Mission

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."

--Albert Schweitzer

Lesson 1: Every Board needs a clear mission, purpose, history, and vision

Before you raise your hand to serve on the board, ask to see its mission statement. Look for it on the first page of the organization's bylaws or website. If it doesn't have a mission statement, abandon all hope for this board. If it has one, then find out if it's being followed. Ask a few board members if they know what it says. If they can't articulate the mission or purpose, then very likely they're not following it. Don't even think of joining a board if the organization doesn't know why it exists, where it's been, or worse, doesn't care where it's going! The leaders are likely to have a "hidden agenda" or vision that differs from your own. Find another place to volunteer.

Case 1A: Shooting for the Stars

When I was in my 20s, I was hired as a part-time English instructor at my alma mater, the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, formerly Mary College. One day Sister Gwendolyn, the newly appointed Alumni Director, called me into her office to ask if I'd like to help establish the college's first-ever Alumni Association. It needed bylaws, a mission statement, policies, procedures, and officers, of course. It needed someone to help plan, organize, and develop these documents. It was her next question which surprised me, "Would you please serve as Acting President until the board gets established?" How could I refuse a nun? How could I refuse the pediatric nurse who knew my parents and the Schneider family, the one with "all those children"? Answer: I could not.

For several months, we worked on drafts of the documents. At each meeting, Sister Gwendolyn lit a votive candle and said a prayer for guidance. I'm sure she had no idea how much influence she was having on my life, yet alone in helping to formulate my understanding of and appreciation for volunteers. It was Sister Gwendolyn who showed me that volunteering really was holy work, and it set the tone for all my future volunteer activities.

By spring, we had drafted all the documents we needed to launch our new Alumni Association. By summer, the Board officially elected me President, and we were holding our first Alumni Reunions. Through all of it, Sister Gwendolyn demonstrated several qualities I admire in leaders of volunteer organizations:

• She understood that there is enormous, untapped kindness available from well-meaning, would-be volunteers who yearn for greater fulfillment through helping others.

• She knew how to tap the talents of these well-meaning volunteers without exploiting them. To do this, I noticed how she praised her volunteers publicly and often. She also wrote them personal "thank you notes," handwritten on note cards inscribed with this motivational quote from Robert Browning: "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" Like Browning, Sister Gwendolyn believed that our fledgling organization should shoot for the stars, soar, and tackle the unknown, regardless of fear. The soaring eagle on the front of the card was an apt image for what we were doing.

• She acknowledged every donation with a personal note and never let a good deed go unnoticed — from the kitchen help at alumni events to the cleanup crew. She demonstrated that if you want to motivate volunteers, you've got to know their individual talents, engage them in meaningful ways, and let them know their gifts of time, talent, and treasure are sincerely appreciated, no matter how insignificant they may think their contributions are.

• She understood that organizations and their structures must adapt to changes in membership. Currently, the University of Mary Alumni Committee is the organization's advisory board. It evolved by a process of expansion from a seven-member Executive Board to a fifteen-member alumni council in November 1977. In December 1980, the membership was changed from fifteen to twelve, and in September 1991, the by-laws were again changed so that the membership consists of twelve to fifteen members. In 2011, the structure of the council was revised to its current advisory committee status.

According to the present website: "The goals of the Alumni Committee are to promote the interest and welfare of the alumni association; to foster the welfare and growth of the University of Mary; and to establish mutually beneficial relations between the university, students, faculty, parents, friends and its alumni."

Not only does the organization have a clear statement of purpose, mission, and vision, but it also has a history of its evolution, including key dates, milestones, and even the names of every former Council Member, including mine. Why is this important? Answer: Because an organization (or an individual for that matter) cannot know who they are unless they know where they've been. Clearly, Sister Gwendolyn and her successors understood this and kept good records. The importance of keeping records becomes obvious when you start trying to raise funds or establish credibility for your organization in the community. Your past affects your present. If your organization hasn't at least written down key milestones, get on it.

