Boards, whether church boards or ministry boards are like any
other team that constantly needs to be growing, learning and evaluating its own
effectiveness. Too often, we think that because we were put on a board that we
have arrived and are among the learned. The truth is that most church and
ministry boards are deeply in need of learning better practices and raising the
bar on what they do.
But few boards in my experience have an ongoing commitment to
growth or a plan for development. I also find board members who are resistant
to growth. They are, after all, board members. Ironically, learning boards get
more done, get better work done and help the ministries they oversee go to new
levels because they themselves have taken a humble learning posture rather than
a proud oversight posture.
What are some of the areas that boards need development in?
· Group
process
· Decision
making
· Conflict
resolution
· Understanding
differences in gifting and therefore perspective
· Efficient
meetings
· Helping
the organization get to clarity
· Developing
new board members
· Ministry
evaluation
· Understanding
what is board work and what is not
· Role
definition between staff and boards
· What
a good board member looks like
· How
to evaluate itself
Here are some suggestions for board development. Read several
books a year together and set aside some time at one monthly board meeting to
dialogue about what you read. Pay attention to blogs on boards such as you will
find on this site and others. Periodically bring in someone who knows boards
and can do some board training. Pay attention to ministries that resource
boards. The bottom line is to be intentional about growing and learning as a
board so that you continue to help your ministry develop. Humble, learning
boards are the best boards.
Developing as a board is not ancillary work but a primary role of all healthy boards.
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