If you want to use your valuable skill set to help others and you decide to join a non-profit board or committee, then here are my three rules for picking the right one for you:
- Join something you believe in and resonates with your values. Don’t join something just because someone asks you.
- Find out from the current Chair what their personal values are and what direction they want to take the board and how they will serve their members/service users. How ambitious are they? Do the people they serve actually like them? To get an initial insight into the values of the Chair you could explore the demographics of the other board members. For example, you may check and see that out of twelve members there is only one man and he is obliged to be on there. Also the recent members joining are woman and previously resigned members were women, then there is certainly a hint of the type of people that are attracted to apply to be on the board and who are accepted. This goes for any demographic. However, the more diverse the board, the more inclusive and creative the Chair is.
- Does the board/committee need the skills you have and what will you get out of it? To some this may seem selfish, but it is not. When you are giving your precious time and skills voluntarily you need to ensure you have the same vision moving forward so that you will stay self-motivated.
Matthew Broomhead