“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Strong conviction fuels those who are impassioned to contribute to change or to be the spark that shifts policies, systemic systems, and community perceptions. Many of us have that fire inside of us, but not everyone knows how to ignite the pilot light for service. Acts of service. Community service. Service on boards that engage, support, and uplift communities.
In my early twenties, it was my impression that board service was a badge of honor bestowed on those who sat in high-powered executive positions – with ample discretionary income reinforcing their philanthropic seat at the table. I would later learn that there are a variety of boards: corporate, Home Owner’s Associations, school districts, special metro districts, and community nonprofits. They all share a group of supporters who champion the mission and values of the entity or organization.
When I began to understand that board service is voluntary engagement accessible to anyone with ardent devotion to serving, I started exploring opportunities where my industry skill set could be an asset. I found nonprofit community boards most receptive to my proactive interest and aspirations to contribute. They operate pretty nimbly – with limited overhead and maximum community investment, so there is widespread acceptance of time, talent, and resources from volunteers (barring any conflicts of interests). Members of a community nonprofit board apply their time for free, share their professional expertise, and provide the organization with access to their company/industry networks. The payoff is an intersection of community needs and corporate engagement that strengthens the organization’s outreach and performance.
With over a decade of community board service under my belt, I believe there are ways to enact sizable and small-scale changes through community board service. Whether it’s observing board protocols, joining a committee, or taking on a board leadership role, each of these forms of engagement are ways to enact varying degrees of change on behalf of the organization and the communities they serve.
I recall my first year on the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board of Directors when a fellow new board member observed conversations about the organization’s focus and its desired professional development impact on the Colorado business community. It was when my board colleague suggested the notion of celebrating Colorado’s DNA that a breakthrough occurred. As an organization that has been a convener of game-changing ideas, big thinkers, and committed doers in the Metro Denver community, the Colorado DNA idea strongly resonated with the 40+ board members. And it inspired the organization’s staff and board of directors to galvanize long-standing members to join in an audit discovery of how statewide and local business leaders would describe Colorado’s DNA. The weeks of interviews and months of culling through data revealed five consistent themes that would become the key attributes that would be defined as Colorado’s Civic DNA: inclusivity, collaboration, shared vision, leadership, and responsibility. Five years later, the Colorado Civic DNA attributes are considered a competitive advantage for the Denver Metro Leadership Foundation. This pride of distinction was unveiled because a new board member voiced his observation – one that has become the cornerstone that guides the organization in making Colorado better for all.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Following two to three years of board engagement and/or committee leadership, one of the next stages of serving on a board is being elected to the executive committee or board chair role.
When I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado Associate Board of Directors in 2013, I applied an engagement approach where I was diligently fundraising and securing sponsorships for events like Bowl-for-Kids-Sake and Volley-for-Kids-Sake. Since 1918, the organization has supported one-to-one mentoring relationships between youth and adult volunteers to change their lives for the better. Not only did I believe in the power of their mission, I showed up with a tireless passion advocating for youth mentoring in Colorado by engaging everyone in my network to show support. This commitment to the organization’s mission yielded an invitation to serve on the board’s Executive Committee providing strategic direction on board development and board engagement – helping to make the BBBSC Associate Board a leading Young Professional Board in the State of Colorado. This experience was leadership defining in the way that it positioned me for additional board opportunities. Most importantly, the three-year board term reaffirmed my passion for service to organizations supporting youth mentoring.
“Some people focus attention at the core; others are moved to address symptoms. We need both to make change possible.” – Menachem Kniespeck
Once there is a solid foundation in understanding the board’s framework and functionality, there is established credibility in taking on a mid-tier leadership role. Chairing a committee or co-chairing a board event are two examples of taking board engagement to the next level.
When I volunteered on the membership committee for the American Marketing Association of Colorado in 2008, the committee was chaired by VP of Membership Beth Riley. Beth embraced my committee engagement as though I was a co-chair, due to my swift observation of the board’s concern with membership recruitment and retention. I proposed to Beth an outline to help shape AMA CO’s membership program. She was receptive to my recommendation for creating pipelines in place of committee silos. Together, we created an infographic model mapping the process for the membership and the recruitment & retention committees to work in tandem and with fluidity.
For the first time in the chapter’s history (2009), AMA CO had a comprehensive recruiting and retention model that set a clear chapter framework for membership. The success of the board’s reception to the proposed approach resulted in me being invited to join AMA CO’s Board of Directors as VP of Programs the following year. And I was asked to present the membership & recruitment strategy to other AMA chapters, which was met with a resounding request to have access to the information.
AMA CO was my first official experience on a board of directors. A firm believer in making the absolute most of opportunities, I chose to jump in and apply my value where I believed it could be best received. I observed a need and proposed a strategic solution. This has been the credit to my success on every board I’ve joined since then. Proactively contributing ideas when and where they can be of value, and rising to the occasion when a leadership role is presented. This approach can lead to added credibility and broader exposure to your strategic ideas that can lead to countless opportunities for growth.
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only one among you will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” – Albert Schweitzer
Most board terms last anywhere from two to three years – with an opportunity to serve two terms or more. During the first three to 12 months of joining a board, there is a chance to observe board protocols, study the bylaws, and become adept at board governance policies. This reconnaissance of sorts informs where industry insights and professional expertise can best be utilized on the board. Often the initial opportunities for engagement are serving on a committee, sub-committee, or task force.
One of the committees I’ve seen and heard boards struggle with is the Diversity & Inclusion committee. Often the objective of D&I committees is to improve the racial representation of board members, which puts at risk the approach in recruiting board members of color. The quota approach tokenizes minority board members, and risks diminishing the credibility of said members in the eyes of white board members. If I could tell you the number of times that I’ve heard experiences of being told, “Oh, you’re sure to make their board slate because you’re a person of color.” This is one of the unintended consequences of this approach on Diversity & Inclusion committees. Instead, there is an opportunity to establish an expectation that a Diversity & Inclusion Committee will not be a checkbox item. It will serve as a committed practice towards awareness of cultural perspectives, receiving diverse voices and experiences that are EQUALLY as valuable as the perspectives and experiences of the established majority. It’s an opportunity to define the committee as a space for varied points of view – placing merit on professional expertise – to build synergy among races. It is empowering all voices to be heard mutually.
Now more than ever, in every shared space across this country, it is highly important to embrace the deep and rewarding working of Diversity & Inclusion as a board priority. The empathy and understanding it creates in leadership and community service spaces will help chip away at the overt and covert racial biases that create barriers for synergy.
What I am certain of is that there is purpose in adding value through acts of service. I’ve learned that board service has proven one of the most meaningful ways to align professional development and career expertise while contributing to the community I wish to serve. It hasn’t been a sole matter of how much money I can give, or how accomplished I’ve become. My participation on boards has been about how I can add value to the cause, how I can contribute my diverse voice when valued at the table, and how I can raise awareness for the mission. How I can ignite change by intently listening, presenting ideas integral to the vision, and unifying a diverse group of stakeholders in making small changes for efficiency and in support of action towards systemic change in matters of serving the community. The passion to serve is fundamental to enacting change. Applying that passion in varying degrees of volunteering or into roles and opportunities of board membership has long-term impact on building community synergy and sparking an unwavering commitment to community service.
Tasha L. Jones
NOTE: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.
