G E T   O N   B O A R D

Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD President and Chief Executive Officer

The Board Member Nobody Wants Vs. the Effective Board Member

Recently I responded to a board member who wrote, "Can one bad board member really influence a good board, and how do you deal with it?" It does matter who is elected or appointed to serve on a board. In most cases, a dysfunctional agency is the result of a dysfunctional board. One bad board member can, if left unchecked, change the chemistry of the board, and can chase good members off the board. I have seen it happen a number of times.

Board members need to know what is expected of them. If they don't know what is expected of them, they might create their own expectations - some of which you might not like.

There is no room for the board member who advocates the "none for all" attitude. Or the board member who has tunnel vision, an axe to grind, an overriding special interest or self-serving interest, the board member who does not want to be a team player, or the board member who does not leave his or her ego at the door when he or she enters a board meeting.

The Board Member Nobody Wants

So who are these board members? They are board members that nobody wants. Here are examples of their actions:

• They arrive late to board meetings and leave early.
• They have no interest in board education.
• They criticize, to the press and the public, board decisions that they did not specifically support but that were nonetheless voted on and passed by the majority of the board.
• They think they have all the answers for every issue.
• They micro-manage.
• They refuse to change their mind on any issue, regardless of the evidence that is presented.
• They fail to read board packets and fail to prepare for the board meetings.
• They divulge information from an executive board session.
• They try to give directions to the chief executive as an individual board member.
• They hold grudges about fellow board members when they do not agree with them.
• They try to dominate conversations at every board meeting.
• They appear at the agency and give orders to employees.
• They want the agency to be a haven for hiring friends, relations or the politically deserving.
• They constantly criticize and question board policies and the executive's decisions and compulsively differ on almost every issue.
• They don't try to know or understand other people who serve on the board, and they don't accept that team building begins by knowing your teammates.
• They believe the executive and staff work for them.

The board member nobody wants will often make promises to citizens or to agency staff that he or she can't keep, or will promise in advance of a meeting how he or she will vote on an issue, before hearing all the facts or points of view. The board member nobody wants will break the chain of command, working around or over the executive director. The board member nobody wants likes to get his or her own way at meetings. He or she can be a one-interest board member or a no interest board member.

And the board member nobody wants breaks the cardinal rule of never surprising a fellow board member or an executive in a public meeting. They love to play "stump the executive" and grandstand by appearing to show others up.

It is the responsibility of the board member, with his or her fellow board members, to see that the agency is properly run; not to run the agency.

The Effective Board Member

So what is the role of the board member? It is the responsibility of the board member, with his or her fellow board members, to see that the agency is properly run; not to run the agency. It is important to work with the executive director, not over or around him or her. There is nothing more devastating to staff morale than to have board members engaged in the day-to-day operations. (We call that micro-managing.)

10 Principles Employed by Effective Board Members
Whether they know it or not, effective board members are ones who adhere to the following 10 principles.

1. No One Dominates the Board

Everyone has equal opportunity on the board. Even the president doesn't dominate the board. Everybody should have a chance to express an opinion.

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2. Collective Decision-Making

Board members collectively arrive at decisions. In addition, once a decision is made, they have to accept that decision as a board member, even when they voted against it, and they support the decision (unless there is a moral or legal issue).

Board members know that power rests with the board and not with the individual board member. (When they receive calls from reporters who are seeking dissenting opinions, they answer simply, "I voted, and I support the board.")

3. Open-Minded Problem Solving

A board member should listen to fellow board members and their views on different subjects. Being open minded and having good listening skills is an attribute for board members. If you do not practice good listening skills, you are abdicating one of your board duties.

4. Willingness to Compromise

Compromised decisions are often the best decisions. Effective board members are willing to be participants in the process, and not just vote "yes" or "no" on an issue. They become involved in resolutions and discussions of problems. Board members should be consistent and fair. They should be objective on all issues. They must be accountable. Just as important, they should not tell people how they are going to vote prior to going into a meeting. This is not being objective and open-minded and may not be ethical. You need to listen to all sides or

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points of view.

5. Relationship Building

They work at building relationships with fellow board members. Boardmanship is about positive relationships and interacting together as a team to promote and advance the agency and its services. Effective board members focus on the issues and not on other board members' personalities.

6. Receptiveness to Citizen Input

Effective board members know that citizens helped put them in their positions and that they need to be accountable to the citizens they serve. They listen to citizens and are a sounding board for the executive and fellow board members.

7. A Focus on Long-Range Planning

One of the most important responsibilities of a board member is to get involved in long-range planning. I've always said that board members who are involved in strategic planning, comprehensive or long-range planning don't have time to micro-manage. They are concerned with the goals of the agency and how the agency achieves those goals.

8. A Positive Working Relationship with the Executive

Effective board members work with the executive to accomplish the goals of the agency. Right from the very beginning, the board president or the executive should sit down with a new board member and give him or her a job description, training program and board manual. (If your agency needs examples of these documents, contact IAPD.) In addition, new board members should be oriented to proper ethical practices, how board members react to one another, how they treat staff, how they conduct meetings, etc.

9. A Unifying Purpose

Effective board members develop a unified purpose around the mission of the agency. They work together as a unit...as a team.

10. Camaraderie

Effective board members develop a sense of collegiality.

• They are optimistic, confident and create opportunities.
• They accept personal sacrifices.
• They constantly look for ways to improve.
• They do all things with integrity.
• They try not to be biased or weigh personal beliefs against legal realities.

Characteristics of Effective Board Members

Over the last 40 years, I have had the privilege of working with thousands of park district, forest preserve, conservation and recreation agency board members and have found that the more successful and effective board members have had some common characteristics.

They are sensitive to the obligations and relationships they have accepted. They have an attitude of cooperative open-mindedness and objectivity.

• They recognize the value and necessity of mutual understanding and teamwork between the board and the executive.
• They realize and respect that while the function of the board and executive are different, the mission and goals should be the same.

They have:

• A belief and strong interest in the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the agency;
• A willingness to give time and energy to learn about, as well as carry out, board duties;
• A willingness to make personal sacrifices, such as time away from family and work;
• An ability to inspire the community's confidence, respect and support; and
• A desire to participate in discussions with demonstrated reasoning, good judgment and the courage of personal convictions.

They have, or they work at having:

• The ability to work well with others, a talent that involves a rare blend of tact, respect for varied opinions and points of view and complete open-mindedness;
• A willingness to support board decisions, even when a decision conflicts with his or her personal views;
• The ability to handle media criticism of board decisions.

They show support for the executive in his or her role as the manager of the agency; and they have high ethical standards.