A Fine Line Between Love & Hate

First a warning:  Laura Otten is not responsible for the contents of this week’s guest blog.

She is on vacation and since her blog is read in more than 20 countries, I just might be hearing from her as to how I handled this sacred trust.

Since  Laura encourages her staff to speak their minds, I’m taking this rare opportunity to use this space to give a rant 25 years in the making.

10 Things I Hate About Nonprofit Boards.

1.      Board members who say they can’t fundraise because then their friends will expect donations to their causes in return

2.     Board members who don’t appreciate the huge difference between having the authority to make a decision, but not taking the responsibility for it

3.     Board members who view community service as an interesting addition to their resumes

4.     Board members who join to establish relationships with other  board members’ whose business they are trying to cultivate

5.     Board members who invite friends or family members onto a board

6.     Board members who are organization founders who don’t know when it’s time to pass the torch

7.     Board members who think they have a right to attend a fundraising event for free (and bring others) when their attendance costs the organization money

8.     Board members who submit travel vouchers for coming to board meetings or organization events

9.     Board members who decide there should be an organization golf tournament  because they like golf

10.   Board members who refuse to support the golf tournament because they don’t like golf

11.    What do you mean I can only have 10????

Now,  10 Things I Love About Nonprofit Boards:

1.      Board members who give of both their time and their means to support a mission they believe in

2.     Board members who endorse term limits but are still willing to share their expertise and their philanthropy after they rotate off

3.     Board members who share their rol-o-dexes in pursuit of potential donors

4.     Board members who will make personal solicitations and/or sign fundraising appeals

5.     Board members who prepare themselves for leadership roles and aren’t selected just because they’ve been around the longest

6.     Board members who don’t think securing a gift from their company is the same as making a personal donation

7.     Board members who read the materials prior to attending the board meeting

8.     Board members who recognize that they are their organizations’ key ambassadors and are prepared to give their “elevator speech” any place, any time

9.     Board members who respect staff and recognize that staff and board have different responsibilities and roles

10.   Board members who bring the same high standards of professionalism and pursuit of knowledge to their board service that they do to their careers.

I have at least one real world example for each of the 20 points I noted above.  Email if you’re curious:  [email protected]/

How does your Board of Directors compare?
Joan Mintz Ulmer