Have you ever had a feeling that your purpose involved making an impact and changing the lives of others in your community? Well…if you started a nonprofit, then you must have. In this post, we are going to focus on what it takes to find the right board members for your organization. You see…these influential leaders play a HUGE part in strategically moving an organization to a place of stability, as well as achieve a considerable amount of innovation. Without a foundation of reliable leaders, a nonprofit will encounter a number of setbacks which will ultimately hinder its community outreach efforts. Speaking from experience, finding qualified individuals for your board is essential.
Board members offers provision, guidance, and insight. These individuals help to oversee the organization and ensure that is on track with meeting its goals, as well as assisting in the organization fundraising efforts. Without a reliable and experienced set of individuals, you may experience various physical and mental anguish.
Leading an organization is a team effort.
Here are some tips how you find the right board members for your organization:
Your Inner Circle
Have you ever thought to look in your inner circle of friends to evaluate their skills, expertise, and interests? Then…what are you waiting for?! Take a peek into your inner circle. You may discover that an acquaintance has experience with specific skills you need on your board. Or…you may have a friend has an extensive connections with a number of professionals in the industry. Don’t ever hesitate to look at the individuals you speak with on a daily basis. They may be hiding leadership skills and professional connections from you.
Community Groups
Are you a member of any community based organizations? Do you regularly attend networking or industry events? These type of venues are great places to use your networking skills to connect with others and increase your professional network.
Professional Relationships
I don’t know about you, but I have found that many professional relationships can blossom and produce amazing opportunities for all parties involved. You will be shocked at the number of individuals around you that may have experience in different professional arenas. If I were you, I would start making those connections at your place of work. Don’t just stop at connecting with your co-workers. Build relationships with managers and executive directors, too.
Connections to Colleagues, Family, Friends
Have you ever reached out to your friends, family, and colleagues to enhance your network? To broaden your network, it may beneficial for you to connect with a peer of a peer. Look at it like LinkedIn. Utilize the existing relationships you already have to help build more strategic relationships.
By taking a look within this areas, you should be able to develop a pool of individuals that you can interview and gain clarity on how their role will positively impact your organization. The initial stage in your process to find and recruit board members should be…developing a list of potential candidates. Creating a list will help you in the next stage of the process…and that’s interviewing your prospects.
