organization. We are looking for leaders with:

* Proven performance and a commitment to the organization

* Time and ability to serve

* Understanding of teamwork; communication and mentoring skills

* Sound judgment and integrity

* Enthusiasm and the ability to be a strategic, visionary thinker

To apply, please review the criteria online and complete your nomination application by Friday, March 30.

***

While all three organizations specify attributes or abilities they are looking for in candidates for their open seats, two also specify criteria unique to their needs, one listing required skill sets and the other listing benefits in serving. All three organizations are purposeful in identifying their expectations; they are not winging it.

How does your organization communicate its opportunities for leadership nominations? How can you use these examples as models for improving your process?

I invite you to share your own board solicitation process success stories or ask questions on the challenges you are facing.

For more how-tos on intentional board member recruiting, read these articles:

 

 

 


Bookmark & Share



User Comments


Be the first to comment on this post below!

Add A Comment