Tell Your Boards When They Don’t Measure Up

At the Association of Fundraising Professionals conference in New York a few weeks ago, Henry Goldstein reminded nonprofit leaders that they have to actually ENGAGE Board members.

The trend in the corporate world for the past 10 years is for leaders to share information across the company. If the people who produce the goods and services don’t know the score, it’s nearly impossible for the company to grow and prosper. Everyone has to know their place in the company’s plans and dreams.

So it is, too, with a nonprofit – especially with Board members, and Fund Development.

Board members are supposed to be your nonprofit’s chief fundraisers. All Development work should be Board led, and staff supported. If the Board isn’t fulfilling its role, the entire organization suffers. But how does the Board know what is expected?

You tell them. Plain and simple.

Honesty with Board members can be tricky. Every Executive Director wants to look his or her best in front of the “boss.” Many are afraid of “telling it like it is” when it comes to the Board falling short of its responsibilities. They think they can’t ask these good people who give of their time to the organization to step it up.

Wait – what?!? These people are on the Board because they care. They want to help. They want direction. They need to know the truth about the organization in order to see the vision and take action.

These are also people who want feedback – to know when their efforts pay dividends. If you don’t tell them when they fall short of what you need, they cannot improve. In tough times this level of communication is vital to success. Goldstein and others provide some tips on how to get your message across more effectively.

Follow these tips and get your board back on track. It’s truly in YOUR self-interest to develop this kind of relationship with them.

Is your Board doing what you need to bring in revenues this year?

Are you worried about giving them honest information about their performance in this arena?