Leaders Buiild Bridges for and to Other Leaders

How do you keep your board members focused during the "12 hours to save the world" on strategies, planning, and funding development outside the office and away from sticking their hands around operational management issues?

I saw this question on another professional network site, or a close version to my statement anyway.

The short answer for me is that honesty is the best policy, just tell it like it is, with good job and responsibility descriptions, clarity in the bylaws and policies and even good graphics that hang around the walls during meetings.

But if the staff leadership cannot come up with real action plans/volunteer opportunities for the board to grab hold of around issues of strategic outcomes and funding and friends development, then there are only two options:

1. Staff leadership has to spend the time to do so AND/OR pay for help from mentors and wise folks to teach them the ropes OR

2. Staff leadership just has to change. Well, in effect, they have to change anyway, either through #1 or through this option, #2 leader-out and another leader-in. And this is painful even when it turns out to the best outcome.

Remember --- you want to be the leader and that is why you applied, competed for and made it to the role of leader.

So learn to lead in many different ways. True, you are not the chair of the board, but you are the guide -- the bridge between the board and the organization, just as the board should be the bridge between the organization and the larger community, business, schools, providers, peers, advocates, funders, and services.

Take on the really productive challenge of bringing meaningful learning and action opportunities for the board, understand why they joined the organization, how they want to focus their time, insert hope and recognition and GET YOUR ORGANIZATION'S name and adventures in the news -- in the media.

If you have things happening on the outside, and if you bring strategic planning and decision making opportunities to your board, so they are busy, engaged and believe their 12 hours each year are really productive and meaningful and they see the progress in both dollars and recognition/reputation --- well, they really won't have time to put their hands inside NOR probably think they need to.

A board that senses that things are going well, that reports are presented and information provided on a timely and meaningful basis, and their time and ideas and energy is solicited for meaningful progress and success for the organization is a board that doesn't begin blurring the edges of roles and responsibilities.