Approach to Board Recruitment
For many of us, our work carries on even if we might be new to working from home. Nonprofit boards still need to conduct their work, and governance and oversight are as important as ever.
One of the roles of a board is to run the board, which includes engaging current board members and recruiting new ones. We’re going to to have to figure out how to continue doing this work in new ways, and likely through online tools.
Here is my approach for board recruitment:
DETERMINE WHO IS GOING TO DO THE WORK
For many organizations, board members take the lead on the process and timeline for recruitment. For organizations that have paid staff, it’s fine for staff to play a role, but strategy and decisions around board engagement and recruitment should be led by the board. Staff may assist the board and administer the process. Many organizations run this process through a subcommittee of the board and include staff on the committee.
START WITH YOUR BYLAWS
Take a look at what your bylaws say about the composition of your board, board terms, how board members rotate off the board and how new members are identified and voted on. See if your bylaws allow you to meet and vote electronically, through video calls, phone, or by email. If you need to make adjustments to your bylaws, now is the time to review them and bring recommended changes to the full board.
ASSESS WHAT’S NEEDED ON YOUR BOARD
Use a strategic approach to your board recruitment. If your strategic plan guides who and what you need on your board, let it guide you. Do an assessment of the current members of your board and what knowledge, skills, and perspectives they bring. Understand which board members’ terms are up or which board members may be rotating off for other reasons. Get clear on what gaps exist now and what you anticipate in the future.
DEVELOP A RECRUITMENT PLAN AND TIMELINE
Look ahead to the date when you need to approve new board members. Work back from that date to build your plan and timeline. Use an online tool that is agreed upon by those on your committee, such as a Google Sheet or a Slack channel. Communicate the plan and timeline back to the full board. Document the process, timeline, and any materials so you can make your work easier the next time. Include items such as:
board recruitment posting
board member expectations
application instructions
deadline to apply, when interviews will occur, when decisions will be made, when decisions will be communicated
REACH OUT TO BOARD MEMBER PROSPECTS
Brainstorm people to reach out to (refer back to Number 3). Figure out who is going to reach out to whom. Use a basic and consistent set of messages and tools (refer back to Number 4). Reach out to people in the ways that work best for them, acknowledging the potential challenges of technology: by phone, video chat, text, or other. Engage the full board as appropriate in this outreach process, and communicate progress to the full board in advance of the next board meeting.
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH BOARD MEMBER PROSPECTS
Be open to ways that people communicate, especially in this time of physical distancing and stay at home orders. Some may do better over than phone rather than through written communication. Some may want to share ideas over a video chat. Some may want to submit their ideas in writing. “Interview” each board member and assess how they match with what your board needs.
HAVE A CONVERSATION AS A COMMITTEE
Convene an online meeting of your committee members to discuss the recruitment process and the potential new board members. Use Zoom, Google Hangouts, Whereby, Skype, good old fashioned conference call, or whatever works for your group.
BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOUR FULL BOARD
Assign someone from your committee to present a report to the full board. Briefly remind the board of the process, timeline, and decisions. Present the slate of board prospects and have a discussion with the full board. Be sure the meeting minutes reflect the discussion and the results of any vote.
COMMUNICATE WITH ALL BOARD PROSPECTS
Let people know the results of your process. If you’ll be extending an invitation to join the board, welcome them and share next steps with them. If they weren’t the right fit for your board at this time, be honest and direct with them and identify ways that they might want be engaged with the organization otherwise.
PROVIDE ORIENTATION FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Board orientation is next week’s blog post!