Nonprofit Board Engagement: You Can't Do This (Part 1)

Alone. You can’t do this alone. Running a nonprofit is a team sport. Do you remember when you or your kids were in Little League? Wasn’t there always that one kid who thought he/she was everything the team needed. They were the star – pitching, then running all over the field, pushing other players out of the way, catching the ball in every corner, making all the tags. Annoying, right?! When you’re on the sidelines, it’s really easy to see that this “star” should be trusting teammates to catch the balls that come in their direction, throwing the ball to the infield players, and tagging out the runners headed toward their base. And if you’re one of the players on the field, you want to be trusted, to be needed, to be allowed to play your part.

So, what’s with the Little League analogy? It’s my way of softening the blow, when I tell you that I see many nonprofit leaders acting like the star player on a Little League team. And I will share with you that I recognize it, and I cringe when I see it because I was that person, too…before I learned the value of “managing from the top, not the trenches”.

The truly shiny stars are the ones who nurture, empower, and trust their team to play their part in the success of the organization. In this particular case, I mean your board of directors. Maybe you have a staff, but maybe you don’t, but each and every one of you has a board.

Board engagement is the number two challenge that I hear from nonprofit leaders all over the U.S. (right behind fund development). And if I only interacted with Executive Directors, I would think that the majority of board members are there merely to get bonus points on their resumes and have no intention of advancing the mission of the organization. But in engaging with board members, too, I can see the other side of it.

In general, board members join an organization for various personal and/or professional reasons but almost always that includes wanting to give back to their community or to an organization that supported themselves or a loved one in the past. They are standing there out on the field with you just waiting for you to let them catch the ball, throw the ball, tag the runner.

I see some Executive Directors shy away from delegating tasks to board members because they feel like the board is their boss and it’s awkward to give marching order to those you report to. If you’re feeling that way, I encourage you to look at it from a different perspective: this is your team and you’re the captain. Help your board members understand what resources the organization needs in order to carry out the strategic plan they’ve put into place. And resources include human resources. Turn to them when tasks are taking too much of your time. Turn to them when programs would be improved by a committee carrying them out. Turn to them when you realize that the best use of your time is in managing and oversight.

It may feel awkward at first, but a great board will be thrilled to have a task at hand, to feel useful, to feel that they made a difference during their term on the board. In turn, a board of engaged and excited people will make your job so much easier and more pleasant.

It’s also helpful for you all to get to know one another on a more personal level. It will help bond you to each other, but it will also help you understand what your teammates are passionate about. Knowing what brings another person joy and what they excel at means when a program or a task come up you know just who to turn to.

To complete the Little League analogy, you’ll notice I said you’re the captain, not the coach. But every team needs a coach, and you have one – the Board President. And I encourage you to see her or him as the coach, not the boss. The coach and the captain are still on the same team, working toward the same goals. The Executive Director/CEO and the Board President need to work closely together and ensure leadership is cohesive. You need to have each other’s backs, keep close and constant communication, and together guide the rest of the board into appropriate action that speaks to the mission, sustainability, and success of the nonprofit.

Your team was chosen as the best representatives for your organization and your community. They’re ready to take the field and they’re looking to you. Time to give the pep talk, get them into place, cheer them on…and trust them to cover their positions.

Ready to strengthen your team and boost nonprofit board engagement? Start by having an honest conversation with your board and identifying areas where they can step up and shine. Need help getting started? Reach out to Jennifer at jenn@JenniferEGoldman.com for support, strategies, or a pep talk of your own. You’ve got this—and you’re not alone.