Are You Compatible?

You might commit to a board of directors with good intentions, only to find later that you are not compatible with the organization or with the board. Perhaps your values clash with those of the board, and you encounter uncomfortable conflicts. Maybe you feel that your skills are not being utilized, so your interest wanes and you stop attending meetings. Or maybe the expectations of a board member are greater than you anticipate, and you burn out.

The end result of such incompatibility is often lost productivity for the board and unfulfilled expectations for you. You can avoid experiencing this unrealized potential by doing your homework before committing …

1. Clearly and honestly identify your motivations and goals for becoming involved with the board, and communicate them to the organization. Discuss with the organization ways for you to fulfill your goals and the organization's needs.

2. Determine what assets you have to offer the board, and let the organization know what you are able and willing to contribute.

3. Get to know the organization. Access essential information about the organization and its operations.

4. Compare what you have learned about the organization and its opportunities, with your motivations, goals, assets, and learning needs.  Ask yourself:

• Can I fulfill the expectations that the organization has of me?
• Can I achieve my personal goals by participating as a board member in this organization?
• Could a need of the organization be met through my skills, experience, and other resources?

5. Based on this assessment, decide whether volunteering as a board member would be beneficial to the organization and rewarding to you.

By ensuring a fit between you and the organization, you lay the foundation for a positive, fulfilling board experience.  But if you decide that a board commitment is not for you, perhaps there are other volunteer roles in the organization that would be a better fit.  If you decide that you are not compatible with this particular board, investigate other organizations that could benefit from what you have to offer. 

To learn how and why others have become involved in boards, meet your "classmates". 

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