I was once on a tour of a construction site and was given a white hard hat to wear. Most of the workers were wearing blue hats, and when they saw us, I overheard them say “white hats” to one another. I later came to understand that white hats were worn by managers and supervisors (which I wasn’t) while other hats, such the blue ones, symbolized the trades. Just like on that construction site, the hats you wear as board members have meaning. When you sit on a board of a nonprofit such as a school, church, or social service agency, you must know which hat you are wearing. When you confuse your hats, it can have a negative impact on the organization, the decisions being made, and even on your credibility as a member. Below are some of the most common hats and how to manage them.
1. Governance hat.
When you accept a role on a board, your primary responsibility is to look out for the interest of the whole of the organization and not just the parts you are especially interested in. There are times when you want to share your personal thoughts or opinions. At such times, let the other members know you are switching hats and speaking from your personal perspective and not with your governance hat on. But in the end, when you vote on key decisions, you should only be wearing one hat – governance.
2. Personal hat.
We are human. We all have our own opinions and even biases and would be naïve to think otherwise. This only becomes a problem when a board member begins to have their personal opinion take precedence over the organization’s vision and priorities. For example, the way you manage your personal money likely should not be the test for how an organization manages its financial resources. Personal is different than organizational. So when you have personal opinions and desire to share them, do so by prefacing the conversation with, “I am taking off my governance hat and speaking with my personal hat.” This will help other members better understand you and your perspective.
3. Committee hat.
Boards often establish committees or sub-teams. For example, a school may have athletic or academic committees, a healthcare facility may have safety or strategic planning committees, and a church may have finance or nominating committees. At times, board members can unintentionally move from representing a committee’s perspective to advocating for the committee’s opinion such as an athletic committee member pushing hard for a turf field without looking at the big picture of the overall needs of the school. At the end of the day, you are first and foremost a board member which supersedes being a committee member.
4. Spouse or family hat.
This hat is hard not to wear. When a school board member has a child complaining about a teacher every day at home or a church board member has a spouse complaining about a pastor at the church, it is hard to keep a neutral perspective – to not let the family hat become the primary hat you wear when you engage personnel or staffing conversations on the board. Yet that is exactly what a good board member does. They carefully manage their hats and ensure that all other hats are subservient to the governance hat. They have to see beyond the micro, look at the bigger picture, and consider other perspectives.
5. Friends hat.
Most board members will eventually be hearing from their friends about what they do or do not like, what staff member is not doing their job the way they feel it should be done, or why money is not being spent the way they think it should be spent. This is normal, and we are all human. The closer the relationship or the more influential the friend, the louder their voice will become in your head. But when you are sitting in a board meeting, you are not there to represent your friends – you are there to guard the mission and ensure the long-term health and effectiveness of the organization you are serving.
It is not easy to be a board member. Group dynamics can be complicated. Understanding roles can be confusing. And wearing the right hat is not always easy. There is a reason why it is called “sacrificial service.” As a board member, you are a steward, looking after something that is entrusted to you but that you do not own. At minimum, when wearing your governance hat, it is important to strive for the following:
Manifest your integrity personally and professionally.
Hire the right leader. (Get this right and the rest will be much easier.)
Focus on MACRO not micro. (Weeds kill gardens and boards.)
Guard the health of the organization. (See something, say something.)
Support the decision of the majority unless it violates your conscience.
Contact us to learn how our expert consultants can provide training to increase the effectiveness of your board.
Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.
