How to Find a Board Member or Executive Director

A board member is a crucial role that involves acting as an individual’s fiduciary. The primary responsibilities of a board are governance, oversight and accountability, as well as providing a clear direction to the organization’s strategy. Board membership is a unique chance to contribute to the mission of your community and has a profound influence on individuals and organisations.

In a publicly held company, the board represents the owners (shareholders or stockholders) and sets policy that determines issues such as whether or not to pay dividends, the size of the dividend, stock options granted, and hiring/firing/compensation of upper management. In reality, however it is the management, not the board who have most of the practical power as directors usually follow management recommendations and voting for their decisions.

When selecting candidates to join your board, it’s vital to find people with the appropriate competencies in addition to the character and expertise required for the job. Competence is the ability to tackle difficult problems and make sensible decisions. Character is an expression of your organization’s fundamental values, and the manner in which you choose your members reflect those values will reveal what your company stands for.

The best place to look for potential candidates is through your network. Reach out to a reliable member of your network or community group and ask them whether they know anyone on the executive director or board. Then, introduce yourself and explain why you are interested in joining the board and what your performance is regarding attending and being prepared for meetings.

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