Case 1B: Clarifying Your Purpose

Recently I was asked to volunteer for a small political organization. I hesitated because I was already involved in a number of other volunteer activities. Nevertheless, I agreed to offer what little free time I had to help set up before the meeting and take down afterwards. When I realized that I had never seen the mission statement of the organization, I started researching similar political organizations, hoping one of them would shed light on the mission of this one. The process led me to discover many good mission statements, which I thought could be adapted and customized for this organization. Here are some examples:

Example A: "The mission of this organization is to foster good government in our city, to encourage participation in their government by all citizens, and to make government responsive to the needs and objectives of its citizens. Also, to foster economic policies that provide adequate services for the city's citizens without jeopardizing the economic health of the city and that encourages reasonable development that enhances the city's image. And to promote and support the most qualified candidates for public office and appointed positions on City Agencies, Commissions, Committees, and Boards who support our mission."

Example B: "This organization serves as a forum for the exchange of political ideas and values, and to foster a sense of community among members who share these political views."

Example C: "Founded in 1911, this political organization has a rich history of advocacy. Our leadership works to ensure that the organization remains active and influential."

To write a good vision statement, think about how you would like to appear to the outside world for years to come. Understanding your goals and being able to state them clearly is the first step toward making them happen. Although vision statements are meant as a roadmap for the future, they have the added value of helping you assess your progress toward the state your organization wishes to achieve. For this reason, your vision statement is worth posting on your website and communicating clearly and often to every member of your board.

Case 1C: Hidden Political Agendas

Have you ever been asked to serve on a board but knew little, if anything, about its mission? I have. Since I owned a small business, a business colleague invited me to lend a hand. What interested me most about this volunteer board was that it was concerned with finding people jobs and, since we were in an economic recession, this seemed to be an honorable cause — a "holy work," as Sister Gwendolyn might say. I accepted a three-year term and truly enjoyed the camaraderie I experienced. Although my term expired after three years, I made friends that will last a lifetime.

As with most boards, we were encouraged to get involved in committees. Since my background was in writing and marketing, I was asked to help develop the organization's marketing plan and chair the newly formed Marketing Committee. Our primary tasks included branding, website development, and the annual report. Secondary tasks included researching and writing the organization's mission, history, vision statement, success stories, marketing collateral, and a press kit. With the help of a graphic designer and two other talented board members, we tackled our assignments with great aplomb.

However, one strong, productive committee does not a successful board make. Our high-volume output couldn't rival the high-volume politics that dominated this organization. Here is a summary of the key issues that strangled this board and some recommended solutions.

Although the Chairman of the Board had held his position for 11 years and had earned the respect of officials in the parent organization, a few members of the board lobbied to enforce term limits and vote him out of office. Unbeknownst to the board or to the Chairman himself, supporters of a second rival candidate then took control of the Nominating Committee. The Chairman resigned under pressure. A third candidate was nominated from the floor and won the election. Supporters of the second candidate left the election disappointed, and the newly elected board chair was left to pick up the pieces.

This board would have benefited from mediation — early in the election process — to expose hidden agendas, to settle disputes caused by unclear bylaws and nominating procedures, and to resolve conflicts with disgruntled staff. In fact, mediation is the best tool to help in obtaining a resolution. Why? Because mediation is non-adversarial and helps solve problems more quickly.

Case 1D: Unclear Mission

Even though the mission statement of this volunteer board appeared on its website and in other documents, board members were still unclear about their role on the board. Their role of overseeing funding was clear enough, but what were they supposed to do to "connect county residents to jobs," as their mission states? The reason board members were recruited in the first place was for their expertise in business, labor, education, government, and faith-based organizations. In order for these board members to understand their mission more clearly, they had to become more actively engaged in the process of "connecting county residents to jobs."

This board could have benefitted from brainstorming sessions on how their business or industry sector could help (or was helping) with job creation. They needed to identify best practices and ways to "connect county residents to jobs" as their mission states, or they will find it difficult to retain members, yet alone recruit new ones. The value of this organization and its mission (its "holy work") must become clear and obvious to everyone involved.

