To conduct an effective board member interview and recruit the right person, be sure to ask these 5 questions.
This is a guest blog by OnBoard.
A board of directors has a responsibility to ensure business operations align with an organization’s goals. Because this responsibility is vital to success, choosing the most suitable board members proves crucial. To select the right candidate, you’ll need to interview candidates with carefully considered board member interview questions. This helps ensure you recruit people who fit the organization’s needs. Read on to learn the top five board member interview questions to ask.
How Effective Interviews Benefit the Board
Conducting effective board member interviews offers the following benefits:
Provides insight into candidates’ skills and how they can help the board achieve its goals
Finds experienced and knowledgeable recruits, which saves time and money on training
Allows prospective board members to learn what would be expected of them as a board member
Ensures the board recruits individuals who embody the organization’s mission and vision
Essential Board Interview Questions
Conduct an effective interview using the following 5 questions.
1. What Role Do You Hope to Play on the Board? Suitable candidates should be clear on their contribution to the board’s success. They should have reflected on how their skills add value to the board. Just saying, “I can serve as the board’s secretary” isn’t enough. Candidates should demonstrate what interests them about a particular role and why they are the best option. This could be through sharing their achievements, the problem they could help solve if assigned a specific role, or how their experience makes them suitable for a particular position.
2. How Much Time Can You Commit to the Board? In an ideal world, board members would be able to spend all their time solely serving your organization. But that is unrealistic. Board members have families, day jobs, and social lives. Since time is limited, it’s essential to know the availability of a candidate before recruiting them. You want someone who will be available for board meetings, fundraising events, and other major board activities. The most suitable potential candidates should be able to devote sufficient time to accomplish their responsibilities if they become board members.
3. What Skills Would You Bring to the Board? When recruiting new board members, look for someone who fills current skill gaps. For example, maybe you lack board members with a technology background. Hiring someone with tech skills could help balance out a board with more seasoned members who aren’t as comfortable working with modern, digital tools. Is your board a nonprofit? A prospect with grant-writing experience might be beneficial, assuming you don’t already have several members who already possess those skills.
4. What Type of Leader Are You? Well-rounded boards consist of a wide variety of personalities. Some challenge their colleagues to think big. Others work to build consensus. Others are data-oriented. If you have an advisory board or committee whose duty is to select new board members, be aware of what personality types your board might lack (or, for that matter, what types are already in ample supply), and select accordingly. A skills matrix can help assist this process.
5. What is Your Long-Term Vision for our Board and Organization? A board member who doesn’t have any idea on what the board’s long-term vision should be probably isn’t the right fit your board, or might be joining for the wrong reasons (resume builder, influence a certain aspect of the organization, etc.) A board member with a vision is likely a board member with passion. More importantly, a board member with a vision that is mission-specific and applicable primarily to your board/organization is one that will likely serve your board well in the long run.
Enhancing Nonprofit Governance with Board Management Software Board members are the engine that powers an organization’s mission and cause. During the interview and selection process, do effective due diligence to find members who are passionate about the organization’s cause and are sufficiently qualified to serve on your board. Set your new board members up for success with a purpose-built solution to drive board effectiveness and governance. OnBoard’s board management platform provides board tools — like agenda builder, analytics, skills tracking, and secure messenger — to help boards work smarter, faster, and achieve more for their organizations.
Comentários