Q: 

“I recently joined a board, hoping to give back. My intention was to join in a governance capacity but it seems that more and more functional and operational tasks are falling to the board. It's a small organization and I want to help, but I don't have capacity for a second job! How can I approach this with the ED and rest of the board? I guess I'm just looking for a way to tactfully approach this before it goes too far.”

A:

It’s not uncommon to see a mismatch in expectations between an organization and new board recruits. But it’s great that you’re recognizing it early, and taking a constructive approach to address it, rather than, I don’t know, agreeing to take on work that’s beyond your capacity, not being able to deliver on it, then spending board meetings slowly sliding off your chair onto the floor and hoping no one notices. 

I have found that board roles always seem to involve more ‘hands on’ work than people are expecting. Part of that is because we have a tendency in the sector to expect a lot - too much, in my opinion - from boards, using them as a safety net for organizational capacity constraints. 

But it’s also partly because expectations are not always clear and work is not always well organized - many organizations just haven’t set up the right kinds of systems and processes to manage board work predictably and sustainably. And then there are boards where some directors are actively looking for functional and operational tasks (or they are being doled out in service of ‘board engagement’), and that can quickly create a culture of a more ‘hands on’ board.

Setting Healthy Boundaries for Board Service

So where does this leave you? The first recommendation I’m going to make is for you to take some time to clarify your own capacity limits. What would a reasonable, sustainable level of involvement in this board look like to you? Start by considering the time and effort it takes to prepare for and participate in board meetings, and then decide what else, if anything, you are able to take on. Is there a set number of hours that you want to dedicate each week or month? Could you consider joining a committee and focus on supporting only that specific scope of work? Are there particular types of work that you would prefer to take on or avoid? Whatever makes sense for you, you’ll have to figure out what feels manageable, and then set and hold some healthy boundaries. 

Clarifying Expectations for Board Directors 

From there, I think it would be worthwhile to initiate a conversation at your next board meeting to get some clarity around expectations, and if it makes sense in your context, you can check in with your chair about this ahead of time. You can use this opportunity to express what you’ve shared here - that you want to support the board but are concerned about workload and need to find a way to do it sustainably. There may need to be a conversation about sharing board work more equitably across the full board; maybe you’re the only person concerned, and your peers can simply acknowledge your capacity. But more likely, other board directors are also feeling the pinch, in which case, there may need to be a bigger conversation about clarifying and managing board expectations. 

Most boards struggle with ‘role clarity’, and everyone is looking for some wonderful theoretical answer to what is and is not the board’s role. That’s a question for a different day! But fortunately, there’s a more practical route available. One of the first and best tools to help a board that is struggling with unclear expectations or an unsustainable workload is a detailed workplan. And if you need a starting place, grab a copy of the Core Governance Functions Toolkit (free resource).

Building a Sustainable Board Workplan

If your board does not have a workplan in place, it might be time to develop one. Boards should take the time to document their specific goals and responsibilities, broken down into functions and tasks, and indicating when they’re happening and who will lead them. Get it all down on paper! Then your board can look at that and say, ‘Wow, three people are doing a lot of heavy lifting here, we need to spread this work out,’ or ‘This does not look manageable for our capacity’ or, ‘Is the board really the right place for all of these functions?’

When you start putting a board workplan together, I recommend grouping functions into three buckets:

• What is core? Look for the board’s core governance functions. These are the things the board must do to fulfill its legal and governance obligations, think about things like establishing and monitoring the annual budget and managing the ED. These are must-haves, and need to be the foundation of the board’s workplan. Until these core functions are being managed effectively and sustainably, the board should not consider taking on additional, discretionary work. If core functions are taking up a lot of bandwidth, focus on building processes and systems to support this work. 
• What is supportive? What kind of functions is the board performing because they are supportive to the operations of the organization? These are functions that could be delegated to staff or non-board volunteer committees; think of things like: event planning or grant writing. If supportive functions are taking up a lot of bandwidth, the board should focus on building infrastructure and capacity in the organization, outside of the board, to take these on. And remember, it’s always okay to delegate things to staff, but new staff responsibilities will require new resources, or re-prioritization of existing resources.
• What is emergent? Is the board responding or reacting to unexpected or unplanned situations? These are the kinds of things that may not be fully predictable; think of things like executive transitions or pandemics. When emergent functions start eating up capacity, the board needs to do some prioritizing, may need to find surge capacity through external support (consultants, advisors), or be willing to de-prioritize other non-essential functions for the short-term. And of course, a bit of preparation around things like succession planning or crisis planning can make or break a board’s capacity when something unplanned, but not unanticipated, comes up. 

With workplanning across these three buckets, some boards find that they are trying to do more than is feasible or sustainable, sometimes boards find that they are focused on functions that can simply be dropped, and sometimes you find that with a little more planning and structure, things are manageable. 

It may take your board some time to find its way to clarity around expectations, or to build a more sustainable approach to managing board work. But if you maintain your own healthy boundaries, you can help guide them there, over time, without burning out. After all, that’s a great governance role to take on.

Key Takeaways

• Set healthy boundaries around your board work. You may not be able to change the patterns or culture of a board (at least, not quickly), but you can control how you manage your own capacity. Get comfortable saying no, so that you are able to contribute to the board without the risk of burnout.
• Role creep is rarely one person's problem. If you're feeling the pinch, chances are other directors are too. This is an issue that warrants a full board conversation. 
• A detailed workplan is a practical way to manage expectations. Taking the time to clarify and document the specific functions and tasks a board is expected to do is the first step to clarifying expectations and shifting to a more sustainable workload.