Board argues, can't make decision

• Published date: 01 September 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ban.30521
• Date: 01 September 2017

September 2017 • Volume 34, Number 1 3

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

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Board argues, can’t make decision

You’ve made your recommenda-

tion, but now the board is split into

factions over an issue that requires a

decision. Members argue on and on

over the best course for the nonprof-

it—and the battles are getting ugly,

with personal, unkind remarks going

back and forth in the boardroom.

This issue has been on the table

for several meetings with no progress.

As executive director, you need a way

forward.

Suggest that the board give the issue

to an ad-hoc “single-issue” committee for

study and to determine a recommenda-

tion for the full board. Tell the board you

will work closely with the committee and

assist the members in developing an ac-

tion plan to address the issue.

When a board reaches gridlock,

you need to intercede and provide a

way out of the mess—and do so in a

way that gives the board a method for

preventing future gridlock.

By stepping in and suggesting the

board give the issue to a commit-

tee for study and a recommendation,

you’re giving the board a chance to

resolve the current issue, a tool for

resolving future disagreements and a

lesson in proper boardsmanship.

Be sure to attend the committee’s

meetings, participate in its work, and

help the committee chair develop

an action plan to resolve the issue.

Committee composition, while the re-

sponsibility of the board chairperson,

should consist of board members who

come from opposite sides of the issue.

Be sure to point out to the board

that committees, when used properly,

provide an important service to the full

board. They can study and research

an issue and provide the board with a

recommendation to act upon. Once the

recommendation is made, it is impor-

tant that the board vote on it without

rehashing the committee’s work. ■

Process is your friend when board

wants staff input into your appraisal

The executive director would have

to have his head buried in the sand if

he believes staff and board members

won’t have at least a small degree of

interaction about his performance

over the course of the year.

That’s because communities can be

very small places where board mem-

bers and employees run into each

other at church, a local restaurant or

watering hole, or at the grocery store.

So while having an employee fill

out a form to evaluate your work is

a really bad idea that can lead to

cheap shots at the CEO, the fact is

that board members will learn some-

thing about your performance from

staff.

If you manage this informal process

a bit you will be better off at the end

of your performance appraisal.

For instance, you will make difficult

even unpopular decisions over the

course of the year. Some employees

may resent you for these tough calls.

You just need to be able to justify

these decisions to the board and re-

mind them to look at your full body of

work for the year at evaluation time.

Also, if you garner evaluation infor-

mation from your employees, you may

pre-empt your board from suggesting

use of the anecdotes from employees

they acquire. Ask your emplouee lead-

ership team for evaluation feedback

using your performance appraisal

form. Share this information with the

board in your self appraisal. ■