I’m a board member who has learned to live with decisions I don’t always like. What do I do when people in my community complain to me about a concern I share regarding my organization?

The quick answer is that directors must show external solidarity for board decisions, and positive support for their organization. It is part of being a positive ambassador for your organization, and also a key expectation of ethical board conduct. Many organizations ask directors to sign a Code of Conduct that includes this point. That does not mean you won’t follow up internally about their issue.

I suggest you find wording you are comfortable that shows you appreciate their feedback and have listened respectfully. Let them know their views may genuinely affect future organizational choices. Try something like “I understand why you disagree with the fee increase, but we had to look at all our revenues in the context of carrying out our mission. May I share your comments with the board to help them the next time we review fees?”

If the individual needs help due to the board decision, add useful remarks such as “If you or others need the fee waived due to financial hardship, Zelma is the person to talk to. We established a fund for that.” Be careful to avoid statements that could be perceived as brush-off.

If the complaint is about an operational matter, you could try something like “We have made a commitment to give excellent service, and I’m sorry to hear that the weekend hours of operation aren’t working for you. We know we can always improve. It’s not something that would come to the board table, but I can let the executive director know of your issue or you could talk to her directly. You might also want to contact Naren at the office to ask about appointments outside of regular hours. Do you need his email or phone number?”

No organization is perfect, so it is always fine to admit a need to improve.

Raising the issue within your organization

You can decide based on the issue who to raise it with in the organization. If the concern directly relates to a recent board decision and is truly new and important information, you might feel you have grounds for having the issue put back on the agenda. Use this ability judiciously; boards have to spend most of their time looking forward rather than revisiting prior decisions.

You might also feel that the problem is really how the board decision was implemented. If the issue is serious, or affects many people in a negative way, do make sure the senior staff or relevant volunteers know quickly. You might also take it into account in the executive director’s performance review. If the concern relates to a board committee or officer, you can also address it during the annual board assessment or regular governance review.

Involving complainants in the solution

When the issue is on the organization’s wish list for changes, but hasn’t been acted on due to lack of resources, complainants can also be asked to be part of the solution. They cared enough to speak with you and they know about your organization. They might care enough to volunteer or donate. They are strong prospects to be turned into supporters. A great many people start volunteering or move up in a volunteer career path because they saw things they wanted to change. The best way to get a new volunteer is to ask!

The iceberg issue

Let’s also talk about the tip of the iceberg. One complaint can be from a disgruntled person who complains about everything, or is angry about an entirely different issue. Or it might be the tip of the iceberg, with hundreds if other people upset about the same issue but not yet vocal about it. What are the tipping points that move an item from routine venting to needing serious board inquiry?

Quantify the issue if you can. Does it affect many people or does just one person need to be accommodated or referred? Anything that involves a queue will sometimes cause people to wait longer than they wish to wait. Anything that involves online technology will have occasional disruptions of service. Listen to those types of complaints for two things:

1. Trends: Did you used to hear complaints once a month and now there are several a day? Did people used to complain about waiting an hour and now complain about waiting five minutes? Find out if other directors and staff are receiving such complaints and let the staff, if any, analyze the situation and resolve the issue if possible. Ask to be kept informed. Their report may put your mind at rest or keep you awake at night.

2. Chance of risk/degree of harm: How likely is it that the issue creates a risk? And is it a risk to public safety, such as a viral epidemic, or a risk to the organization, such as angry donors or clients choosing another agency? What level of harm? A single situation leading to hospitalizations and perhaps even death has to be acted on urgently. A chance that someone has to wait ten minutes extra for service is likely not urgent, though it may be important to return to service standards.

You may need to supplement existing data with more information-gathering. Staff could add a question to the usual satisfaction surveys to recent clients, for example, or intake officers might do telephone follow-ups. Even a quick online poll could help determine the scope of the issue. If you have an executive director, ask him or her about collecting more information.

Communicating back

Don’t ever let the people who speak with you feel their comments went into a black hole. Get back to them, especially if they aren’t going to see the change they wanted, at least for a while. Explain the situation in relation to the organization’s vision, values, mission and strategic priorities (use wording directly from the strategic plan). Tell them when the priorities will next be reviewed or what conditions need to change before their wishes can be addressed. If appropriate, help them find another community agency that can satisfy their needs better.

Throughout, continue to be uphold the organization’s decisions and carry out your role as ambassador. Anything less would weaken the organization. That could cause more gaps in future services and reduced progress towards the mission.

Because nonprofit organizations are formed to do good does not mean they are always good in their own practices. Send us your ethical questions dealing with volunteers, staff, clients, donors, funders, sponsors, and more. Please identify yourself and your organization so we know the questions come from within the sector. No identifying information will appear in this column.

To submit a dilemma for a future column, or to comment on a previous one, please contact editor@charityvillage.com. For paid professional advice about an urgent or complex situation, contact Jane directly.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not intended to be legal advice. You should not act or abstain from acting based upon such information without first consulting a legal professional.

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