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You don’t want a “stronger board”
A discussion that I had today with a board chair caused me to think about word choice and the potential trap we can fall into as we work to strengthen the make-up of a board. Think about how current board members might react when they hear discussions about “recruiting a stronger board” or attracting “better board members.” It would be reasonable for them to ask, “So what’s wrong with me?”
Let’s acknowledge that in the same way that organizations and their leaders need to adapt and change to meet new challenges, so do boards of directors. For most organizations, that means that the skill-set, talents, and experience the board needed 6 years ago, for example, are likely to be different than what are needed today. So we aren’t looking for “better” or “stronger” board members. We are looking for board members who have the skill-set we need today and as we look to the future.
Take the time to look at your strategic plan…at where you want to be in the future…and then honestly assess what you’ll need from your board members in order to help you get there. It is likely that as board members “term out” that you won’t want to replace them with new members who appear to be similar or even identical. More than likely, you will find this to be a great opportunity to expand and diversify the skills, talents, abilities and experience of your board. Don’t miss the opportunity!