I work for a mid-sized health charity and enjoy my work immensely. However, we have a new board member who professionally works in the same discipline as me, and has started to second-guess almost every recommendation I make. One of her parents recently died of the disease we are fighting and I think some of her thinking is swayed by this. I’m wondering if I should start looking for another job. Any suggestions?
The nonprofit sector would be hard-pressed to operate without their corps of dedicated volunteers of all stripes. As a paid staff member, one of the unique challenges in the nonprofit world is management of volunteers, particularly at the board level. Board volunteers come with many different abilities, levels of professionalism, skills, personalities, and motives for getting involved in the cause. The volunteer usually has only the best intentions when offering to sit on the board, and perhaps even chair a committee, and a lot of good work gets completed by these dedicated individuals.
Involvement Derived From Passion
The energy derived from a passion for the cause can be very beneficial if it is channeled in a positive way, but it can be equally devastating to an organization if that energy manifests itself in a detrimental fashion. “Micromanaging” of staff is often an issue, with strong-willed and determined board volunteers assuming a direct leadership role. There have been many qualified and dedicated staff members reduced to a blubbering mass because of negatively-charged volunteers. Except in extenuating circumstances, it is simply not the role of a board member to be directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization.
Understand that some health charity board volunteers can still be in a grieving stage. They may try to gain control over an organization in an attempt to counter their feelings of helplessness after losing a family member or friend to a disease or other condition. Many different negative emotions can be tainting their judgment. They get involved without the necessary history or perspective on the organization and feel that “Things aren’t moving fast enough! Just wait until I straighten things out!” Much time and energy can be wasted on issues that come up relating to their special needs or individual agenda. This can be particularly difficult if the Chief Staff Officer lacks the leadership or willpower to control these tendencies.
Enlist supporters
Don’t try to change the situation overnight, or all on your own. You should enlist the support of your Executive Director or immediate supervisor. They should assist you in letting the board member know how her behaviour is affecting you. Most health charities are set up in such a way that the board includes one staff member – the Chief Staff Officer (CSO) – and all other staff report directly or indirectly to that person. Technically, board members should deal directly with the CSO, and should never undermine the authority of the CSO by directly or indirectly managing other staff.
Other board members can also be your allies and advocates, but be very careful about how you approach them and what you say. Always seek the advice of your supervisor before you talk to any board member about this issue.
Plan your work and work your plan
An effective strategy is to plan the tasks you expect to complete during the next few months, and how these actions will contribute to the organization’s strategic objectives. You should explain your plan of action to key board members (especially the one chairing your committee), and try to elicit their feedback and approval before you proceed. Once you have all agreed on a plan, you can concentrate on the deliverables.
Focus on principles
One of the best ways to help keep everyone focused is to have all professional conversations centred around your organization’s stated goals. Always ask your team “Is this the most effective way of doing what needs to be done?” If things do get personal, try to steer the dialogue back to the principles that your organization stands for. That is, after all, why you are all working together. Strive toward consensus.
Communication is key
Board members can be exceptional assets to any nonprofit organization, and often bring a wealth of skills, talent, and judgment. From time to time there will be those individuals who are not working as part of the team. In my experience, these situations tend to be temporary but difficult times for everyone. It can be a very discouraging and frustrating period for affected staff members in these situations, but always try to keep the communication lines open, focus on areas of agreement, and keep things as professional as possible.
Michael Mayne, M.B.A., CMA, is Managing Partner and a Certified Professional Career Counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a Career Transition, Counselling, and Outplacement firm. Michael has been involved in the not-for-profit sector for many years, and is currently President of ALS Canada. To contact Michael, visit: www.catalystcareers.com.
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Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.
