Written by Allison Howe

Who Makes an Effective Board Chair?

I have been in my job as executive director for over seven years. In those seven years, I have had four different board chairs and we are gearing up for a fifth.  Each board chair has brought something new to NonProfitConnect and to my growth. And I think they have each left with new skills and perspectives. I feel lucky to have had each of them co-leading NonProfitConnect.

Not everyone is so lucky. I feel it is important for executive directors/CEO’s to be involved in identifying future board chairs both to recruit for the board and to develop once on the board. The relationship between a board chair and executive director/CEO is too vital to leave just to luck.

Not every board member makes a strong board chair. When I attend board meetings, I can often quickly tell from reading the room who has the potential to be a future chair. I have a few characteristics that I look for when recommending that a current board member develop into being the next board chair.

Here are the characteristics that I think make for the best board chairs:

Integrity: It is hard to get a bunch of people working together to “do good” to follow someone who is not doing the work for the right reasons. And it puts your organization at great risk as you are likely to lose staff, board members and stakeholders if you have the wrong person.

Thinks Big Picture: Nonprofit board members are notorious for getting “caught in the weeds” and sometimes it can be difficult for even the executive director to raise their head to look around at the landscape. The board chair can remind the board that the focus should not be on the postage spent but on the impact made.

Humble (and able to share the limelight) The board chair who needs to be the center of attention and in front of the room is not who you need. Why? Because a successful board gathers input from all the different voices on the board and because no one knows everything and someone who is unable to accept what they do not know is not going to be able to learn. It is not about the board chair, it is about the mission. 

Courageous I don’t want to say that board chairs have to face lions or tigers but they do sometimes have to face other board members who disagree strongly. A strong board chair stands up for what they feel is best for the organization and for the executive director/CEO. If a board member is having “bad behavior,” an effective board chair addresses that behavior, knowing that if they do not, they risk losing the board members you want to keep.

Teambuilder: The most effective boards work together to make decisions, both difficult and easy ones. This does not mean agreeing on everything, but it does mean accessing the expertise of each board member as an issue surfaces that can be addressed with individual expertise.

Effective Communicator Not every board chair needs to speak like MLK Jr, but the board chair does need to be able to go to the microphone at an event and convey the case for support. They need to articulate to new board members what has happened historically in the organization. They need to get buy-in from people who are very busy and may not always be able to prioritize the nonprofit.

Prioritizes the Nonprofit: This one may be the hardest, not due to bad intent, just because people are busy. Make sure that your board chair has the capacity to be available when needed, sometimes last minute. The board chair is the colleague that the executive director relies on when COVID hits or the largest funder bows out, or the $75,000 A/C dies on the hottest day of the year. The executive director needs to know that they can rely on quick, thoughtful support and thought partnership!

Length of time served is not what makes a great board chair. I have had incredible board members who have not even served on boards before. I have also witnessed long time board members who are completely ineffective, increasingly so as they enter their 20-year mark as board chair.  

Finally, it is important that the board chair works well with your current executive director/CEO. If the board chair and executive director take the time to set up expectations, communication guidelines and build trust early on, they will have created a stable and sturdy vehicle and engine to move forward with their work, together!