Barriers to Board Effectiveness

by Margaret Eilerman, CSJ

The following can cause ineffective Board leadership:

The temptation to micromanage. This is a common aliment when the Board members are retired ‘do-gooders.’ They want to help but do not know how and, as a result, they become over-involved.
Ineffective nominating committee. The nominating committee is a standing committee, which should meet on a regular basis. They need to identify the person who can match the needs of the organization at a particular time in its history. They need to identify and train Board leadership. They need to maintain an appropriate mix of skills on the Board.
Failure to keep members connected. An on-going communication system needs to be put in place by the Board leadership. Members will respond if they have the information.
No rotation plan. Board members should have term limits. Most non-profit Boards have a three-year term, which is renewable. In many cases they must go off the Board after six years before they can return for another term. Keeping members on the ‘forever’ list because they are good deprives the Board of new blood.
Failure to remove unproductive members. Some members like to brag about being on nonprofit Boards but seldom attend the meetings. Some Boards have a policy of terminating a member who has missed three consecutive unexcused meetings.
Small size. Small Boards cannot be effective because they do not have the range of skills necessary to run an organization. The number of Board members depends on the size of the organization. Many Boards use the number 15 as a benchmark but their Bylaws give a range of 12-20.
Lack of a functioning committee structure. The operative word is ‘functioning.’ Unless the committee meets between Board meetings, it is not considered functioning. The creative work is done at the committee meeting and then presented to the full Board for approval.
No strategic plan. The Board needs to have a well-developed short-range as well as long-range plan in order to move forward. This should be developed at the committee level and brought to the full Board for approval. It should be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis.
No orientation plan. New members should join the Board at the same time, preferable at the beginning of the fiscal year. A well worked out orientation should be given either at a pre-meeting or at their first meeting. This is also a refresher course for other members.

The Board of Directors is responsible for carrying out the mission of the organization. It needs to function at a high efficiency level in order to do this.

Margaret Eilerman is a Sister of St. Joseph of Orange who lives in Spring Valley, California. She has been the Director of several non-profit agencies, most notably of Catholic Charities of Marin County. She has been a facilitator for the last 20 years and, as such, has worked with many non-profit entities. Margaret can be conacted at eilerman@cox.net