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Jamie L.

Gray
Duquesne University
MSCL 513-55
Summer 2010

Board Recruitment – Developing Volunteers into Non-profit Leaders

Background:
I have been home with my baby boy since he was born last year, but

prior to that my professional field was cancer advocacy. I am very passionate

about the work because like many of us, cancer has unfortunately had a

significant impact on me and my family. Much of my experience with cancer

advocacy groups has centered on volunteer management and program

coordination. I have had the pleasure of working for some successful and

influential non-profits over the years; groups who rely heavily on their board

of directors and volunteers to ensure their effectiveness. I have had contact

with board members at these organizations over the years, but I have not

had a chance to engage in a structured or collaborative way with a board, so

this course served as a sort of “Board 101” for me. While we did touch on

certain aspects of the nuts and bolts of board structure and operations, our

discussion mostly covered the ideas of governance and leadership as they

pertain to non-profit boards. A recurring theme was the essential aspect of

what it means to serve on a board – advancing the organization’s mission –

and how that can best be achieved.

Because I have been drawn to work in cancer advocacy due to my

personal history and because I have worked directly with volunteers who

have demonstrated their commitment to mission in a variety of ways, I

became interested in the power of harnessing that passion. So, over the

course of the semester, the idea of cultivating volunteers into true leaders

within an organization intrigued me. My background in volunteer

management led me to wonder about the potential rewards (for both the
individual and the organization) of nurturing a relationship with a dedicated

volunteer in order to have them join the board of directors. Since I am not

currently working for a non-profit or volunteering with a board, I wanted to

find out the general steps to take when asking a volunteer to make that leap.

I decided to look into what could be done to have a volunteer step up their

commitment and take their service to the next level in order to contribute to

their cause of choice. To do that, I found it is necessary to have a basic

understanding of the responsibilities of non-profit boards, the need to keep

volunteers satisfied and motivated, and tips on how to transition a volunteer

into a board position.

Boards 101:

Boards are tasked with a three-pronged responsibility– made up of

fiduciary, strategic, and generative thinking tasks. Boards need to have a

handle on all three types of governance in order to effectively work towards

their mission. The fiduciary tasks are where boards are concerned with

stewardship and involve attention to things like financial and legal oversight,

resource allocation, etc. The strategic tasks are how boards make

agreements and partner with management, with a focus on performance and

utilizing the organization’s resources effectively to best achieve the

organization’s goals. Generative thinking takes things a step further; it is a

cognitive process that ignites the planning for where organizations want to

go and how they’re going to get there. This is all about leadership.
When looking at the fiduciary and strategic tasks, it makes sense that

organizations would want to have a “roster” of certain individuals to fulfill

specific needs – law, accounting, politics, etc. Having a depth of professional

and personal experience means that the organization is covered when it

comes to these important aspects of non-profit work. Organizations do need

specific skill sets and experience to run effectively. They also need board

members with certain characteristics and traits in order to get things done;

people willing to network, movers and shakers, planners, etc so that strategy

can be implemented. Boards need to take care that they don’t forget the

third part of their responsibility, generative thinking. Boards need to focus

on how each of their decisions and actions affect their overall mission. In

order to be truly focused on the mission, boards need to be made up of

people who are dedicated to the cause and will allow only those goals to lead

them in the board work. So, while it makes sense to have people with

certain professional backgrounds or personal attributes on your board,

organizations need to look for mission driven advocates. A great place to

look for these advocates is in their volunteer database.

Recruiting new board members is hard!

It can be a challenge to find people who are truly dedicated to your

mission and would be able to serve as effective board members. Advocates

have many different organizations to choose from, are pressed for time, and

have varying amounts of energy and resources to give. There are also
several cultural changes that have occurred that directly relate to an

individual getting involved with social causes -

A changing view of civic engagement – social responsibility is no

longer a given as it had been for many in the past

More women are in the workplace and more people are

working past retirement – having fewer women and retirees with

time on their hands reduces the number of available “professional”

volunteers

People who do volunteer have multiple demands – many people

are only looking for short-term commitments

A greater level of public mistrust – recent scandals have given

some people an unfavorable view of both corporations and charities,

which may cause them to fear associations resulting from work on a

board

These factors combine to make recruiting new board members from

outside your organization a real challenge, and are compelling reasons to

look at those already involved with the work that you’re doing.

The next board member can be right under your nose!

