Written by: Katherine Whitney
With July just around the corner, many nonprofit boards are getting ready for the changing of the guard. Officers are wrapping up their terms, and new board members are preparing to assume their duties. Having a strong and engaged board is often a sign of a strong organization, and having a strong Board Chair is the key to maintaining the forward momentum of the Board.
What are characteristics of a great Board Chair? There are many things that go into the “special sauce” of an outstanding Board Chair. The following represent skills and attributes that are at the core.
Passion and Time. It’s likely that anyone being considered for the Board Chair has shown a passion for the organization. Don’t underestimate the time required to be a good board chair. Even with excellent officers and committee chairs, the Board Chair should expect to attend more meetings than other board members. He/she is often ex officio on all committees, which means the opportunity to attend any and all committee meetings. Even if it’s not necessary to attend all; finance, governance, and development committee meetings often involve the Chair. This is in addition to board meetings, executive committee meetings, and regular meetings with the CEO.
CEO Relationship. The Board Chair and the CEO should be in lockstep. The Board Chair should be the CEO’s strongest partner and biggest supporter. Depending on the experience and tenure of each, one may be mentoring the other, but the Board Chair should be the primary connection between the CEO and the rest of the Board. Of course, the relationship may need to change if there is an issue with the CEO. The Chair may need to move from supporter and partner to dealing with unpleasant issues. We always hope that doesn’t happen, but it can.
Forward-looking and action-oriented. Most organizations want more than a caretaker in a Board Chair. During the Chair’s term, the hope is that the organization will become stronger – financially, programmatically, organizationally, etc. A forward-looking leader can help make that happen by working with the CEO to establish priorities that are in line with the organization’s strategic plan and then leading the Board through the work they are responsible for.
Consensus Builder. The role of consensus-builder may be new to a strong leader who is accustomed to making decisions alone based on their own goals and analysis of facts. In a group of smart and engaged board members, there are bound to be different points of view. While there can be times that a path is determined based on a majority vote, many boards lean towards working towards a consensus on important matters. A strong Board Chair is not necessarily one who can make independent decisions but, instead, is one who can lead an entire Board to make good decisions.
Personal Resources. Not every Board Chair needs to be the largest donor, but they should commit to an amount that is meaningful to them, and they should make that commitment early in the organization’s fiscal year. This should be true of all board members, but it applies even more to the Chair. In addition to money and time, the Board Chair should be willing to use personal connections to strengthen the organization. That doesn’t always mean asking for money, but that’s a part of it. Calling on contacts who are influencers on important issues can be just as important.
For incoming Board Chairs, especially first-timers, these characteristics provide a good place to start. For governance committees that are choosing the next Board Chair, consider these characteristics as you select your next Chair to help maintain or build Board strength.
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Katherine Whitney works closely with nonprofit organizations in Board governance, strategic planning, and organizational development, including CEO searches. She is a co-founder and director of Warren Whitney. She has 35 years of experience helping organizations reach their potential. Katherine has a passion for helping to strengthen nonprofit organizations by building good business practices to support their missions. To learn more about how Katherine can support your organization, email Katherine at kwhitney@warrenwhitney.com .
MAKING POTENTIAL HAPPEN
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