Q: 

"As the ED of a small organization I'm dealing with inconsistent board engagement. Multiple board meetings get canceled and then suddenly they are engaged again for a one meeting, maybe two, and the pattern repeats. All board members engage in this pattern, including the chair. Our bylaws have no attendance related requirements or standards. We are about to bring on new board members and I'm concerned that this pattern will continue. How can I get the board to stay more engaged?"

 

A: 

What you’re describing is more than a frustrating lack of engagement; your board has a significant attendance problem. Inconsistent board attendance and cancelled meetings can create risk to your board and organization, not to mention a great deal of frustration for you as an ED! The reasons that board directors flake out on meetings are complex, and while there may not be a quick fix to your problem, there are some concrete actions you can take to turn this trend around.

Attendance at board meetings isn’t optional

Making it to board meetings is the bare minimum that we expect from directors, but sparse attendance is a common concern on nonprofit boards. Many organizations struggle to meet quorum from time to time, and run into challenges when those who do show up, come unprepared. When meetings are getting canceled because of low attendance, it can cause some significant risks to the organization: decisions get delayed, oversight and accountability get overlooked, and executive staff are often stretched trying to fill in the gaps. Board directors who don’t show up for meetings can face increased risk as well, since it’s challenging to meet the standard for ‘duty of care’ if you’re not at meetings. 

Why board directors miss meetings

Most directors don’t intend to ghost your board; they’re likely just busy people. Many board directors are managing some combination of paid work and care work on top of their volunteer role, and adults in Canada are increasingly feeling stretched for time, while dealing with significant levels of stress and burnout. None of this changes the fact that you need your board to show up and play their role! But it is a good reminder of the need to approach attendance and engagement issues from a compassionate perspective that addresses the very real capacity challenges many board volunteers are facing.  

On top of busy work and personal lives, your board may be experiencing internal dynamics that are contributing to low meeting attendance. In many cases, you may have board structures or practices that create inequitable barriers to participation and engagement. A lack of role clarity can leave board directors unsure of why their participation matters, and poorly run meetings can lead to disengagement, and it's a lot easier to skip board meetings when you don’t feel a sense of connection or responsibility to the organization. In an ideal world, the board would be able to identify and manage these concerns independently. But here in the real world, it’s likely that you, as ED, will need to step up and help the board name the specific issues underlying your cancelled meetings, and identify ways to address them.

How to catalyze change on an absentee board

Even though you’re acting as a catalyst to solve this problem, your board does need to accept and demonstrate accountability around their own meetings. If your board isn’t already talking about their attendance issues, you’ll have to start there. Send an email highlighting the issue, and then follow up with a discussion at the next board meeting. I think the most constructive approach to take is to highlight this as an area of risk that needs to be managed, with an emphasis on both the organizational and personal risks involved for the board. This will emphasize the underlying importance of the issue, and also depersonalize it enough for directors to engage in a discussion without feeling (too) implicated. 

Once the board has acknowledged and understood the importance of consistent board attendance, you can focus on solutions. I recommend picking two or three strategies to focus on, depending on what makes the most sense in your context, and ideally, taking a multi-pronged approach that aims to reduce barriers, strengthen accountability, and build enabling infrastructure.

Practical approaches to improve board attendance

• Set attendance expectations: Even if your bylaws don’t specify attendance requirements, you can spell this out in policy. Consider a breadth of attendance scenarios to develop a policy that is both functional and equitable. And remember that the attendance policy is only as good as the accountability mechanism - if other board members aren’t going to have hard conversations, or take the ultimate step of removing a director, then this won’t be much help.
• Clarify roles and responsibilities: Role clarity can go a long way to making a board more engaging and effective. Make sure that everyone around the board table understands their role and responsibilities, as individuals and as a whole. This can happen through training, accessing expertise and resources, reviewing role descriptions, or a combination of all three. 
• Audit for equity: Do a review of your board policies, practices and norms to identify any equity-related barriers that may be getting in the way of consistent attendance, and then create a workplan to address those barriers. 
• Rethink your meeting schedule: If your board is consistently cancelling meetings, maybe you don’t need to meet so frequently? Read your bylaws for specifics, and if you can, consider shifting to a quarterly meeting schedule. It’s a lot harder to justify skipping a meeting if you know there isn’t a ‘back-up’ in a few weeks.
• Implement a ‘Minimum Viable Board’: Limiting the scope of your board’s role to core governance functions can make the job easier and more attractive, and it also reduces your overall reliance on board meetings as the only time and place where governance can happen.
• Create exit ramps: It may be worthwhile to have some one-on-one conversations with board directors, asking them to reassess their commitment to the organization. The reality is that things change, and great directors may no longer have the time or capacity to serve out their term. This can be applied to officer roles as well - it might be wise to ask your board chair to step aside if they’re unable to manage board meetings effectively.
• Build enabling infrastructure: What processes, policies and practices would make it easier for your board directors to show up and contribute? If you don’t already have a consistent and predictable meeting schedule, start there. Then consider how and when materials are shared, whether or not the agenda and facilitation allow for meaningful participation, and what types of engagement will build a stronger sense of ownership and connection for board directors.

Stepping In Doesn’t Mean Taking Over

You didn’t sign up to manage board attendance, but stepping in now is a short-term act of stewardship for your organization. With the right mix of structure, compassion, and clarity, you can help your board reclaim their accountability and show up in a way that truly supports your organization.

Big Takeaways

• Inconsistent board attendance is not just an engagement problem, it’s an urgent issue that creates significant risk for your organization.
• Solving attendance issues can be complex, but aim to include a mix of strategies that will reduce barriers, strengthen accountability, and build enabling infrastructure.
• Taking a risk management approach to board attendance issues will allow you to depersonalize the issue and build capacity in a more sustainable way.