Wait! Before You Extend that Board Invitation
- Robert L. Dortch, Jr.
- May 7
- 5 min read
Board recruitment, the hidden challenges, and what it really takes to govern for impact
Back in the day, when I was a new nonprofit executive, one of my first jobs was to recruit and build the board of directors.
My initial meetings with board leaders to discuss expanding the board didn't start with talking about the organization’s strategy, the recruiting process, or the kind of board we needed. We started suggesting names quickly.
“You know who we should ask…”
“What about…?”
We started setting up coffee conversations and lunch meetings with people we knew who loved the work or the organization and were well-connected, before we had any real clarity.
When I began to question this approach, my mentor would simply state, “You get the board you deserve.” It took me some time to understand what he meant, but now I do.
Board recruitment isn’t only about filling seats with passionate people. It’s one of the most important decisions an organization makes. If it’s based on familiarity, relationships, or gut feeling instead of alignment and careful thought, there will be problems, and they aren’t always obvious right away. Often, they’re more subtle.
It can lead to a detour.
This detour rarely shows up in a dramatic way. It’s not usually one bad vote or a tense board meeting. Instead, it appears slowly. The board starts thinking too small for what’s needed. Playing it safe gets mistaken for wisdom. The executive director, who already knows where the organization should go, starts finding workarounds just to keep things going. A flawed process not only slows an organization down but also takes the mission off course. Instead of supporting the intended goals, it creates unnecessary detours that hinder effectiveness.
That’s the real cost. It’s not just one uncomfortable meeting or a missed opportunity. It’s heading in a direction the mission didn’t need, and sometimes spends years trying to get back on track.
Too often, board recruitment puts too much emphasis on three things: passion, popularity, and position.
Passion Isn’t Enough. While all board members should be committed and care about the mission, passion alone isn’t a governance skill. Being inspired by the work isn’t the same as being ready to guide it. A board can have a lot of heart but still be unprepared for strategy, oversight, tough decisions, or the uncertainty that comes with strategic governance.
The Popularity Problem. Choosing someone with a big name can seem like a strategy, but it isn’t. We might think we’re bringing in influence and connections. Sometimes that’s true, but sometimes we’re just chasing status. A well-known but overcommitted board member might bring a quick boost of goodwill, but goodwill isn’t the same as good governance, especially if they are overextended and don’t have the time this board commitment will need to be successful. Just being there isn’t enough.
The Powerful Position Dilemma. Sometimes, we put too much focus on titles, offices, or company names. A person’s résumé might look great, or their name might look impressive on letterhead. Sometimes that’s a good fit, but sometimes it’s just wishful thinking. A title may open doors, but it doesn’t guarantee good judgment, comfort around uncertainty, or aptitude to govern at this stage of the organization.
When board recruitment prioritizes passion, popularity, and position over fit, skills, and process, there is a cost, and someone has to fill that gap. Most often, it is the executive director.
That stress doesn’t always show up in reports. We can feel it. It appears as fatigue, caution, and the tiredness of leaders doing their own jobs while also handling work that the board should be doing.
Don’t take the heart out of recruitment. Just add more rigor to it. This is where we need to do the work and wrestle with how to make this transition to building strong, strategically focused boards.
Board development starts before sending out invitations.
So what changes the conversation?
Prioritizing Proficiency. Serving on the board should require real skills that match the board’s current needs. It’s not about general expertise, but about expertise that fits the situation. For example, a growing organization facing its first big partnerships needs different skills than one managing a large staff or complex finances.
To elevate key questions beyond what a specific person currently knows, we need to ask: What does the organization need right now, and is this person the right fit? Service is structured work. It asks people to show up prepared, understand the distinction between governance and management, and stay engaged through decisions that are not always quick, comfortable, or clear. Many accomplished people are deeply capable yet still not especially suited for board service at a particular point in their lives. Naming that early is a kindness, not an insult.
Focus on Process. Good board recruitment starts with a process to find qualified people who are deeply aligned with the organization’s purpose. It’s more than just asking if someone cares about the mission because most people who join nonprofit boards do. The real question is whether your organization has a structure for selecting board members who can contribute to its current direction and are ready to govern at the level that direction requires.
Establish a Partnership. Executive directors and staff are involved in the work every day, while board members participate less often. This difference doesn’t make one role more important, but it does make partnering and clear roles essential. The best thing a board can do for its executive director is to govern well. Not perfectly, but well. Be prepared, stay in your role, ask tough questions, and share the responsibility of leadership.
That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by design.
Which is why I keep returning to one simple truth...
You cannot recruit what you have not defined.
Before any board begins recruiting, it should be able to answer a few hard questions with honesty:
What kind of board are we today?
What kind of board does this organization need us to become?
Where are the real gaps in skill, strategic orientation, cultural alignment, or community representation?
Are we in agreement on mission, vision, and values in how we govern, not just in the language we use?
If a board hasn’t done this work first, it isn’t ready to recruit successfully. It might be ready to fill seats, but filling seats isn’t the same as building a strong governing body.
In my experience, organizations that see board recruitment as a long-term strategy, not just a relationship exercise, do better. They honestly assess themselves before reaching out. They define what’s needed before suggesting names. They start with a clear board profile instead of a vague wish list, and before inviting anyone, they have a real conversation about alignment:
Are you aligned with our direction?
Are you ready to govern at the level this season requires?
Do you understand the difference between supporting the mission and stewarding it?
Sometimes, that conversation shows that the person everyone was excited about isn’t the right fit right now. That’s not a failure. That’s exactly what a good board recruiting process should reveal.
Every board recruitment decision is a governance decision, and every governance decision is, at its core, a mission decision.
If we want boards that can handle complexity, take smart risks, think at the level the mission needs, and truly partner with leaders, we have to do the hard work before sending out invitations.
The detour isn’t inevitable. But it’s easier to prevent than to fix later.
Before you invite someone to join the board, be clear about what the organization needs right now.
INTRODUCING
THE JS ENTREPRENEURIAL GOVERNANCE ™ FRAMEWORK
A Strategic Readiness Approach for Boards, Funders, Non-Profit Leaders & Organizations
