At 7,500 feet above sea level, the growing season is short. Here in the foothills outside Boulder, we’ll only have about 80 days to make something happen. And those 80 days are generally a wild ride. Late frosts, floods, fire, hail storms, a bear or two, you name it. But, gosh darn it, we are determined to get a few juicy tomatoes onto the dinner table.
Cultivating a strong board for your nonprofit can be equally challenging. Take a few tips from the high altitude gardener’s school of hard knocks and use this early growing season to get ready for a productive summer.
Schedule some time on your board agenda this summer to talk about board recruitment and development. These 80 days can be a great time of year to focus on board opportunities when you’re not too busy with year-end fundraising.
Plan ahead. Don’t just throw a bunch of seeds in the ground and see what happens. This might work in a Midwest garden, but at high altitude, you’ll never get anywhere. Look carefully at the board spots that will be opening up in the next two years and figure out what you need to do to replace the unique talents of each of those individuals. In some cases, it will be a matter of finding another great attorney or finance person, in others it will be about replacing someone’s particular talent for bringing people together or pushing the organization to new heights.
Don’t wait until they’re gone. Bring their replacements on now and let your current leaders mentor the new ones.
Choose well. The #1 rule of gardening is to plant what you know will grow in your zone. A cultural fit is absolutely essential in board members. Make it a requirement that before being considered for a board spot, an individual must participate on a committee for at least a year. That way you’ll know that they’re committed and that they’ll work within the realities of your organization’s culture. At the very least, interview your nominees carefully and check their references.
Mix up some great soil. Nothing will grow if you plant it in weak, undernourished soil. In the case of your board, the soil is made up of regular training sessions, an annual board self assessment, regular check ins with individual board members to see how they’re doing, and a few social activities throughout the year to encourage people to really connect.
Keep out the pests. Organically. One hungry deer can destroy a garden in about 2 minutes. A bunch of aphids or maggots can conduct a slow and deadly onslaught before you really know what’s happening. Your board is for nourishment, not consumption. If anyone is taking advantage or bringing down the whole bunch, act fast! The best defense is a happy, well functioning board that just won’t tolerate poor performance or negativity. Check out our blog on keeping the passion in board membership.
Go for the 4H award. Listen, if you don’t plan to eat radishes or kale, don’t plant them. In fact, don’t put a single thing in your garden that you don’t intend to promote to your plate. Likewise, don’t recruit anyone to your board who couldn’t ultimately become board chair. Your organization is the best, right? So expect the best from your board and recruit accordingly.
It was Voltaire who said “we must cultivate our garden.” And he was right. An untended bed won’t yield the juicy tomato you so crave. Nurture your board and they will thrive. Even in unfriendly climates.
We fully intend to enjoy some home grown tomatoes in September. So, we’re busy planting seedlings indoors, preparing our warming shelters for frosty nights, and gearing ourselves up for some serious love and attention to those lovely, hard-working plants. You can do the same for your board and expect a bountiful reward!
