Boardmanship Bits & Pieces

Ironclad Rule of Board Service

You've been elected to the board, so now you individually can direct staff, hire personnel, alter the way the community center is operated, and many other changes you personally want to make. WRONG!

Only the full board can act on behalf of the agency. As an individual board member, you have no authority apart from the board. Besides, the above duties are those that the board hires an executive to fulfill.

Read on to reinforce your understanding of the board member's role and strengthen your "Boardmanship IQ."

Board Ethics 101

Complete this simple test to determine if your board takes its ethical responsibilities seriously. Can you pass the test? Any "no" answers mean you have some work to do.

1. All our board members know that they have no personal authority and cannot act on behalf of the board without board authorization.

 Yes  No

2. Our board members know, understand and follow all board policies and laws that apply to our agency.  Yes  No

3. Our board seeks legal counsel on the Open Meetings Act, conflict of interest and liability risks in serving on the board.

 Yes  No

Elements of a Board Member's Pledge

Serving on a park district, forest preserve or recreation agency board is not always easy. Your time, energy and patience will be stretched to the breaking point at times. You have made a commitment. Now, what are you willing to pledge for your tenure on the board? Board members should make a commitment to carry out, in a trustworthy manner, the duties and responsibilities they were elected or appointed to fulfill. For instance, are you willing to pledge:

• To place a high priority on attendance at all meetings of the board and committees;

• To always act for the good of the community;

• To be well-prepared to discuss issues on the agenda by reading all background information;

• To respect the opinions of the executive and fellow board members;

• To reject intruding on administrative issues that are the responsibility of the executive except to monitor the results of his/her decisions and determine if there is a conflict with board policies;

• To practice the democratic process and support decisions of the board even when you are in the minority position on such board decisions; and

• To actively participate in long-range and strategic planning, board development and workshops, seminars and other educational programs that enhance boardmanship skills.

Board Meeting Participation Can You Pass This Test?

How effective are you in participating at board meetings? Complete the following checklist. If you checked all the boxes, you're doing your job as a board member.

 I focus on the issues of the agency and the needs of the citizens.

 I attend all board meetings, arrive on time and stay throughout the meeting.

 I read the agenda, support materials and minutes before each board meeting.

 I participate in the discussions, focusing on the issues and limiting my comments to a reasonable time.

 I practice parliamentary procedures to sustain an orderly meeting.

 I listen and respect other board members' views.

 I work toward a consensus on issues or table the issue for further research.

 I always vote on an issue unless there is a conflict of interest. (Not to vote for any other reason is abdicating your responsibilities).

Don't Let Conflict Destroy Team Spirit

Not all conflict is bad. A healthy debate usually means that all sides of an issue are being discussed, leading to an informed and perhaps a consensus decision. Personal

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BOARDMANSHIP BITS & PIECES

conflicts such as shouting at one another are not acceptable. Leave personal attacks out of the board meeting. All discussions should be businesslike and professional, not on the integrity or character of a fellow board member. If a serious conflict occurs try one or more of these strategies:

1. Table the issue for the next board meeting

2. Have each board member submit in writing the potential solutions to the problem (s). Prioritize the solutions. Vote on the top-ranking solutions.

3. Requests that the executive or committees do more research on the issue (s).

The board should agree, however, that conflicts (disagreements) do not have to have winners and losers. Debates should be viewed as win/win situations, exploring all the alternatives to a resolution of a problem.

Community Relations Is Part of Your Job!

Community support is the lifeblood of any park district, forest preserve or recreation agency. There is a simple way that you can help build community support—get out and spread the word about your agency's successes. It gives you better ideas of what is happening outside the board room and the residents' concerns or suggestions. You need to know the public's perception of the agency. Don't have time, you say? Community relations does not have to be time-consuming. You simply give a speech or show a video to a service club or volunteer for a children's event or senior bingo night. The key is to get involved so residents will talk about the outstanding services the agency does. If board members are public relations conscious, the agency's visibility increases and community support for the agency's goals improves.

What Questions Should Potential Directors Ask? Tips from the IAPD Director Search

IAPD has conducted 34 director searches in the last three years through the Director Search Service. The process continues to be evaluated and improved. Granted, we represent the board and it is our desire to find candidates that meet or exceed the board's list of qualifications. However, we also must be concerned with the professional applicants and their needs. For instance, first we survey the board regarding their opinions and practices of working with the executive. We attempt to educate board members on boardmanship, especially as it relates to making a distinction between managing and policy-making.

Another dimension we've added is geared toward the professional applicant. We ask, What questions should you ask board, members in your interview? Here are a few suggested questions a potential director might want to ask in the interview. And boards should think about their answers. They might raise some red flags for applicants or make them more confident in accepting the position.

1. How many directors have worked for the agency in the last 15 years? (8 in 15 years is not good! Forget about asking any other questions.)

2. What are the expectations of board members? (Listen carefully to answers that indicate that the board works as a team, not unilaterally.)

3. What does the board consider its duties and responsibilities? (Hopefully the board will make a distinction between making policy and implementing policy. Watch for micro-managing clues.)

4. How are conflicts or disagreements handled between a board member and executive? (The focus should be on issues, not personalities. The executive should be invited to all meetings.)

5. Does the board do an annual review of the director based on the performance measures? (Does staff have a role in the evaluation of the director? If so, either get a commitment that mis will change or look for another job.)

6. Does the board do an annual self-assessment to improve its effectiveness and board meetings?

7. Does the director hire, evaluate, promote and fire all staff without board approval? (The only answer is "yes.")

8. What happens when a staff member approaches a board member with a concern or problem about the agency? (Make sure a board member does not encourage this and responds that concerns should be taken to the director.)

9. What is a good working relationship with the director? (Look for words such as good communications, not "I'm the boss, you're the employee" attitude. Look for "We are here as advisors"; "You're evaluated through reviews"; "We see our job as oversight.

Board members stay informed, consider the issues and make decisions—then we get out of the way and let the executive do his/her job.") 

July/August 1999 / 7