Some common issues with trustee boards

Often although every board is different, the bad habits and behaviours that can form can be similar! Some common issues with boards can be:

• Not enough trustees on the board.
• Hard to recruit and train.
• Trustees missing in action (or inaction).
• Trustees don’t have the appropriate skills.
• Meetings are poorly run.
• Trustees don’t do whats asked.
• Trustees aren’t involved.
• Trustees are overly involved.
• Trustees micro manage or overstep boundaries.
• Organising trustees equals a big burden for CEO’s.

Setting expectations for board behaviours: 

You can take actions to get the most from your board and make it as efficient as possible. One of these actions is setting expectations so board members can know what will be expected from them as trustees. Trustees should be expected to:

• Be prepared for meetings. If you have meetings coming up you should make sure to distribute meeting minutes and board papers if needed to allow trustees to prepare.
• Think strategically.
• Be action focused.
• Ask the questions that need to be asked.
• Hold others to account and be prepared to be held to account, but not instigate blame culture.
• Support and positively challenge the staff team and other trustees.
• Value each other and say thank you.
• Be slow to take offence and quick to apologise.