Stop the Nonprofit Blame Game with Hardy Smith

This week, your host, Matt Barnes, sat down with nonprofit consultant Hardy Smith to explore the origins of his book Stop the Nonprofit Blame Game and give advice on how to create an effective working relationship with your board members.

Stop the Nonprofit Blame Game Origins

Why don’t board members do what they’re supposed to do? That’s one of the most asked questions by nonprofit leaders today. Hardy recognized this and sought to answer it. He launched a research project and asked board members nationwide that exact question. Hardy then took their answers and gave his insights on how to fix the problem, forming Stop the Nonprofit Blame Game.

Work With Board Members, Not Against Them

Many nonprofits are critical of their board members for not having adequate knowledge of their roles without considering why that is the case. At the moment, the best-case training scenario for board members is a manual at orientation, and that is it – no further context on their roles or expectations.

Hardy is a big advocate for solving this issue within the recruitment process by getting clarity on the role of both the board members and the organization. Answer the questions: What is the nonprofit expecting of the board member? And what are the individual’s expectations for working on the board? Both sides then need to accept these expectations.

“I'm a huge advocate in the recruiting process of getting to clarity, and I emphasize getting the clarity that's yours and theirs. So you share what the nonprofit is expecting of their board members and then stop talking and let them explain, number one, what their expectations are for serving on the board, your particular board, and then the third part of this critical conversation is to confirm acceptance that they have agreed to whatever the ask is.”

Hardy also recommends making sure you have the right people on your board. Consider what skills, experience, and talents will be needed to support your nonprofit over the next few years, and draft a list of potential board members who fit this criteria. Then, you can start your recruitment process in advance; you don’t have to wait for someone to announce they are stepping down. 

It is also important to consider how you engage with your board members, as the number one reason they switch off is poor communication. Ask each board member about their communication preferences and what they need to do their job effectively and build a communication plan around this. This way, you will communicate more effectively and are less likely to see any issues within your board.

“If you want good, solid relationships with your board members, make sure you're being a good, effective communicator.”

Want more on facilitating effective board member relationships? 

Listen to this episode of the Nonprofit Connect podcast to hear the rest of Hardy’s insights!