The top 5 strategies for building strong volunteer board communications

You have been named chairperson of your volunteer board of directors. Your responsibilities to the organization and fellow board members are important and vast. From carrying out your mission’s strategy, to leading board meetings, building consensus and practicing effective governance, you are instrumental in shaping and guiding your organization. At the core of these essential board chair functions is the need to communicate clearly and effectively to board members, the organization’s leadership team, donors and the community at-large.

We may think that communicating is the easy part. How challenging can it be to share and discuss ideas and make decisions? On the contrary, communicating effectively may be one of the most difficult things to do without fully understanding what’s involved and how to be successful. A board’s ability to communicate can make or break a nonprofit’s success, reports Brighter Strategies.

Today’s nonprofit boards are very diverse. Members bring different life perspectives, communication styles and even personal agendas. Power dynamics as well as information overload can create an atmosphere where communication is stifled and ineffective often resulting in poor decision-making. Tackling these challenges requires board leadership to be proactive. They should try to establish clear communication protocols, provide training and support, leverage technology, foster transparency and promote active engagement among board members.

You will learn

• Why you should commit to building better board communications
• Five key strategies to build strong nonprofit board communications
• How technology can support building stronger board communications

Why commit to investing in and building strong board communications?

When nonprofit boards fully commit to building powerful board communications supported by board management solutions, like BoardEffect, the upsides are numerous for these mission-driven organizations.

They will experience greater board member engagement, improved organizational performance, more effective oversight and accountability, increased stakeholder trust and even enhanced fundraising.

5 key strategies to build strong nonprofit board communications

Use these key strategies to enhance communications with your volunteer board members.

1. Be an active listener  

The difference between listening and active listening is that with active listening, you actually hear and understand what the other person is saying. You won’t hear what you think they’re saying or what you want to hear.

To partake in active listening, cast out from your mind all other thoughts and focus only on what the other person is saying. It’s not easy, but you can do it if you work on it, and you’ll get better at it the more you practice it in your relationships. Be careful not to prejudge or be too quick to interject, especially if you’re interjecting with an opinion of your own. Also, listen to what the other person isn’t saying. Lengthy silent pauses or skirting around things might be an indication that you need to ask a few questions to get some genuine conversation going.

When you show genuine interest in what someone else is saying, you’re sending a message that their opinions matter. It elevates their self-worth and makes them feel appreciated.

Your active listening skills demonstrate that you’re putting them first in that moment. Active listening will go a long way toward motivating your fellow board members to become more active and engaged in the organization.

2. Make it a two-way conversation

Active listening is more of a two-way conversation than you might think. It’s just that you’re being far more selective about what you say, how you say it and when to chime in on the conversation.

Look for cues on how and when to respond. If they’re feeling down and seeking support, gently lift them up using kind words. Seek out any possible misunderstandings in the conversation and ask a few pointed questions for clarification. Try to restate what they’re trying to say or summarize it to see if you’re getting it right. Use probing questions to get to the heart of the matter.

Make sure your body language communicates active listening. Before you end the conversation, be sure to express your appreciation for the honest dialogue.

3. Work on creating a culture of trust

Good communication between board members starts before the board member appointment is final. One of the first mistakes boards make is to gloss over the duties and expectations for the board member. It’s best to be upfront about what the board expects so that the new member doesn’t feel misled and lose trust right out of the gate. Most boards expect directors to make personal donations, participate in fundraising, and use their personal and professional networks to advance the organization’s mission. Board members should know this upfront.

There are many different modes of communication. Take the opportunity for face-to-face communication whenever possible. Be aware of physical and psychological differences.

Build trust by being as helpful as possible, especially when communicating with newer board directors. Relationships take time to build. Every organization has their own ways of doing things. Help new members learn the ropes and give them helpful insights about the organization and its people along the way.

Lack of communication makes people feel left out. Keep newcomers updated on plans, progress and future events. Use your board management software as the key communication tool to send out updates, news and board meeting notifications.

4. Work on improving relationships

Relationships develop over time through mutual experiences gathered through spending time together. Make an effort to share good times. Create opportunities for activities or get-togethers outside the boardroom. Schedule a board retreat or plan a day to do some teambuilding exercises.

Attend board development events in groups and share your insights. Follow through on your own board duties so they don’t negatively impact anyone else.

If you think you may have rubbed someone the wrong way, don’t shove it under the rug. Talk about it. Poor communication will diminish your credibility and undermine your relationships.

If you have a problem with someone, your last interaction may be a result of bad timing. It’s best to air the situation so you both can move forward.

5. Assure trustees that communications are confidential and secure

Much of the board’s work is confidential. Keeping confidences builds trust. Boards need a safe, secure way to communicate so that sensitive information remains private. A board management solution is the best option for secure board communication and collaboration. Boards can use the software to review the agenda and all related reports. Board management solutions are intuitive, user-friendly and mobile-friendly, which allows board members to communicate securely online from any setting.

Real life examples of using technology to improve board communication

Here are some real-life examples of organizations that have successfully used technology to support improved board communication:

• The volunteer board of Memorial Health System, an independent, integrated health system in Ohio and West Virginia, faced several challenges in coordinating and managing board meetings.  The board also lacked effective communication processes and was mired in administrative tasks.  Adopting BoardEffect ensured that critical board information could be accessed by trustees well in advance of meetings, and a document library with easy-access historical information was created. These enhancements allowed the board to be more effective in setting policy, making critical decisions and representing the community on behalf of the health system.
• The Louisiana Restaurant Association, a statewide trade association and advocate for restaurants, needed a comprehensive board management solution to manage and share information to board and committee members in a secure way.  BoardEffect’s high level of security also ensures that all communications to board members are secure and encrypted keeping proprietary information confidential.

How technology can support building stronger board communications

Every day, mission-driven boards are faced with opportunities and challenges in these ever-changing economic times. Tackling these while staying true to the organization’s mission requires a renewed emphasis on timely and effective communications and strong relationships among members.

But shoring up relationships and improving communications is an ongoing process that requires focus and real work. Technology can simplify, streamline and deliver consistent communications between board members, staff and the executive team.

Empower better board communications with the right technology

The technology tools in our board management software, BoardEffect, help with the redundant but necessary tasks so that you can concentrate on building communication skills. BoardEffect tracks progress, provides meeting notifications, shares board meeting agendas and related materials. It helps keep board members accountable.

Agenda-building is so simple with BoardEffect that it’s far easier to get board books out in plenty of time for review and get important questions answered before the meeting begins. Notification tools remind directors to complete tasks.

Boards can share articles and insights online in between meetings. BoardEffect also offers survey tools for board self-evaluations and other helpful questionnaires.

Are you ready to enhance your board communications and build a culture of trust and collaboration? BoardEffect allows you to do just that with the confidence that all your documents and ongoing communications are secure and protected with our technology.

BoardEffect is a nonprofit board management software designed with the unique needs of volunteer boards in mind. Our solution streamlines board processes, enhances collaboration and delivers secure communication, helping your board to become more effective. Request a demo today.