Board Member Recruitment - Not Just Any Warm Body

added by Tivix Team

Effective board representation requires a traditional business approach to board member selection. While it can be easy to feel "grateful" to volunteers who agree to serve on your board, "not just any warm body" will do. The higher standards you set for selection of board members, the more desirable serving on your board will be.

Here are the steps to take:

1. Identify desired competencies. If you have strengths in marketing, you may not need that competency in a board member. On the other hand, if you are weak in finance, a board member with that background would be very useful.
2. Identify existing gaps. This is where you will focus your recruitment efforts.
3. Develop selection criteria and process. Board member selection should look very much like the process you would use to hire staff members - formal, based on specific criteria and designed to match candidate skills with desired criteria.
4. Spread the word through selective recruitment. Don't wait for interested board members to come to you and don't eagerly accept all comers. Based on your identified competencies reach out to people who have the competencies you're looking for.
5. Use a formal selection process. Never simply appoint board members who volunteer to serve. Interview all candidates through a formal process that includes representatives from your staff and the board.
6. Evaluate board members on an ongoing basis. Evaluation will allow you to continue to identify areas of strength and weakness. Areas of weakness will represent the gaps that will help you focus future recruitment efforts.
7. Back to step #1. The make-up and evaluation of your board should be an ongoing process. By following these steps you will develop a strong board that becomes a sought-after place to serve which allows you to continually enhance the caliber and competencies of individual members.