I’ve heard some healthy debates on this question – should we require board term limits? And the answer is – it depends. It might surprise you to hear me say I think it’s a smart strategy to not have term limits for your nonprofit board. I do believe board terms make sense. That way a volunteer can choose to renew, or not, at the end of their term.  It’s more clear that they committed to serve for a certain length of time without it feeling like a life sentence.

When you have an outstanding board member, why would you want to kick them off your board at a certain point in time?

I’ve been there….they aren’t all fabulous. I’ve worked with the board members who aren’t pulling their weight; you know the ones. I’ve witnessed the same old entrenched perspectives and seen “group think” take over. I’ve seen board members get burned out. And I had to ask myself – what is my role in this?

Three Things to Ask Yourself About Term Limits:

1. Am I willing to invest in a deliberate and strategic recruiting process? This means you will be crystal clear on what strengths you need in new members and not waver from the plan. You will aggressively work to secure a pool of qualified nominees, and vet them objectively. Then you will interview them, share written expectations, and thoroughly orient them to your organization. This takes time, leadership and patience. Are you ready?

2. Am I willing to equip board members for success? This means you will educate them, assist them, guide them along their journey to becoming the best board members they can be. You will not just welcome them, then leave them. You will engage them in meaningful work. Committees and fundraising efforts will have written objectives, timelines and opportunities for volunteers to use their talents and experience to do things better or differently. This takes time, leadership and patience. Are you ready?

3. Am I committed to showing gratitude in a way that leads to longevity of service? This means you are actively seeking their valued feedback, planning for sincere recognition of their participation, and outlining a succession plan that supports leadership development. Their success is a top priority to you and it’s obvious.  They are trusted advisors who are an extension of your organization.  This takes time, leadership and patience.  Are you ready?

Your volunteers are there because they want to advance your mission work. They will stay with you as long as they can, as long as you make the experience a good one….and as long as you’ll have them. So why would you want to kick them off at a certain time?? Yes, I know every now and then there is simply a mismatch; someone who isn’t the right fit for your organization. So at the end of their term, thank them for their service and move on.

It worked for me and it can work for you.

I really want to make sure you believe this can work, so here is an example. In my last Executive Director position, I managed a board of 45 (I know – a little crazy) deeply engaged board members. We consistently had retention rates of over 80% (meaning they renewed their terms) and we accomplished amazing things!  We raised more money every year, even during the recession. We did not have term limits. We recruited very purposefully, spent time on developing board members, and celebrated well!

I understand you may not be ready to consider this concept of no term limits right now. And kudos to you for recognizing that.

But if you want to take a deeper dive into how to make all this happen in a logical way, let’s talk.

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