Even the best administrators can be fired

• Published date: 01 December 2017
• Date: 01 December 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ban.30577

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

Even the best administrators can be red

Don’t let a violation of the Golden

Rule derail your career.

Early this year, one organization

had several people it serves contact

its administrator. They were upset.

The CEO put their concerns on

the agenda for the next board meet-

ing. She also contacted her board

chair to warn the chair that there

could be a dissatisfied group of

people at the next board meeting.

Then the administrator went

back to work without telling her

other board members that there

could be trouble brewing. She

depended on the chair to pass the

news along.

That was a big mistake, because

the chair did not pass the news

along. A mob showed up at the next

board meeting, demanding satisfac-

tion for their concerns. Board mem-

bers were subjected to two hours of

complaints, abuse and accusations.

After the meeting, the admin-

istrator was cornered by several

board members. They were furious

at being caught off guard. They said

that this better not ever happen

again.

The administrator/board rela-

tionship couldn’t recover. It suf-

fered from the lack of trust. Within

a year, the administrator and board

agreed to part company.

Always remember the Golden

Rule of the board-and-adminis-

trator relationship. Board mem-

bers really don’t like surprises. As

administrator, it is your personal

responsibility to make sure every

board member knows when a prob-

lem is brewing.

Speak individually with board

members prior to a board meeting

that is likely to be controversial.

Sincerely,

Jeff Stratton, Editor

Jeff_stratton@msn.com;

515.963.7972 ■

Improve the board meeting

agenda packet

What you include in the meeting

agenda packet for the board helps

determine the meeting’s success. Con-

sider these items:

• The meeting agenda. Separate

the material into reports, discussion

items and action items.

• Financial report. Your busi-

ness manager or treasurer should be

prepared to elaborate on this at the

meeting.

• Executive director’s report. If

necessary, make verbal comments on

this at the meeting.

• New or modified policies. These

may be for consideration if a first

reading, or for board action if a sec-

ond reading.

• News coverage about the organi-

zation.

• Articles of general interest about

nonprofit organizations.

• Written reports, recommenda-

tions from board committees.

• Minutes from the previous board

meeting. ■