When board members start micro-managing the organization, getting involved with operations, picking fights at board meetings, bullying staff and other board members, putting their own agenda ahead of that of the organization’s, running roughshod over the Executive Director, and controlling board meetings, you know you’ve got a problem. And nothing good can come from it. Instead, if left unchecked, you could very well end up with alienated staff and board members, the eventual loss of good people, a derailed mission and plans, and at the very least, a dysfunctional and toxic work environment.  So if you find yourself in this situation what can you do?

Have you heard about the “Rule of Thirds” when it comes to your board of directors? Let’s see if it applies to your board…. Based on this rule, 1/3 of your board members will be amazing and go above and beyond for you as the Executive Director and the mission of your organization. They show up regularly to meetings, actively participate on committees and help you with fundraising efforts (as they should!) without being asked. They support you and are there when you need them, sometimes just to be a sounding board or give advice when solicited. They don’t even need to be asked or reminded to give a meaningful gift to the organization each year because they do it automatically. And they know and adhere to the boundaries of what their responsibilities are as a board member and what are not. They willingly, and without having to ask, act as an ambassador to the organization and recruit others to support it. This is the third of the board that exceeds your expectations. Can you picture who these people are on your board? Another 1/3 of your board members will be ok and do what is basically expected of them. They mostly come to meetings, may be on a committee, and might occasionally help with fundraising when asked. They support you in theory but don’t go out of their way in practice. They probably need to be asked for their annual gift and even need a couple of reminders about it. They may even need reminders about what their role is and is not as a board member. They don’t actively act as ambassador for your organization or recruit others. This is the third of the board that is somewhat inconsistent. Have you got some board members who fit this description? The final 1/3 of your board members will disappoint you. They hardly ever show up to meetings or respond to board emails. They don’t participate on any committee and never help with fundraising. You are not sure if they actually support either you or the organization as they are never around for you to find out. They don’t make an annual gift and can’t be pegged down as they are mostly MIA. They have no idea what their role is and don’t follow expectations. Forget acting as an ambassador! This is the third that just can’t be relied on at all and you scratch your head wondering why they wanted to be on the board in the first place. I'm sure you've got some board members in mind who fit into this category, right? In order to stack the odds in favor of increasing your top third and decreasing your bottom third, the key is in how you attract and keep your board members engaged. Making sure it’s the right fit in the first place by having a good understanding about what they want to get out of the experience and what they can and are willing to bring to the table before they even come on board is critical. Remember that individual board members will not have the same expectations, communication needs, and strengths when it comes to acting as a board member for your organization. As a result, they will need to be treated individually and in a way that fulfills their expectations in order to keep them engaged. This doesn’t mean that you bend over backwards for them to do this. You definitely don’t want to be spending all your time cajoling high maintenance divas on your board. So weed those people out in the recruiting process and invest your time in the ones that help you make a difference in the world.

So, in my part of the world, it’s a snow day today. Schools are closed, businesses are shut down and the media is advising folks to stay off the road as much as possible. Outside the window is nothing but white for as far as the eye can see and it appears peaceful and quiet as the snow continues to fall. Pretty idyllic in a way. At the same time, in my household, kids are home, on what would normally be a school day, making my work day a bit more chaotic than usual. So how can this day be beneficial to those of us trying to get work done today? A snow day can be a great reminder to: Slow things down a bit With all the responsibilities in our lives at work and at home, it can seem that every single second of the day is so programmed and accounted for that we don’t have a second to spare. With a snow day, we are forced to slow things down as many of our commitments get cancelled. Take a cue from the stillness of what is out the window and take things down a notch today. Take time to focus on what matters Take advantage of this by taking a minute to breathe, to cross the extraneous off your list, and to prioritize what really matters. For some people, this means spending time with your kids or maybe it’s your pets. Make the time count. It’s a gift to you today. For others, it’s taking the time to slow your thoughts down (as the inevitable list of need to dos come fast and furious in your head, jot them down for another time) and let your thoughts wander. We rarely schedule time for just visioning and imagining where we want our businesses to go next. This is a great opportunity to do that. Another way to make use of the day is to spend time focusing exclusively on one project, one idea, one action that will move the needle on where you’re going in your business. Hunker down in your snow fort and keep distractions at bay (you know what I’m talking about – emails, social media, cleaning the closet….). Do something nice and unexpected for someone This morning, I looked out the window and saw a young man, no one I recognized, take a snow blower and clean off all the snow from the sidewalks on our block including the walkways to our front steps and the walkways to the road. No one asked him to do this and he wasn’t expecting to get paid for it. I know I sure appreciated it. Snow days are a great day to do something kind for someone else without expecting anything in return. It may be for a neighbor, a friend, a family member, OR even a donor/client of yours. It doesn’t have to be much but surprise someone by doing something for them today. Take care of yourself A snow day is a great time to treat yourself as well. It could be something simple like taking the time to snuggle on the couch with an afghan and a good book or movie, or taking a minute to enjoy a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Treating and taking care of yourself is a good way to re-energize and refocus your thoughts. Go play in the snow! Whether literally or figuratively, take the time to “play”. It’s even more fun when you do it with your kids or your pets. Taking time to play, even for a short time, will help you become more creative (research has shown that by stepping outdoors your ability to become more creative increases), loosen the cobwebs (by changing your physiology you change your mindset), connect you to others or to nature (enriching your life and theirs), and make you a happier you (and need I say, ultimately more productive you?). So give yourself permission to make snow angels, start a snowball fight, build a fort, go sledding or just go for a walk in the snow. You can also “play” indoors by pulling out a board game or card game, building with legos, cutting out snow flakes, or just day dreaming out the window. Meanwhile, the snow keeps falling here. Who knows, it could be another snow day tomorrow. And if it isn’t, I’m going to call one for myself anyways. Remember, you can call a “snow day” any day you like – and you should at least a couple of times a year for yourself and your business to help you reset and focus.