Tips for Better Boards

Esther Hall’s “Preview of Better Boards” at the National Preservation Conference in Tulsa provided an engaging glimpse into the longer workshop offered by NTHP’s Center for Preservation Leadership. She gave us lots of practical tips, ideas, and strategies for creating a healthy board that everyone wants to serve on. For those of you who missed it, here are some of best ones I caught during this fast-paced session:

• The ideal size of a board is 12-15 people with 3-4 committees focused around strategic goals and task forces as needed for specific short-term projects.
• The current trend is towards 4-6 board meetings annually with the committees and taskforces conducting the detailed work in between.
• Term limits are crucial. Board members should take at least a year off after about seven years of service (they can help in other ways in the meantime if they want to stay active). The absence of term limits requires a board with sufficient strength and discipline to remove inactive, unproductive, or unruly members—and that’s rare.
• Board development/recruitment is a year ‘round process, so every board should establish a committee with this responsibility. Hall recommended it be chaired by the immediate past president and include non-board members to broaden the network of contacts.
• Explain the fundraising goals and attendance policy before the board member’s first meeting—and this is exclusively the president’s responsibility, not the staff’s. The president is solely responsible for the management of the board and its meetings.
• The biggest weakness of meetings is the lack of planning and preparation (e.g., lack of an agenda, failing to read the financial report).
• For each meeting, assign a “bouncer” to help to start the meeting and keep track of time. It helps the president move the agenda along without threatening anyone.  Be sure this responsibility rotates among the board members.
• Set your meeting calendar a year in advance to demonstrate to everyone that you are managing everyone’s time well. You can always cancel meetings if there’s no need to meet.

Good boards don’t happen by accident. If your board needs a tune up or a major overhaul, it will most likely succeed through training that involves at least 3-4 board members and the executive director. Consider participating in an upcoming “Better Boards” workshop near you.  We’re planning on offering one specifically for historic sites in late March 2009 in New York; let me know if you’re interested in attending.