Help Wanted: (Nonprofit) Board Chairs

Jul 22, 2010 4:30 PM ET

Alice Korngold's Blog

If I had a nickel for every board looking for a good board chair...

Many boards are searching for board chairs. Even some nonprofits that have supportive board members are looking outside of their boards for board chair candidates who can lead their organizations to new heights.

Why is the choice of board chair so important? Would those of you who are successful in your business enterprises want to chair a board?

Why is a good board chair so essential to the success of the nonprofit?

Because on the one hand, the nonprofit board has the ultimate authority in establishing and achieving the organization's mission, vision, strategy, and revenue model; in addition to hiring the CEO; building a highly qualified, generous, and capable board; and ensuring the organization's legal and fiduciary integrity and compliance.

Yet on the other hand, the majority of the nonprofit's board members are unlikely to have expertise in the organization's field of work, and each board member probably spends barely 5-6 hours per month doing their voluntary board work.

As a result, one of the most important roles of the board chair is to (1) work in partnership with the nonprofit's CEO, and (2) focus the board's time and attention on governance work--specifically on the work that will matter most in advancing the particular organization in serving the community.

See continuation here...http://bit.ly/9PCG8f

Korngold Consulting LLC assists corporations in building fully integrated, high-impact CSR strategies, including leadership development through nonprofit board service.  Korngold Consulting trains and places business executives on nonprofit boards, and consults to nonprofit boards and leaders to strengthen governance for financial and strategic success.

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