The Linchpin Leadership Relationship

The linchpin relationship

There are multiple linchpin relationships in a nonprofit:  the executive director and the director of development; the executive director and director of marketing/communication/public relations; the board and the executive director; the board president and the executive director.  Without a doubt, and to a very great extent, the success of these relationships, and thus, the contributions they can make to the organization, is completely and totally dependent upon the people in each of these positions.  And while I hesitate to tag anyone of these relationships as most important, or even one as more important than another, the one of board president and executive director certainly screams for attention.

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As I’ve discussed before, this relationship can make or break an organization.  When it’s going well, the duo acts as a team, with shared and mutual respect, a balanced partnership, clear and open communication, and modeling to the full board a healthy, positive working partnership.  With no drama and distractions at the helm, the board can do its job and the ED her/his.  In a troubled pairing, where the imbalance is noticeably absent and communication is a tug of war or a battle for dominance, the focus becomes the duo and lack of relationship, and work doesn’t get done.  The individuals in each position play a key role in whether the relationship works, as much depends upon their personalities, understanding of their job, sense of responsibility, accountability, and so on.  While boards, theoretically, spend a good deal of time thinking about this in selecting an executive director, the same usually cannot be said for selecting a board president.

Recently, we watched an eventual client during a pivotal time in its organization’s history stall out for well over a year because of the wrong person in the position of president.  During this time, the ED was completely and totally running—and ruining—the organization while the board president was AWOL, not “able” to find the time to do his job of president.   The board, equally unable to move off the dime, went along.  We enter with an interim ED (yes, the group did, eventually, get its act together and let the former ED go); the board president’s antics continued, being totally unresponsive.  It was clear that the board president would either have to start doing the job or resign, but nothing was done.   The president finally responded by emailing the board that he’s been feeling terrible about not being able to do the job and if board members want him to resign, they should tell him at the next board meeting.  Still nothing.

This is not the first or only story of the wrong person in the position of board president at the wrong time, and, sadly, it won’t be the last.  The scenario can change if and only if boards are willing to give the same care and attention to selecting a board president as the good ones do in selecting an executive director.  This problem can easily be fixed—if boards want to fix the problem.  Simply be selective and intentional when choosing the board president.  Don’t make it a popularity contest, selection by self-appointment, by process of elimination or the figurative flip of a coin.

Here are the mandatory minimum things that a person must bring to the position of board president if s/he is to stand a chance of being successful (in random order):

• An understanding of the real job of board president and the limits of that position
• An understanding that the position comes with no more power than any other board member, but a heck of a lot more work. This is crucial for a board member to understand and acknowledge:  being a board president is not about a power trip.  It is about helping a body of diverse people work together to do an important job.
• No big ego allowed. As noted about, this isn’t about “I”; it is about we—the board and the organization and what is best for all.
• A good to great facilitator who knows how to bring out a conversation and engage people in that conversation, and understands that the job of board president is to facilitate meetings not dominate meetings.
• A strong ability to objective and fair.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and is comfortable with the role of communicator—internally and externally
• Is absolutely accountable and knows how to hold others accountable, as well
• The time to do this important job
• The approval of the executive director. This does not mean that the executive director selected the person as board president, that they are friends or that they even want to be friends.  It means that no board should ever make its president someone with whom the executive director is not comfortable with, nor doesn’t trust enough to work closely with, in this linchpin relationship.

You can prioritize these, but you can’t eliminate any one; and, naturally, you should add anything that experience has taught you is also essential.