Organizing a New Board? How to Identify Potential Members

One of the many benefits of local networking and consistently trying to meet new

people involved in your company or organizations area of interest is the exposure to new people who may be interested in serving on your board of directors. Choosing candidates for sitting on a board can be challenging, but knowing who to look for is half the battle.

For a Board of Directors to be successful it must have a good working dynamic made up of members who are committed to the growth and development of the organization. Most board members will have established a strong identity in the local community and will be known for their hard work and efforts to the organizations area of interest. The board should also be diversified to encourage a variety of opinions, outlooks and approaches. If your organization is in the process of setting up a board of directors, or is just in need of replacing members who have left, this article will provide some tips on how to identify the best potential board members for your group.

Visibility

A potential board member should be well-established and well-known in the community. He or she should have a reputation as an honest, involved and respected individual.

Insightfulness

You want to find people to sit on your board who are intelligent, open-minded and able to see the big picture in order to serve the board well. Individuals with a biased or very narrow focus will not likely be able to provide the forward thinking and problem-solving skills that will serve the best interests of the whole organization and the community it serves.

Honesty

Board members must be honest and genuinely interested in the goals and visions of the organization. An individual who possesses integrity and good ethics will work to promote the cause at hand in only truthful, above board ways and will not stoop to deal making or cutting corners.

Team Player

While an individuals personality and behavior is to be closely considered for serving on a board, that person must also be able to work well in a team-centered environment. You want people who can listen well, express themselves well and then work together to solve issues.

Availability

A good candidate for board membership must have the necessary time to dedicate to serving the board, and want to put that time in willingly. You want to see evidence of the enthusiasm and energy that will be applied to the position. An individual that needs to be coaxed or prodded into serving on the board will most likely fall short of your expectations in the end.

Strong Convictions

Board members need to believe in the goals of the organization and be willing to stand up for what they believe in. A strong board needs some members who are not merely observers and passive participants. You must have some members who are willing to speak up and motivate others with their passion and inspiration

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Organizing a New Board? How to Identify Potential Members

By: Rachel S. Clarkson

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