My Annual Letter to Board Chairs
Congratulations, you chair the Board. As Chair of a community organization, a local church or worldwide mission you have an awesome privilege and responsibility. As you lead, your “Board can be a destroyer or a creator of value”. (Boards that Lead Charan, Carey, Useem)
You lead a Board of men and women who collectively are responsible for the future of the organization. You will work as a team. You are the eyes and ears of the community, monitoring the organization for results. You will work with the Key Leader (Pastor, Executive Director or CEO).
An effective Board avoids daily operational decisions. You do not supervise staff or volunteers. You and your Board have authority at the Board Table, but away from the Board Table you are volunteers. Annually, you review and re-confirm the Vision, commit to Annual Goals and monitor progress. You liaise with the key leader. As a Board member, of a volunteer not-for-profit organization, you need to be a financial supporter.
As Chair you become a mentor to the Key Leader. This is a positive but challenging role. You may be the first to congratulate on positives but you also may be the first to inform of negative issues. Lead the Board in prayer, not only at the Board meeting but in daily private time praying for God’s direction for the organization.
Paul sent Timothy to be in charge in “Crete so you could complete what I left half-done. Appoint leaders in every town according to my instructions. As you select them, ask, Is this man well-thought of? Is he committed to his wife? Are his children believers? Do they respect him and stay out of trouble? It’s important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God’s house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry. He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, and reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it. (Titus 1:5-9 MSG)
Leadership is … the Board Chair living the highest standard of integrity.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com