When Should You Let a Good Board Member Go?

By: Tom Okarma

What do you do with the board member who doesn’t really fit

the bill anymore?

It could be a friend or family member that has been on the board since the nonprofit started, or that

volunteer that helped so much it was difficult to say no when they asked for a spot on the board.

You know your board, so chances are, you know that person. Whatever the reason they got there, you’ve

known for a while it’s not a good fit and you know it’s time for them to go.

But what do you do? How do you go about thinking through this tough challenge? This person may be a

neighbor, family member, close friend, great volunteer, etc. How do you remain true to your leadership

responsibilities, dedicated to moving the organization in the direction it needs to go, and at the same time preserve

those vital relationships?

Here are 10 Critical

Elements to help you

move forward.

1. First, remember there really is no one best way to approach board challenges like this one. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other nonprofit leaders in your circle of advisors and colleagues before taking any specific action.

2. Don’t forget that this director was allowed, and possibly even actively recruited, onto your board and has served loyally and provided value during an earlier phase of their service.They may have even been one of the few who believed in you early on and worked hard as part of your start up team. That kind of trust and loyalty must be honored during this time.

3. Once it becomes obvious something has to change, don’t delay the discussion. Tough conversations only get trickier over time.

4. It’s essential to know your intentions before having this conversation, to remain calm and professional during the conversation, and to have a clear plan-of-action following the discussion.

5. Respect your colleague by being straight with them, whichever way your conversation may end up. People can sense condescension and you wavering, so be honest and be sure to have facts and examples ready when speaking with them. Strive to remain respectful and authentic, and be an active listener when they speak.

6. Be sure to begin with a heartfelt thank you and display of appreciation for all they have done. You might tell them you have some other thoughts on ways where they can use their specific talents, skills or experience, to better help the organization going forward.

7. You could begin by asking them how they feel about their board service and how they feel things are going. They may actually provide you with an “off ramp” for their service if their lives have gotten busier in other areas. Sometimes, directors are ready to step down either for personal reasons or they feel board service has become so complex that they no longer enjoy it or feel they are able to contribute to the discussions in meaningful way.

8. If not, then this is where you’ll need to explain that you feel the board needs some changes. It isn’t personal, it is what you feel the strategy and current situation calls for so the agency can remain strong and meet the challenges the environment has put before you.

9. If they resist leaving the board, you can explain their service to the agency does not have to end, just change. They can still provide valuable help in other ways.

10. You can direct the conversation by explaining what you see from your perspective about his or her service. Here it will be critical to have facts backing up any opinion you have. Whether you see it as a problem with their follow-through and reliability, wholehearted support of the mission, “fit” for where the agency is headed, or sensing the agency’s needs from the board have passed them by, now is the time to get your thinking on the table.

This is not an easy conversation to haveor to pull off successfully.

I’ve been in this situation and struggled with it myself. But as the leader your job is to make the tough decisions and call things as you see them.

Remember, all the other board members, staff, etc. are watching you to see if you consistently do the right thing.

Do you consistently do what’s best for

your agency and your clients? If

not, how can you expect others to

do so?

To read more about how to handle these tough conversations,

and learn 5 things you can use to help

support, structure, and drive your

conversation, check out the full article.

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When Should You Let a Good Board Member Go?