To govern the club in accordance with governing documents
To represent club values
To influence new participants to join and become active
Board Member Responsibilities
Know the governing documents.
Understand roles and relationships
Study how a board functions to carry out the shared mission, goals, priorities, initiatives
Work as a team with the president and other board members – contribute to a safe and trusting climate
Set the tone for the club – represent club values
Stay positive in communication and decision making
Attend meetings with an open mind; know that everything has multiple points of view
Avoid hearsay
Manage conflict
Realize perception as important as fact
Key Ingredients of an Effective Board
Shared mission/purpose
Trust and respect
Defined roles emphasizing complementary not competing contributions
Mix of talent, expertise and outlooks
A timeframe for review and renewal
Common Vision
Everyone gains when working toward a common goal
Members know roles, relationships, activities, priorities
Vision and common understandings are reviewed regularly.
Problems that develop often go back to basic understandings.
Climate of trust = more efficient team
The right behaviors enhance trust.
Differing viewpoints are respected
A safe climate helps everyone to do their best.
Everyone contributes to a climate of courtesy.
Trust is carefully cultivated and protected, not compromised.
Trust/teamwork develops and matures through time and predictability.
Board sets the club tone
Individuals bear responsibility for maintaining positive relations in/outside board and modeling the integrity of club
Board discussions are “owned” by the group; authority lies with the board, not the member – no one person speaks for the board
Members understand the responsibility for discretion
If a member repeats conversations out of context, intentions can get skewed
Teamwork
Members are “equal cogs” in group wheel
Each person is entitled to an opinion and each opinion is equally valid.
Behaviors that undermine trust risk sacrificing board efficiency
Members avoid: discussion monopolizing, unbending beliefs, and body language that can can threaten team mentality or lead to toxic climate.
The “We”
Board operates from a “we” – “we” issues/products.
When communicating, explain your intent, listen for intent, check out your assumptions
Communication builds on the thoughts of others…don’t denigrate at meetings or in emails.
Perspective
All members wear different hats, representing experiences for which they were chosen.
Each member brings a different set of skills, viewpoints, big-picture and detail
Each member makes recommendations based on the best for everyone.
Decision making draws on the varied knowledge, experience and skills of members laboring toward a common outcome.
Multiple perspectives fuel synergy and energize decision making.
Results reflect diverse discussion, broad ownership, fresh ideas and maximized resources
Agreement
Consensus means that a subject has been fully discussed, all stances aired, pros and cons brainstormed, and everyone agrees that he/she can live with the decision.
This does not mean that all ideas are accepted.
Everyone is responsible for managing conflict.
Culture of validation
Variation exists in motivation among board members.
People will contribute generously if their motivation is nourished.
Some people are motivated by causes and others by artistic devotion, status, money, or loyalty to a brand.
Email – for New and Continuing Board Members – Suggest Board Discussion/Agreement
Keep messages brief and concise (risks confusion).
Craft subject line that best conveys the content (enhances efficiency).
Maintain professional, respectful tone, as E-mail messages can be misinterpreted.
Discuss email communication preferences and agreements openly at beginning of board year. Make sure everyone is heard equally, not just the techies.
In most cases, avoid “Reply All” to non-content responses such as “Thank you”.
Avoid caps, bold, underlining, even multiple colors…may have unintended effect of shouting.
Consider minimizing group emails between meetings except for straightforward or vital communication such as agendas.
Minimize voting by email except in emergencies, as full-board “discussion” is difficult, unless all board members agree.— Do P & Ps support email voting?
Respond with specific, numbered answers; don’t give a generic answer to “all of the above”.
Avoid forwarding emails from others without asking permission (jeopardizes trust and predictability). Forwarding emails others can be potentially destructive, so if a board member does it unilaterally, consider stopping the behavior immediately.
Avoid sending or forwarding group emails that are potentially libilous to CWC or that contain derogatory statements about people. Board members should not participate in this activity in any way.
Apply zero tolerance to rude or hostile emails from board members. Such emails should be stopped immediately by branch officers; if not stopped, fellow board members should weigh in and ask the member to stop.
