While the Executive Director provides the leadership and central hub for the movements of a non-profit, the Board of Directors oversees and approves those movements. I see them as a parent, pushing a child toward the right decisions, and ensuring they are dealt with appropriately when they misbehave.

It is through this lens that I believe non-profits are vital to the growth and development on non-profits. As they are often made up of intelligent members from the sector or similar sectors, they can provide the direction necessary to a growing and upcoming organization. They provide the mold that the Executive Director can then fill with the leadership and execution.

As stated, the Board and Executive Director have separate, but vital, roles toward building a non-profit. I do not believe the Board should be an activist one, with involvement in numerous aspects of decision making and direction. Instead, they should be a guiding force to tacitly approve or disapprove of direction.

Yet, this relationship may not work for every type of non-profit. Some are less formal, and require a more active board to pick up the slack of a non-existent or limited staff. Some may not even require the guidance of board, as the organization is filled with a competent and experienced staff that can effectively guide direction. And some may have missions that conflict with the need for a board at all, such as a cooperative.

All in all, I am under the general belief that Boards should be the guiding parental hand that knows when to speak up. But it doesn’t work for everything, or everyone, and it’s important to recognize that when thinking about the relationship one’s non-profit should have between its Board and Executive Director/Staff.