Board Life Matters is a national sounding board designed to inspire and engage the next generation in nonprofit board service.
Anna Tegen
Board service wasn’t exactly in my 5-year plan when I graduated two years ago. In fact, I could have sworn the prerequisites for being a board member included owning a boat and resembling Donald Trump in both age and ethnicity. Had I not been launched into the world of BoardSource, where I work, my perceptions of board service might still be the same.
I had been fairly active at YNPNdc (Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, D.C.) in college, then fell out of touch my senior year when finding a job controlled my life (ironically, if I’d stayed in touch, it might have saved me a few months of fruitless searching). Through the NextGen initiative at BoardSource, I became reacquainted with YNPNdc and at the April conference discovered that I had met my match. Thanks to a little fate, they announced their search for board members at the conference and within weeks I was furiously typing away at my application. And here is what I learned as I applied to serve on the board:
Be prepared: Research, research, research. Read the organization’s strategic plan – if it’s not posted, contact the organization and ask for it. It’s vital to know where the organization is going and it will validate or terminate your desire to serve.
Be passionate: I love D.C. and I love what the nonprofit sector offers our community and our country. If I didn’t care so deeply about the sector, I wouldn’t be able to maintain the positive energy you need to serve an organization well.
Be yourself: Yes, you are essentially going on an interview, but show your personality. When I asked the Chair of the board what I could have improved upon (and I recommend doing this for every interview), she said that my personality was missing. For those who know me, that takes a lot of effort. I was so focused on showing my institutional knowledge that I forgot to show myself.
In the end, I was chosen to serve on the board of YNPNdc because I could show the search committee that I was committed to the organization, passionate about the mission, and I fit their criteria.
I’ll keep you posted on my journey…
Thank you for your honesty! I came across your blog as I gather materials for a planning session with new board members at the Ratna Peace Initiative in Boulder, CO. As part of my introduction to the day, I am going to reference your story about the perception of needing to have a boat and tie! Best wishes in your leadership role for a great org.
Anna,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts around joining a nonprofit board and how to prepare. I often recommend that individuals ask to meet with the board chair to learn the chairs perspective and approach to governing the peer group. Additionally things to do are search Guidestar for information on the nonprofit and also Google them. Passion for the mission is key, but people to ask as many questions as they need to in order to ensure they can support the nonprofit and be fully engaged! Thanks for serving! Young people may also like to use http://www.boardnetUSA.org to look for service on boards and committees.