It makes sense for organizations to look at who is already involved with

their group when looking for new board members because people who have

already shown their commitment to the organization are the best candidates

for leadership roles. Those who have already shown their support for the
mission will be honored to be asked to step up their activity and will come

into the role with renewed fervor and motivation to do what they can for the

cause.

In order to get volunteers who are satisfied enough with their

experience that they want to give more, organizations have several models

to draw from. In a volunteer group, it is very important to embrace the idea

of a strengths-based organization. One way to do this is to use Appreciative

Inquiry; a “glass is half full” way of operating that focuses on strengths,

accentuates the positive, and builds on successes. This in turn, creates

momentum, keeps motivation up, and ensures satisfaction. Because

everyone brings something different to the table, knowing what each

individual is good at and comfortable with is crucial. Everyone is unique, and

if you have a clear understanding of what each person’s interests and

abilities are, you should be able to achieve all of your goals. By accentuating

the positive, instead of concentrating on all the work that is left to do, you

can reignite the passion that drew the volunteers to the organization in the

first place and can instill a feeling of satisfaction that their hard work is

paying off, that they are really making a difference.

Another tool is the self-help model. If organizations have a

commitment to acknowledging and utilizing assets, they are using a “self-

help” model of community development. This model focuses on a belief in

the power of giving people the tools to get the job done or “helping people
help themselves”. Volunteers are passionate people who have chosen to

give to a particular organization. They have decided to donate their time,

energy and talents in order to help an advocacy group achieve its goals. The

organization knows that active volunteers want to be involved, knows they

want to affect change, so looking inward at what the organization already

has at its disposal is the best place to start when looking for new leaders.

Because there are so many volunteer groups to choose from, it is important

to recognize each person’s contributions and make sure that you are doing

what you can to learn about their motivation and how you can make sure

they feel that they are being most effective at impacting a cause that means

something to them; that they feel some ownership of the cause. When they

feel ownership over the process, and feel valued and appreciated, they will

be interested in becoming more involved.

Recognition efforts are a critical portion of any volunteer program. In

order to make sure that your volunteers feel valued and that their work is

contributing to the cause you need to make a concentrated effort to keep

them satisfied and motivated. One way to do this is to have a formal

recognition plan in place. Many organizations recognize their volunteer

efforts by holding banquets, giving pins or certificates, giving out volunteer

of the week/month/year awards, etc. While these can be effective at helping

to keep a volunteer’s spirits up and let them know they are appreciated, the

ultimate testament to a volunteer’s work is to invite them to have more

responsibility within the organization. Cultivating your top volunteer


performers is necessary to nurture their involvement and provide the

organization with new individuals in leadership positions, including roles as

board members. Developing dedicated volunteers into board members will

allow organizations to harness the demonstrated enthusiasm at their

fingertips and will ensure that their board is made up of members who can

contribute to the full scope of what board membership means, most

importantly advancing the mission of the organization.

What to Look for in a Volunteer

As previously mentioned, boards need to have people with specific skill

sets and experience on their team in order to operate effectively. But, there

are other considerations that must be taken into account when recruiting for

board positions. There are other less tangible qualities that are just as

important; such as a dedication to the mission, connection to the cause, fit

with the current culture, and a willingness to get their hands dirty. These

qualities can easily be seen in an organization’s most dedicated volunteers.

The most important of these is a passion for the mission. Successful

board members have a willingness to take on leadership roles, in good times

and in bad driven by their dedication to the mission. They truly want the

organization to succeed. They believe that the success of the organization is

critical for the good of the community and they want to be directly involved

in seeing the vision come to fruition. Obviously, volunteers who have already

demonstrated these characteristics are great candidates for board positions.


Specific Leadership Characteristics to Look for in Current

Volunteers:

Proven performance – proven track record of contributions to the success

of organization’s programs, projects, events, fundraising, etc.

Commitment – demonstrated dedication to the organization and its mission

and values

Time to serve – participating fully requires the time necessary to attend

meetings and events, networking, etc.

Good health – often hectic work requires good mental and physical health

Understanding of teamwork – firm grasp on the interpersonal and

communications skills necessary for effective teamwork

Sound Judgment and Integrity – must be able to make necessary

decisions, even if unpopular; will fight for what is right for the organization.

Ability to think strategically – will leave politics and personal associations

at the door in order to do what is best for the organization; will always

remember that all work is done on behalf of the organization and its goals.

