Boards, don't social distance!

Board members, please don’t social distance.

During this time of global pandemic, we are all being asked to social distance (or as I prefer, physical distance) from each other. Our lives have shifted and we are living and leading in a “new normal”. Board Members, the organizations need you more now than ever. Stay 6 feet away, but stay engaged. Recently, an Executive Director said to me, “I’ve never done this before and it’s really hard.” Executive Directors have always felt the weight of their organizations but are feeling it differently now.

Here are some simple actions you can take:

1)    Check in with your Executive Director.

Ask your ED how they are feeling both professionally and personally. Ask them what support they need. Ask them how they have been impacted personally and professionally. Do they now have children at home and are they trying to juggle both running an organization (already hard) while simultaneously caring for their children (also already hard)? Are they themselves part of a vulnerable population?

2)    Give permission for expectations to shift.

Things are different now. This is all new. Depending on your mission, staff may be deemed essential which means your ED is juggling staff safety and concerns with serving people. Regardless of mission, their roles and responsibilities are different. The pressure Executive Directors are feeling is different. They are asking questions such as: How can we pivot? Can I keep my staff safe? How long can we make payroll? Should we fundraise?

3)    Ask about the staff. Check in with them as well.

How are the staff doing, both professionally and personally? Do they have all of the equipment they need? How many of them are working with children at home? What support do they need? Are any of them part of a vulnerable population?

4)    Keep giving money and give a little more (if you can.)

Organizations are losing projected revenue right now. Board members financial situations may also be changing; but if you can give, please do. If you can give a little more, please do that too.  

5)    Keep sharing about the organization on social media.

Original content from you is always great. Post about the work. What makes you proud of the organization, especially now? Share how the organization has shifted to meet changing needs. Then always reshare, repost, like and comment on the organization’s posts.

6)    Embrace the opportunities with technology.

Can you host an event virtually for donors or friends of the organization? Host a virtual coffee with the Executive Director and give them the opportunity to share how the organization was impacted and what it is doing right now.

7)    Lean in. Don’t shirk from your responsibilities.

Lean in doesn’t mean micromanage. It means to remember your responsibilities as a board member, especially your fiduciary responsibilities.  Help the Executive Director with contingency planning.  Continue to stay on top of financials. What does cash flow look like between now and the end of the fiscal year?  

As we move through this global pandemic, look at the opportunities and ask, “What do we want our new normal to look like?” What can we learn from this to do things differently in the future.

Board members, please stay engaged.