Avoid role confusion with B&A!

• Published date: 01 November 2017
• Date: 01 November 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ban.30561

2 Board & Administrator

DOI 10.1002/ban © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company • All rights reserved

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From the Board Doctor

You do the hiring, just explain the thorough process

The plain fact is some board

members don’t understand why

their contact with staff should be

channeled through the CEO. Some

examples:

Board concern: “We should have

a say in who gets hired.”

It’s my firm belief that hiring

staff should be the executive direc-

tor’s job—not the board’s. The CEO

can ameliorate frustration to some

extent by explaining the process

used to select new staff. When

board members are more comfort-

able that your system is thorough

and professional, they’ll back off

their interest in hiring staff.

When you hire a key staff mem-

ber, tell the board what you looked

for in applicants, where you looked,

how many applied, how many you

interviewed and how the person

hired fits your original criteria.

Who you hire should be your

decision. When you give board

members confidence you made the

right decision, their concern should

dwindle.

Board concern: “I am worried

about staff morale. How can I tell if

staff are happy in their jobs? “Even

when a staff member brings a

concern to me, I have to tell him to

bring it to the executive director.”

I’m convinced that when a board

sets out to “improve staff rela-

tions,” that’s what they really want

to do—not take power from you or

exercise power over staff comings

and goings.

That’s an honorable motive, so

here are a few strategies to let the

board know that staff morale is

high—even if an employee com-

plains:

• Arrange social events where

staff and board can get to know one

another outside the work setting.

• Keep the board well-informed

about staff achievements, staff

promotions and new initiatives by

staff. Bring staff to board meetings

to discuss their programs. This is

the sign the board needs from the

executive director that all is well

with staff.

• Encourage the board to recog-

nize staff, reward them and regu-

larly say “thanks.”

Sincerely,

Jeff Stratton, Editor

Jeff_stratton@msn.com;

515.963.7972 ■

Avoid role confusion with B&A!

!“I avoided role and authority con-

fusion by paying attention to Board

and Administrator guidance over the

last 16 years,” said recently retired

North Carolina Executive Director

David Cook.

“I am aware of one instance where

an executive director decided that her

nonprofit should establish a thrift

store to provide additional income for

the mission. Her board advised her

not to do this, and rather focus on

growing the nonprofit’s donor base.

She ignored the board’s advice and

started looking for a location for a

thrift store, bringing her into a conflict

with her board president, and soon

she was asked to resign.

“Lesson: Board makes the policy,

CEO executes the policy.” ■