Most new board members have plenty of passion when they start their service, but it takes more than passion to be a successful board member. All board members must work together and achieve a balance between passion, purpose and performance so that their NFP can survive and thrive in these challenging times of reduced funding and increased regulation and oversight.

Do You Understand Your Role and Responsibility as an NFP Board Member?

One area that threatens the effectiveness of many boards and endangers their NFP’s long-term survival is the lack of clarity and understanding about their roles and responsibilities.

By understanding your role and responsibilities, and performing your duties well, you can contribute to your board’s culture and help to establish bonds of trust and mutual respect among your fellow board members. This will help to create an atmosphere where co-operation and collaboration can grow.

As a new board member, it’s important that you take some time to educate yourself about your NFP’s mission and goals. Make a commitment to attend board meetings and read the materials that are provided. Reach out to other board members that have more experience than you and ask them to help bring you up to speed on your NFP’s objectives. As your knowledge grows, seek to share your talents and skills by serving on committees and work groups.

In the course of carrying out your duties, it’s important for you and other board members to realise that management and governance are two different roles. The primary function of the board is one of oversight and guiding the direction of the NFP rather than managing its day to day functioning. As part of good governance, the board should focus on their strategic vision for the NFP’s future, and set priorities and goals rather than doing the chief executive’s work of managing daily operations.

Get Something Done – Purpose is Just as Important as Performance

One obstacle that hobbles the effectiveness of many NFP boards is the risk of getting trapped by focusing on the fine details and allowing things to become bogged down.

As a board member, it’s important that you contribute to your board’s culture in a positive manner and help your board to avoid getting caught up in trivial matters and help your board accomplish work that is meaningful and has purpose.

As you meet to hammer out budgets and make plans, don’t neglect to accomplish real work that moves your organisation forward.

Keep the Fires Burning – Maintain Passion!

While focusing on mundane details can sap the energy and direction of many boards, another obstacle that boards and individuals must face is the loss of their passion. Discussions about the NFP’s current financial state often destroy board member’s passion, draining them of their will and robbing them of the momentum to move forward

While finances are crucial, boards shouldn’t let them take the center stage alone. Boards need to maintain their passion for their NFP’s mission by achieving a balance between a practical focus on the NFP’s current state, as well as focusing on the need to increase the NFP’s reach by building excitement and interest in the NFP.

Regardless of the current state of affairs, boards must maintain their passion for their cause and continue to devote time, energy and resources to developing their strategic vision and planning for the NFP’s long term future.

Is your board ready to face these top challenges to NFP survival? What steps are you taking to help your board overcome these obstacles so that it can continue to grow and flourish?