Do these issues sound familiar? If so, you need to address them sooner than later because unresolved conflicts will greatly diminish the success of your organization. A well-planned, well-executed conflict resolution program may prove to be one of the most important programs your organization ever implements. I have no doubt that it would have helped this talented board get back on track and refocused on its mission.

Case 1E: Disagreement over Mission and Vision

As a member of one board of directors, I volunteered to chair the Public Relations Committee, writing press releases and copy for the quarterly newsletter. Then, after serving four years on the board of directors, I was elected president of the organization. The term limit for this volunteer position was two years, a limitation I gratefully appreciated and accepted; I was unanimously re-elected the second year.

What happened to the board after my two-year term is worth sharing with you, not only for the lessons it taught me, but also to demonstrate how important it is for every board member to understand the mission, vision, and history of the organization and what can happen if these are compromised in any way. But first, some background.

The idea of changing the name of this organization was first popularized by members of the board who believed the name represented the membership base more realistically and would help increase the reach of the organization and, consequently, membership. At first blush, this sounded like a good idea, but the board needed to gather data, research the ramifications, and do its homework before it could make an informed decision.

Unfortunately, in the board's zeal to implement the name change, homework flew out the window. Before a vote could be taken by the entire organization, before the bylaws could be amended to change the name, and even before legal counsel could be consulted, the name change announcement came out in the papers. The tumultuous conflict that ensued divided the organization, severed relationships, and prompted an exodus from the board of directors. In retrospect, I believe this conflict had two fundamental causes.

First, by changing the name of the organization, the board was also changing the organization's mission, vision, and geographical area as defined in its bylaws. Despite the lack of consensus on the board, the organization tried to change the name any way.

Second, this board needed to slow down, take more time to plan, reach consensus, and engage all stakeholders before implementing the name change, particularly since the change would have required changing the bylaws first. Per Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised, Section 39 on improper motions: "Motions that conflict with the corporate charter, constitution or bylaws of a society, or with procedural rules prescribed by national, state, or local laws are out of order, and if any motion of this kind is adopted, it is null and void." When put to a second vote, this board voted "no bylaw changes." Consequently, the name and geographical area were not changed. But by that time irreparable damage had been done.

Neighboring volunteer boards considered the name change a hostile takeover of their geographical area and a potential threat to their ability to attract and retain members by "causing confusion in the industry." Some officers, members, and past presidents (including me) objected to losing the community focus. Even worse, the general membership had not been consulted or involved in any discussions, so members were left wondering why the board wanted to change the organization's name in the first place.

Case 1F: Disregard for an Organization's History

By changing the organization's name, the board was perceived to be turning its back on its roots, dating back to the 1950s. Its founders had worked hard to shape its present identity, and the organization had earned a stellar reputation as a vital part of the community. Changing its name was perceived as a blatant disregard for its history, its identity, and its hard-earned reputation, which had taken over 50 years, thousands of members, and millions of membership dollars to accomplish.

This board could have benefited from a review of its long, community-focused history. How "vital" is your organization to the community you serve? What has it done to make itself "a vital part of that community"? The best board members will be those who can answer these questions. They will understand the organization's past, including when it was founded, who founded it, where it has been located, and why it has the name that it has.

In summary, every board needs a clear mission, purpose, vision, and history. No matter what type of organization it is, you need to keep these principles in mind:

• Your mission statement should explain your organization's reason for existence. It should describe who you are and what you do. Every Board member should know this mission.

• Your vision statement should describe what your organization intends to become or achieve for the long term, say ten years from now. Every board member should know this vision.

• Your history should provide dates, names, and key milestones that helped define your organization's purpose and helped shape its present identity. Every Board member should know this history.

If we can learn from our mistakes, then perhaps we won't make the same ones in the future. Or, in the words of philosopher George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." We must not let the fear of making mistakes prevent us from seeking the best, most meaningful ways to serve as volunteers. Sister Gwendolyn's advice is worth repeating here: "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"