Question
I have been on a voluntary board for a year now and it is really beginning to get to me. I’m a bit shocked at the politics and naked ambition of some people, but I’m not sure what to do about it.
I joined as I have some experience of accounting, and I have always wanted to give back in some way – and I am very supportive and interested in the work that is being done by this body. However, over the year, I have discovered that the chair of the board has managed to change the constitution so that she can have a lot more years at the helm, and no one has challenged this. I was naive at the start so I didn’t quite notice what was going on for a while, but now I can see that there is a whole group of people on the board who have been involved forever.
It seems that when someone’s term is up, they pass it on to a family member and, eventually, it comes back around to them again. This is a small community, and I am a bit of a blow-in – so I know my position is tenuous, but I am watching blatant breaking of governance rules, or so I think.
The work of the organisation is vital for the community, and I was honoured to be asked to be on the board at the beginning – I met the chair at an awards event. I think that, now she knows I am a bit horrified, she is undermining me in lots of subtle ways, and I feel other people are backing away from me.
‘Although my current job has a structured career path and is secure, I find it meaningless’
‘I am divorced at 60, envious of my ex-husband’s new life and struggling with loneliness’
‘I’m dating a previously married man but I feel sad that I will always come second to his children’
‘A stranger entered our family and turned them all against us’
I cannot afford to lose my connections as I do not have other supports in this area, so am unsure what to do: keep my principles and be isolated, or just suck it up, like everyone else involved seems to do?
Answer
Giving back by being on a voluntary board is a very good thing to do, but it comes with responsibilities and demands that need to be taken seriously. It seems that you have discovered there may be serious issues going which might need investigation. If so, then there are regulatory bodies that can be consulted for almost any organisation.
In the first instance, you could ask the board for training for all members in governance. There are many bodies providing such training, including the Charities Regulator (The Wheel), universities, and management institutes (Institute of Directors Ireland, Boardmatch Ireland, Public Affairs Ireland, and others). Governance training can be done in short bursts, and there are degree-level qualifications up to PhD available.
Doing training, and engaging with an external training body, will give you the knowledge and confidence from which to tackle some of the issues from within your board. It would be to your advantage if others on the board also engaged in training with you, as this might offer a lever for change that might be less personal than just one person tackling the chair.
All of this goes towards preparing you for sticking by your principles, but doing so in a prepared and knowledgeable manner. You say you are very supportive of the work of the organisation, and so this contribution to the board might be a very good investment in its future. All boards need to be compliant with governance legislation and yours is not an exception – sooner or later it will have to take on regulatory guidelines, and this will lead to a fitter and leaner organisation that is flexible and adaptable in the face of future events.
Your fear of isolation and rejection is not trivial, but many people will join you in your mission to make the organisation a more resilient one, and if you keep this as your goal, people will not see you as a troublemaker. Fear has the effect of closing us down, making us protective, and avoiding of risk-taking. Facing your fear with steady reasonable steps will open up your confidence, assist you with speaking up, and allow you to be steady in your aim.
You might consider asking your governance trainer for a mentor to help you through this process, or you might gather a group of trusted confidants with whom you can bounce strategy and ideas around.
- To send your question to Trish Murphy, fill in the form below or email tellmeaboutit@irishtimes.com
