Why Board Orientation is Important

The new year brings with it, new board members. Whether you’re part of the leadership team of a non-profit, or you’re a board member, this blog series will help you get the most out of your new (and even current) board members and set them up for success as they begin their new term.

Why is it important to prepare your new board members? First, new board members usually bring a great deal of enthusiasm to their initial board meeting. And there could be nothing more demoralizing than sitting in a board meeting and realizing you know absolutely nothing.

So, one of the first things we focus on is more philosophical—not tamping down on enthusiasm. If you've been on the board for several years, you might gain energy from new board members who come in and say, “I want to make a difference.” The board, as a whole, gains enthusiasm, direction, and an “oomph” with a group of new people.

Number two, there are fiduciary responsibilities that come from being on a board. Normally, in the early part of the year, there are decisions to be made and budget evaluations take place. If you have board members who walk into the room and have never been a part of a larger conversation about those types of items or don't have basic fiscal understanding, they feel alienated and they're not able to discharge their duties effectively.

So the “why” of proper board preparation is not only best practice or giving the context for fiduciary responsibility, but it's also about emotion. Why would you want to destroy someone's enthusiasm to make your organization a better place? It is important to take the time to help new board members to better understand how the inner workings of the organization work.