Communication and teaching skills – board members are examples for

future leaders. Passion and enthusiasm are contagious. Showing dedication

to the mission is a key skill for people to emulate.


Organizational experience – people who have served on other boards,

held committee positions, already promoted the organization in the

community, etc are good candidates.

Ability to subordinate special interests – people may be asked to be on

boards because of their relationship with special interests in the community.

They may need to be able to put that aside for the greater good of the

organization, if required.

Exemplary personal conduct – leaders’ behavior and attitudes influence

others. Leaders must show sensitivity to race, gender, age, and other

differences between people and be able to communicate effectively with

various groups of people.

Support system – duties of a board member must be understood by the

leader’s support system: employer, family, friends, etc.

Must see past daily operations to focus on bigger picture – board

members have to be visionary leaders who focus on larger needs to provide

momentum to move the organization’s mission forward.

Individual Volunteer Plan:

So, if an organization focuses on its assets, keeps its volunteers

motivated and recognizes their achievements, and has seen great leadership

potential in a volunteer, what is the next step to getting that person on the

board? One handy tool that can be utilized for getting things moving is
developing an Individual Volunteer Plan. An IVP can be used to help foster a

particularly engaged volunteer’s relationship with an organization and

develop a mutual plan to get them more involved, potentially as a future

board member. Creating an IVP is a process whereby you strategically

expand a volunteer’s impact for an organization. It is a structured way to

create a plan for harnessing a volunteer’s dedication and turn them into a

true leader for your group in the future. Individual Volunteer Plans create:

collaboration, clear paths to leadership, responsibility, and service, new

possibilities for those who feel they have “done it all”, an asset based culture

that focuses on volunteer motivations and reignites their passions, and a

true celebration of a volunteer’s past achievements and contributions. An IVP

is not for every volunteer who joins your cause. There are two basic

requirements for creating an IVP: the organization has identified the

individual as someone who can add greater value to the organization if they

are given greater responsibilities, and the individual expresses a wish to

expand their role within the organization.

The elements of an Individual Volunteer Plan are:

1. Current Competencies: an assessment of the volunteer’s work

with the organization as it relates to the core competencies

identified - i.e. communication, team building, etc.

2. Goals and Benchmarks: focus on the specific skills and

experiences and set goals for each so that you can assess the
volunteer’s progress. Be specific about how the organization

sees the volunteer’s work impacting the organization. Make sure

this vision for their work inspires the volunteer and meets their

needs. Consider any resources (training, time, etc) that may be

needed. Think about what resources the volunteer brings to the

table. Consider what will occur if this individual succeeds. What

will it mean for them, for the organization, for the specific

roles/tasks they’ll be charged with?

3. Additional Needs: add anything additional that the volunteer will

need to reach the goals.

4. Signatures: having the volunteer give their signature shows the

importance of the plan, and illustrates the commitment made by

both the individual and the organization.

5. Updates – allow time for reviewing progress and making

adjustments as needed.

Other tips:

Board candidates should be presented with opportunities not

challenges. Inviting someone to fix problems is not as appealing as inviting

someone to help guide the organization toward its vision. Instead of only

focusing on what the individual can do to help bridge the gaps the

organization has, the organization needs to think about why a potential

board member is interested in the organization’s goals, and how they see
themselves impacting the mission. Volunteers who are already involved with

the group have a built in connection to the work. That should be nurtured

with a positive outlook instead of automatically bringing them on board in

order to fix problems.

Having other ways to engage leadership volunteers can help if the

candidate is not yet ready to join the board. If a dedicated volunteer is not

yet able or willing to join the board, organizations still want to cultivate that

relationship. The organization will still benefit from their work as a volunteer,

and the door will be left open for the person to reconsider in the future.

Resources:

Bankston, K. (2007). Molding the Board. Credit Union

Management, 30(11), 42.

Chait, R, Ryan, W. & Taylor, B. (2005). Governance as Leadership. Hoboken:

John Wiley & Sons.

Cox, J. (2007). Professional Practices in Association Management.

Washington: ASAE.

Gottlieb, H. (2008). The Pollyanna Principles. Tucson: Renaissance Press.

Green, G. P. & Haines, A. Asset Building and Community Development.

Second Edition

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 2008.

http://www.bridgestar.org

http://www.governancematters.org
http://www.helpfornonprofits.org

http://www.jffixler.com

http://www.managementhelp.org

http://www.philanthropy.com

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