Orienting your board member

OK, so you have followed an objective process of getting your 'ideal' Board member - she has the skills that the Board requires, is committed and willing to give time to the organisation. What is the next step?

In most organisations, the new Board member usually starts off on her role by simply coming in to the next Board meeting, after she has agreed to be on the Board. This is perhaps not the best way to start. Imagine: to have to walk into a room - for the first time - where nearly everyone else is probably a complete stranger to you. It can be unsettling for the most gregarious people! Even in cases where the new member might know the others, remember that this 'group' is a new one, as is the role the new member has agreed to play within it.

If the Board member is not oriented appropriately or adequately, then you would have lost your opportunity to get the best out of the individual. Here are some suggestions to help you start off on the right track with your new Board member.

• Plan for an orientation programme: This means that the Chief executive or Chair must draw up action items for an orientation programme. Remember that this requires that you allocate time and resources for whatever you intend to do in that process - e.g. scheduling meetings with specific programme staff within the organisation, visits to the activities/projects, spending time with the new Board member answering questions, creating a forum for discussion with the individual beyond the orientation, etc.

• Take your new member on a 'guided' tour of the organisation: Often Board members are oriented to the organisation through huge manuals, annual reports, brochures, and other printed material. Remember that no printed matter will ever be able to replace what an individual can 'see' and 'feel' for herself. And no matter, what the individual's previous experience, each organisation is unique. It is essential for the Board member to 'see' for herself that the organisation is making a difference to people's lives and by being associated with it, she will be able to be part of that process.

  Introduce her to key staff, maybe even some clients if appropriate. This makes the person feel welcomed and a part of the organisation already. It also creates an immediate sense of belonging - the 'I am a part of this' feeling.

• Orient the member to the organisation's history - have you told your new Board member why the organisation was created, and why it has the mission that it does? What were the points in time that major changes happened? What is the organisation's place in the community today? How did it get here? A new member comes on to the Board at a particular moment in this history; do not assume that she will automatically just 'fit in' and understand it.

  Equip the individual with as much information about the organisation's history as there is to know - do not feel shy to talk about the unpleasant moments - this helps the member feel 'trusted' and is often a great way to help the member 'bond in'.

• Identify a mentor within the Board: It is often useful to pair the new Board member with a current member, preferably one who has spent a long time on the Board, knows the organisation well and has also contributed in various capacities. Make sure that you consider practical issues such as location, availability, time constraints, etc. of both the new member and the 'mentor' and that you have checked on each person's willingness to be party to such a relationship.

  Mentorship is a time-bound relationship and there must be clarity on both sides on this. It's essentially a process within the Board where the new member has an 'ally' to help her find her feet. This person would be the one with whom the new member might share any concerns, clarify any doubts, etc. without feeling shy or embarrassed at the lack of knowledge or experience. The mentor would 'guide' the new member for a short period - say, a year - and no more. Fixing the duration is important, and protects against two dangers. One, it keeps the relationship from being too comfortable, whereby the new member is not proactive or participative. Second, it prevents the mentor from feeling affronted if the new member shows independence, since you have made it clear that you intend the new member to have an independent capability once the mentoring period ends.

  Ensure that you take socio-cultural factors into account when pairing the members. For instance, you wouldn't for example make a much younger person the 'mentor' of a senior retired professional who has just joined the Board even if the former has more 'Board experience' within the organisation.

• Get the member started even before she joins the Board: It's useful to get the new person to attend a couple of meetings merely as an observer before she actually takes on the responsibility. This gives her an opportunity to get a first-hand feel for what's in store, minus the responsibility of having to contribute.

• Agree on responsibilities: A good orientation programme usually results in the Board member and the Chair/CEO agreeing on specific responsibilities that she will undertake on the Board. This clarity is crucial to get the Board member to contribute in a meaningful and appropriate manner.

• The orientation manual: Nearly every organisation has an 'orientation pack' - this usually comprises all the important documents such as legal status papers, MOU's, annual reports etc. More often than not, the recipient will not read through the entire lot. It's useful to identify the really relevant and pertinent points; do this in simple language and preferably in not more than 2 sides of an A4 sheet. This must serve as a ready reckoner, while you might leave the rest of the documents in the pack for the new member to read at leisure.

• The orientation party: This one simply cannot fail!! When you have a new member joining the Board, try and prefix that particular meeting with a slightly informal gathering, where there is opportunity for the new member to mingle in a social role rather than in a professional one. This communicates a sense of camaraderie and puts the new member at ease quickly.

• Invite feedback - Create opportunities for the new board member to give you feedback about the orientation programme: its appropriateness, adequacy and relevance. Take this feedback into consideration and try to modify the inputs as requested. If such revisions are not possible, communicate your inability to take up the suggestions, so that the new Board member is not left feeling unimportant.

If you have put together a good orientation programme, you will have a board member who will love her job, and be an immense asset to the organisation. Without this first step, you're more likely to end up with a 'bored' member, who understands little and contributes even less.