Advisory Councils - Starboard Leadership Consulting, LLC

What if someone else chooses your advisory council members?

Sometimes advisory council or advisory committee members are selected by someone outside of your organization--a political appointment, for example. We worked with one organization that would simply throw-up its arms and say, "We have to take what we get." While it may be true that the ultimate decision rests elsewhere, we think it is a mistake not to try to influence a decision that can be so important to how the advisory council works.

This is definitely a case where it makes sense to be as specific as you can in your request. Prove that you've done your homework, that the appointment of members is not to be taken lightly, and that you have specific needs that you are trying to meet, and you are more likely to get a thoughtful appointment rather than an appointment of convenience.

Staffing an advisory council should not be taken lightly!

We knew an executive director of a nonprofit who did a time study (tracking her time by 10 minute intervals) that showed that she was spending more than 40% of her time on the business of the board—supporting them, preparing for meetings, engaging in board communications, attending meetings of board committees, and so on.

While we would hope that staffing an advisory council would not require that same time commitment or intensity of work, don't underestimate the work involved. Our experience tells us that the best advisory councils are well-staffed. By "well-staffed" we mean that they have a staff person working with them who cares about the people involved, who makes the work of the advisory council a priority, and whose annual performance is measured in part by the quality of support he/she provides to the advisory council. Keep in mind that "quality of support" is often directly related to the amount of time a person has available to provide that support.

Are your advisory committee members engaged in your work?

We always learn so much when we volunteer! In this case, we are familiar with an advisory committee that has been in existence for over a decade. Where they once played an especially active role in the organization, they are finding that today that they are in more of a "responsive" role. "Responsive" seemed like a better word than "reactive," but the reality is that the members of the advisory committee are indicating that they are less engaged than they would like to be and unsure about their role going forward.

Advisory Councils Need a Guiding Document

In much the same way that a board of directors is guided by bylaws, advisory councils or committees should have a guiding document too--a statement of organization and purpose that describes the role of the group and the responsibilities of its members.

Don't confuse this guiding document with bylaws, however. In fact, the word "bylaws" should be avoided in the same way that we urge you to avoid calling your committee an advisory "board." The board is the board and has a set of legal and fiscal responsbilities that your advisory council does not. So consider using the term "guiding document," and let it be just that--a document that guides the advisory council but does not pretend to have the formality or the weight of bylaws.

For Advisory Councils, WHEN you meet matters!

We were at a meeting recently where a hospital administrator was talking about their ACO Patient Advisory Council and the goal of engaging a diverse cross-section of patients. As she talked with some excitement about planning for a full-day retreat with the members of her advisory council, we couldn't help but think about what a challenge (if not an impossibility) such a retreat would pose for working parents, the single mom, the hourly employee who punches a clock, and for anyone who doesn't control his/her own daily schedule.

More Articles...

Page 1 of 3

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>