As association professionals, our team works with many different board dynamics. During the first few months of working with a new association, we learn all about who does what on the board—who makes the decisions and who our team should communicate with for certain projects. However, sometimes the decision-maker dynamics can be… complicated.
As a Board of Directors, it is critical to define a who on your team is responsible for what. This not only eliminates overlap in work, but ensures a solid understanding of who has autonomy make decisions and complete certain work. It helps build a more effective and streamlined workflow for all involved. Use these four tips to clarify your board’s decision-makers and roles.
Define your roles on paper
Whether it is in your bylaws, a handbook, or on your website, you should have your board member’s roles clearly defined. Explain what each member is responsible for, what the purpose of their role is, and what all is involved with their role.
For example, the Secretary-Treasurer might be responsible for approving all expenses. If that’s the case, leave that responsibility up to them. There should be a budget in place that the Secretary-Treasurer knows to adhere to. When you add other voices into the mix, decisions are not made as quickly and the board loses efficiency.
Build a decision matrix
Once your roles are defined, it might be helpful to map out a decision matrix. We at Impact provide this to our clients upon requests or if our we feel a client would benefit from it. Your decision matrix should break down who should be approached for what.
For example, if you Association Management team and/or a committee is working on planning the upcoming conference, who do they go to for approval on site selection? Check the matrix! This matrix should be provided to anyone that is working behind the scenes at your organization.
Make it part of board member training
Make sure new board members understand their roles. Although a description might be laid out for a new board member, it is important to take the time and talk out any questions and extra information. You can either have the outgoing board member or current board members provide a board orientation to new members. Including other current members is also a good way to refresh them on the roles and any updates.
Check in with your AMC
Once you have your new systems in place, check with your Association Management Company and/or committees on how they are feeling. Do they know who to turn to? Are they having to jump through more hoops than necessary to get a decision or approval? If so, it is time to re-evaluate and continue to refine the process.
Navigating your term on a board can be messy. Each board is different and can come with different territories, challenges, and benefits. Making a process and clearly laying out guidelines, will help your board and future boards for years to come. Having a guide to look back at, will reduce time trying to remember who does what and will eliminate an overload of questions for the President.
Want more tips?
Impact’s team of association professionals will help your board work efficiently and effectively. Find out how we help association boards realize their full potential.