As nonprofit leaders, we tend to spend some time focused on board members who have gone rogue or who are trying to dip too far into operations.  While most leaders would say that a board member who is saying negative things in the community or trying to control the board is the one to be worried about, others might say the one who seems to be worried about operational policies is the one to be concerned with. Both are bad, but I’d submit that the worst board member is the bored one.

Board members often come to organizations with great energy and focus.  Almost all of the time, they come with the expectation that they’ll make a significant difference and will be a powerful ambassador for the organization. But sometimes, after long periods have passed, board members can, unfortunately, become bored. Somewhere along the way, their energy or excitement has subsided, and instead of going rogue or moving into operations, they stop committing mental energy to their board role and wait to term off. 

Filling a board seat with an unengaged leader and waiting for them to term off is not adequate to maximize the board’s overall expertise and contribution. Therefore, preventing bored board members is critical.

Here are some strategies to prevent board members from becoming “bored” members:

Set clear expectations

Before you’ve even committed to inviting this person to join your board, be very clear and transparent as to why you’re seeking them out. Is it their specific knowledge area?  Is it because they are passionate about the cause? Is it because they have a circle of friends your organization would like to enter? Especially if it’s because of a circle of friends, be extremely clear with that expectation — the potential board member needs to be comfortable with that idea and willing to serve as the ambassador into that group.

Share relevant and interesting information

Board members often become bored because they have nothing to get excited about — they don’t know about accomplishments or milestones and are unclear on organizational priorities.  Be sure to share the organization’s strategic plan and provide updates often. 

Create a personalized plan

Every year the Board Chair, the Executive Director, and the Chair of the Governance Committee should meet with each board member to refresh expectations and develop a personal plan to establish clear giving expectations, project involvement, committee assignments, and leadership positions. Most importantly, it ensures a conversation between you and the board member.

Develop transparency

When you identify a bored board member, the Board Chair and Executive Director must meet with the board member. Of course, it’s important to not come across as an interrogation but ask probing questions to identify how they could become better. This doesn’t always lead to a complicated solution — perhaps the board member simply doesn’t feel connected or valued.

Conduct a board assessment

In addition to developing a personal plan and setting clear expectations for all board members, you can perform a more robust annual assessment of the board as a whole. A yearly evaluation of the board allows the group to understand its role, improve its function, and gain clarity on how each member can assist the organization.   

As a whole and individually, your Board of Directors should be passionate, knowledgeable, externally0focused ambassadors. Providing this leadership team with tools, knowledge, and structure will help each individual be engaged and contribute to your organization at their highest level. 

About the Author

Michael J. Buckley, CFRE is a career fundraising professional and Founder and Managing Partner of The Killoe Group. His firm assists nonprofit organizations increase revenue, exposure and capacity through smart, data driven, successive decisions and effective planning. Mike’s experience and passion for the profession of fundraising have made him a sought-after speaker, consultant and presenter. The Killoe Group’s broad experiences include annual campaign audits and management, capital campaign leadership, feasibility studies, interim program leadership, board governance, strategic planning and capacity building.