I’ve been doing WAY too much shoveling lately. I know this not just from my aching back and sore arms, but because it has become a chore. Earlier in the season, the first snow was actually a joy to shovel. It was like welcoming a long-awaited house guest; I met it at the door with a big smile and a hug, so to speak. But now, after the third foot of the stuff has taken up residence with me, the thrill is most definitely gone.
It seems to me that this emotional arc also appropriately describes how many board members feel about their service to our organizations. Board service often starts with excitement and joy, only to pass into a period of disenchantment and boredom when board work has become a chore.
Museums must find ways to keep board work fresh and engaging. Too often we weigh our boards down with policies, politics, and parliamentary procedure. Meetings become bureaucratic, automatic, and predictable. Certainly, our boards need to abide by ethics and best practices. They need to maintain adequate gravitas for the institution. But here’s our real challenge in 2015: how do we make service on our boards more satisfactory, meaningful, and even fun?
Without a sense of joy, board service will become an increasingly hard sell. So here are five humble suggestions that might result in a happier board at your museum.
- Demonstrate care and concern for each board member individually. Get to know them personally, their passions, interests, skills, background. Encourage each board member to get to know their fellow members and establish a culture of mutual caring.
- Create as many opportunities as possible for unstructured networking and bonding between board members. This might be free time during a board meeting (lunchtime is good for networking) or it could be occasional free-standing events. Networking, though, should be considerate of the board’s time and good will, especially if members have to travel far.
- Board meetings should focus on strategy, not reports. Remember that the main purpose of your board is to provide the organization with strategic direction; it’s not merely a “sounding board.” The more you maximize strategic time, the more satisfied your board will be. Resist the urge to fill your meetings with reports and “show & tell.” Utilize consent agendas and dashboards to provide reports and metrics ahead of the meeting, so your gatherings are focused and productive.
- Invite your board to interact with staff in appropriate ways. While this can be tricky, it’s important that the board deeply understands the work and culture of the museum. Getting to know the staff personally enhances the notion that the board and staff are all part of the same team.
- Keep board members in the loop. Communications are critical in making the board feel plugged in, so reach out early and often. Share pertinent news and information about the organization, ideally BEFORE the news becomes public. Forward interesting articles and data; look out for their intellectual nourishment, especially if they are relative newcomers to your field. If a board member receives a promotion or an award, make sure everyone knows it. Creating a “family” feeling makes board work more satisfying and meaningful for even the curmudgeonliest member.
Dan Yaeger