Yes! All trustees should be held to exactly the same standard, no matter what. We often hear board members and CEOs refer to the “worker bees” on their boards and then to those who don’t really do work, but simply lend their name or make a significant donation to the organization each year. After watching hundreds of charter school boards, we can tell you that it just doesn’t cut it for some to do all the work and others to get let off the hook. This never works out, and it eventually builds resentment on the board. An effective board has 100 percent of the trustees actively contributing to the success of the board.
BoardOnTrack Recommends
- If someone can’t make the time commitment to serving on the governing board, ask them to become an advisor or serve on a committee. Don’t worry, if done right, you won’t offend them, but will position yourself as an organization with integrity—an organization they will want to stay involved with.
- Circulate the “Guilt-Free Board Member” scorecard (see sample in this resources section). Make sure that each trustee is contributing in all of the four main categories: Governor, Ambassador, Consultant, Sponsor. Customize the bullets underneath the categories to fit with the skills and experience of each trustee.
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