I joined a new board recently.
The organization has done an amazing job of on-boarding new board members. Really impressive (and I'm not easy to please in this area). It was nice to approach board governance from the receiving end of things rather than a training perspective. It's good to be reminded of what 'new' feels like for incoming board members. It's good to be reminded how organizational jargon, culture, relational dynamics and history are unknown to those coming in with fresh eyes.
As I read through my newly acquired board governance document (they get kudos and major points for having this document in place!), there were a couple of challenge statements that stood out from the narrative:
"How often do directors remain silent when they don't understand a document given to them?" This is a key question. The answer? Often. Too often.
"We trust the other board members and respect the executive team so we don't ask, follow up or push back with questions or personal reservations about an action." Yes. In the name of peace and going with the flow this happens way too frequently. And this is exactly why errors happen and infringements of policy go unchecked.
There were plenty of other great points in the narrative but these two challenges are key.
As nonprofits we have to do better. We have to provide strong development and training to new board members. We can't assume everyone understands financial statements. We have to explain acronyms and jargon. We have to have clear explanations of the dashboards for our program impact and services.
As board members we have to do our part to help the nonprofits we serve build capacity in this area. Ask questions. Challenge the status quo. Ask for help understanding financials, reports and policy. Your questions are another's questions too.
Nonprofits are critical to the health of our communities. Board members are key to ensuring nonprofits operate well and stay around serving the community. Let's all do our part to create and grow healthy nonprofits that can serve our communities well into the future.
-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP
