|
Ken
Godevenos
Special
to ChristianWeek
Which
came first: poor church boards or poor church board members? Inasmuch
as a board is its members, the answer might seem obvious. In reality,
however, ineffective boards seem to attract primarily ineffective board
members who in turn can't seem to make a difference.
If this
describes your church, there are many things that can be done to make
the experience of being a board member better, even mid-stream during
a term of office.
Examine
the board. Start by conducting a quantifiable “board audit.”
Ask each member to numerically rate your board as a single entity on several
dimensions (see “Rating your board” sidebar).
The
first set of results establishes your “base line” for future
comparisons. Discuss the scores openly with the board members and determine
their willingness to improve, especially in weaker areas. They can't
deny their own collective scores.
Brainstorm
about how to improve your performance in the critical areas scored low
by the group. Assign someone to make that happen in future meetings. You
will undoubtedly see improvements from meeting to meeting.
Good
boards make it a practice to save five to 10 minutes at the end of each
meeting to assess how well they functioned as a board that night, allowing
each member to comment on how he or she felt about the meeting. When you
repeat the survey a year later, a number of your scores should be greatly
improved.
Assess
your needed skill sets vs. your available skill sets. Assuming you have
defined your board's key roles, identify the skill, knowledge and
wherewithal that is needed collectively to fulfill those roles effectively
and efficiently.
In what
areas do you need expertise-legal, human resources, construction,
biblical knowledge, missions, fund-raising? List whatever you need as
a board to be effective. Then compare that list with the skills, abilities
and knowledge that is currently available.
The
difference between the two lists is the “gap” that needs to
be filled with additional or future board members as current terms expire.
You won't succeed right away, but you'll have a much better
chance of moving towards the desired “board profile” if you
take the time to pursue the right mix of board members.
Board
and staff: getting the two roles straight. Confusion as to the role of
the staff and the role of the board often results in a poorly functioning
board and negative church staff/board relations.
A church
board is usually an authoritative, governing body charged with the task
of holding the organization it governs accountable. It does so by identifying
and implementing policy.
The
board exists on behalf of a larger group of persons who, either legally
or morally, owns the organization, and from whom the board gets its authority
and to whom it is accountable.
The
church staff is the collective body of those who manage or direct the
organization. They do so by identifying and upholding goals that can be
achieved by following the policy approved by the board. These goals or
programs should be within the parameters of the policies established by
the board. Staff may also sometimes recommend needed policies.
Adopting
these two major approaches to “who does what” between your staff
and your board will go a long way to making any “bored” members
effective board members. In addition, it reduces the number and length
of meetings your board needs to hold.
The
real secret to a board's success, however, is in its willingness
to assess where it is, where it wants to be and how to get there.
Ken
Godevenos has served on and chaired several church boards. He is a human
resources and church consultant, trained mediator and Executive Director
of Shantymen International. Call 905-853-6338 or visit www.accordconsulting.com
for more information.
|
