You’ve joined a Nonprofit Board. Congrats! Now What?
Part 1: If you’re reading this after you joined a Board — you can either skip ahead or as I would recommend, read the whole post, and give me your feedback if any of it holds true.
Finding an organization that touched me personally, in my community, made a huge difference
Honey, who would do this?
I was slack jawed. Who would dump a flatbed full of trash about 5 feet off the trail? It’s criminal in any community, but the Blue Hills reservation in suburban Boston??
The Blue Hills Reservation is 7,000 acres of open space less than 20 miles from downtown Boston. The Park is the largest open space within 25 miles of a major city in the U.S. More than 125 miles of trails weave through pitch pine, blueberry shrubs, hickories, and eastern while pine (many stands over 100 years old). The Reservation is also home to a 160 bird species and 13 animal species listed as endangered or threatened in Massachusetts, including declining populations of timber rattlesnakes and copperheads that are native to the area. (Yep, that’s right, rattlesnakes).
The Park is also the main reason why we chose our community when we moved back to the States after an overseas assignment. Parks and open spaces are protected in Brussels where we lived, and we had could be in “the Bois” in mere minutes from our flat. So, when my wife and I were researching communities online before our house hunting trip, we drew a big red circle around the Blue Hills. A few weeks later we were lucky to find a house a mile from a trail head; it was the easiest sale the realtor ever made.
As a new resident without any roots in our adopted community, and frankly looking at the pile of trash and wondering if we had made a big mistake, I did what anyone would do: I posted on social media looking for advice.
It didn’t take long to get a response — probably 10 responses. The recommendation was to get in touch with The Friends of the Blue Hills. Judy Jacobs Lehrer, the longtime Executive Director, and David Dobrindt (then President), would know what to do. Within two hours there were a dozen volunteers assembling to clean up the trash — many of whom were members of the Friends.
This was a very important insight that I could not fully appreciate at the time — I was just trying to clean up a mess! Finding an organization that touched me personally, in my community, made a huge difference on what happened next.
Volunteer for the organization first.
Later that month I would meet up with a few of the Friends at a trail maintenance event. I brought my oldest son, and we spent a few tiring, sweaty hours removing invasive plants and clearing drainages. I would go on to volunteer for about 6 months, mostly maintaining trials, which allowed me to interact the community and learn about the Mission of the Friends. It was not long after that I was asked to join the Board.
This was another important lesson for me, volunteer for the organization first. No better way to meet the community (and they to meet you) and ensure you are aligned the Mission.
I did not go looking for a Board seat to brandish my resume or because of some intrinsic prestige.
Moreover, joining the Board (my first nonprofit experience) was a very organic experience. The people I met were passionate about the outdoors like I was, the Mission of the Friends matched my values, and the Park’s border literally touched my community.
I was also able to carve out time around a very busy work and family calendar — to not only attend the monthly Board meetings — but also to continue to volunteer. And as I would soon discover, to help move the organization forward.
In other words, I did not go looking for a Board seat to brandish my resume or because of some intrinsic prestige. I approached the decision like I would anything really important: Am I passionate? (Check!) Can I bring my whole self to it? (Check!) Can I add value? (Check!)
Find a project where you can add significant value — and shortcut the learning curve as much as practical.
As this was my first nonprofit experience, I did a lot of listening and learning in the first few months as I knew little about diverse stakeholders, the dizzying bureaucracy of local and state government agencies, or the details the of how the organization actually got stuff done.
So, when Judy announced she was looking for someone on the Board to lead the 5-year Strategic Planning Process, I quickly raised my hand. Not only had I led dozens of Strategic Planning processes over the years (add value — check!), but in my mind no better way to “hack” the learning curve.
By the time we finalized the plan I was able get to know the organization more quickly and deeply, I also better understood the organization’s history, key players, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Moreover, I also had a a seat at the table as we set our long-range priorities.
My advice is to find your “Strategic Planning process;” that is, a project where you can add significant value — and shortcut the learning curve as much as practical.
leading the Friends has been at times humbling, but also immensely rewarding!
As much as guiding the Strategic Planning Process helped early on, 3-years later, including one year as the newly elected President of the Friends, I’m still learning.
Learning how to lead a nonprofit organization with a its own culture, rhythm, and objectives.
Learning how to adapt my leadership style to the nonprofit world, which is decidedly different from the corporate one where I spend all my time professionally.
Learning which skills from my corporate toolbox translate well, and those that I’ve had to adapt, leave behind, or build from scratch.
I plan to write about this topic in another post, but let’s just say leading the Friends has been at times humbling, but also immensely rewarding!
We’re coming off the best year in our 40+ year history at the Friends; much of the credit goes to our amazing Executive Director and her staff, our dedicated Board, and the members and volunteers who are the heartbeat of our amazing community.
Any part that I have played in our success I owe to the framework I mentioned above — and to that pile of trash I found on the side of the road 3 years ago, and to the Friends who answered my call.
