Every member of a board of directors is a spokesman for an entire group, industry, or profession, and as such, has the ability to enhance or denigrate its reputation. In addition, every director should be viewed as a potential chief elected officer, just as he or she was likely identified as a potential director when serving as a committee chairman or member. Committee and board meetings are an excellent screening ground. Because of the importance of the selection process for directors, the association executive and nominating committee should use a checklist of qualifications such as the following:
1. The potential board member must be interested in more than the honor inherent in the position. Selection for board participation represents a serious commitment; it is not merely a reward.
2. The candidate must be able to devote adequate time to the job.Experience as a committee chairman or in other association service is a helpful indicator, but a commitment to give the necessary time is useful. Some associations have a written policy dictating the automatic removal of board members with a number of unexcused absences from board meetings.
3. The board candidate should be in reasonably good health.Does the candidate have the mental and physical energy required? Selection to the board of directors should not be seen as a tribute to someone in declining health. Many forms of recognition are available for ailing members.
4. The perspective board member should be able to work effectively with the association chief executive. Unique teamwork is demanded of an association chief executive and of each elected leader. Effective communication and the ability to get along well with one another are essential.
5. The director candidate should be able to tolerate the limelight as well as the inevitable criticism of leadership. Popularity is required to achieve leadership, but cannot be more important than an individual’s judgment and integrity. An association’s elected leader should be reasonably self-effacing in the spotlight and tolerant of member criticism resulting from changes within the association or new courses of action.
6. The prospective director should communicate effectively with other directors, with the association as a whole, and with the public. “Great minds” who cannot communicate well with others are unlikely to make significant contributions as association board members.
7. Personal, business, and regional biases of board candidates must be subordinated to the good of the group. Directors are expected to reflect the special feeling of their own constituencies, but must always put the interest of the industry or profession they serve first.
8. The candidate’s personal conduct must reflect favorably upon the group and the association. No association has a right to meddle in personal affairs, but individuals who are notorious for unorthodox behavior may prove to be more irritating or embarrassing than amusing or helpful.
9. If the prospective director is married, his or her spouse should be supportive rather than obstructive or resentful. An association has a right to expect a director’s spouse to be understanding rather than critical of the extra demands on the spouse’s time. Spouse support is enhanced when directors are encouraged to bring their spouses to board meetings.
10. After his or her term of office, the volunteer leader should step down gracefully. Every director cannot become chief elected officer, and even the latter’s term of office is limited. Association leaders should be selected with a view to their potential continuing statesmanlike contributions after their terms have expired.
11. A director candidate should be a proven performer. The director should have high integrity and an understanding of the ethics of the community and of his or her calling. He or she should be knowledgeable, experienced, capable, and active-a proven performer.
12. Request and review resumes, conduct interviews, and even check references to determine how closely individuals match your board’s desired attributes and qualifications.
Even if your board can’t directly do the screening through one of its committees, nothing prevents the board from recommending to the responsible body that such screening be done as part of the nominating process.
13. Develop a board application for prospective new board members.The form should solicit information about the potential new member, including biographical information, why they want to join this board, what they hope to bring to the board, what they would like to get from their board membership, and any questions they might have.
14. Provide names of several board members whom the prospective new member might contact with any questions. Potential candidates for board positions may feel more comfortable talking with a peer or colleague about any concerns they may have about serving the association in this capacity.
15. Invite the prospective board member to attend a board meeting. Notify current board members that a potential new member will be attending. Introduce the member right away in the meeting and, at the end of the meeting, ask the potential new member if he or she has any questions.
16. Consider letting outsiders in.Organizations with boards full of people who come from the same industry may be cultivating blind spots and group think. If you get a good mix of people and backgrounds and perspectives on a board you can get a much healthier organizational leadership as a result.
17. Get diverse. As part of the nominating process, evaluate diversity. In doing so, you might take the following diversity criteria, among others, into consideration: industry segment, geographic location, membership category, ethnicity and gender of individuals, size of organizations (to ensure appropriate representation from small, medium, and large organizations), and functional expertise of individual members.
18. Make sure prospective board members know what will be expected of them before they agree to have their names included on the ballot.Provide information to prospective nominees on board members’ responsibilities, including fiduciary responsibilities, time and travel requirements, and your organization’s policies on board conflicts of interest, restrictions on board members’ activities, and social networking policies. Informing prospective candidates in advance will help avoid ill will and future pitfalls that may occur when board members are taken by surprise by the demands on their time or restrictions on their activities associated with their roles as elected leaders.
Special thanks to the ASAE and CSAE for the list
