Citizen board members can motivate fellow citizens to improve and expand park and recreation programs and facilities in the community. But, they must be respected as leaders.
There are board members that nobody respects. Do you know them? Here is a list of board members nobody wants.
- THE NITPICKER: A board member who will dwell on trivial matters... wants to know how much is being spent on paper clips. Wastes board's and chief executive's time.
- THE COMPLAINER: A chronic critic, compulsive dissenter, opposes most, questions board policies.
NOTE: There are times when dissidents can offer a positive experience. With maximum open discussion, the possibility of the board being regarded as a clique is less likely.
- THE SLEEPER: This is the board member who appears to be asleep for half of the board meeting and waits until things are almost settled then suddenly comes out of his daydreaming and goes into long oral discussion about some minute points.
- THE HEADLINE HUNTER: Wants to be quoted by the newspaper rather frequently. Objects to executive giving statements to the press regardless of the contents.
- THE PATRONAGE SEEKER: Wants the park, recreation or conservation agency to be a haven for hiring friends, the politically deserving and the incompetent.
- THE JOCK: Is the board member who was once a jock and believes that all the resources should be directed to sports, or worse yet, a particular sport like building 15 baseball fields in a nine acre park.
- THE BORROWER: He is constantly requesting the park superintendent to drop off a power lawn mower and other equipment, and often keeping the equipment for the entire summer.
- THE TELEPHONE ADDICT: He calls the chief executive every night to talk for a half hour about trivial park business - - - always wants to express his opinion of how things should be done.
- THE OPERATIONS BOARD MEMBER: Knows exactly how to manage the agency and appears at park sites or facilities giving orders to employees.
- THE RUBBER STAMP: Board member is just a "yes" person.
- THE BACK-SCRATCHERS: Play together and support one another's views. There are sometimes board members who have special interests, i.e., "You support my recommendations for the baseball programs, and I'll support your golf request."
- THE ABSENTEES: Are seldom present for committee or board meetings.
- THE WATCH-IN-HAND: Board member arrives late and leaves early.
- THE HISTORICALLY-MINDED:Board member who keeps reminding fellow board members that "It's always been done this way in the past."
- THE SILENT BUT CRITICAL: The board member who only speaks after the board meeting and criticizes board decisions.
- THE SALARY FIXER: The board member who resents the salary of the chief executive because it's "more than I make," "more than my spouse makes."
- THE INTERRUPTER: Board member who makes it a habit to interrupt fellow board members before they are finished.
- THE POUTER: The board member who always wants it his way and pouts throughout the board meeting when not successful.
This is a portion of a list of examples of "Board Members Nobody Wants" that is included in the book, Are You On Board?
