Many of the challenges with board engagement can be solved with an improved recruiting process. Here are four fast board recruiting tips from my book, Stop The Nonprofit Board Blame Game.
- Teams competing for championships want championship-level players. Is settling for get-what-you-can-get results going to deliver the championship board members your organization needs? How can your board recruitment process be improved so you are attracting championship caliber individuals to your board?
- If you want to condemn an organization to failure, it’s easy: put the wrong people on the board. Avoid that mistake by recruiting board members with purpose and process.
- Often, an organization’s expectations for board members don’t match the expectations of the board members themselves. Assumed expectations are a prime example of a failure to communicate. Getting clarity on expectations, both yours and theirs, should be considered a critical first step in board member recruitment.
- Good people with good intentions don’t automatically make good board members. Repeating recruiting mistakes will predictably doom a board to unfulfilled potential. If you’re not getting the board members you need, evaluate your recruiting process.
Being intentional about board recruitment will help your organization benefit from a positive, productive, and fully engaged board. Apply these four recruiting tips and get the board your organization needs.
Do you have a successful board recruiting process? What tips can you share with our community?