Why do people become board members?

Question

You know, like a board member of a community organization, a charity, an arts organization, etc.

Is there some sort of benefit besides "giving somethign back to the community?" Because it always seems to be people with "CAREER" on their minds.

Answer 1

People generally become board members because it does have career implications.

1. Being on a board shows that you have initiative
2. In a lot of cases being on a board gives you leadership skills, when you look at the boards of most publicly traded companies, the board members are all part of various committees.
3. Starting out on small boards provides personal and business contacts, and earns respect from your peers

It is not uncommon for these personal and business contacts to result in more business/greater income.

One of the previous respondents said that these tend to be short lived. I have to disagree. I started out on the library board of my local town, and using contacts I made there....through the years...........I have had two progressive jobs and sit on the board of 2 publicly traded companies. I am still friends with almost every member of every board I have sat on between then and now.

It's a great job. It can be just giving back to the community/organization AND/OR it can be career motivated. However, it won't be career motivating if you give back to the community/organization in the first place. Most people on boards are very headstrong and opinionated (very few if any wallflowers), if you don't do your share, they'll make sure you burn in hell for it

Answer 2

Because most of these meetings are long, drawn out, tiresome and you'd rather be at home with a beer and good football game on, so it's easy to get bored at a meeting.

Of course there are advtanges, you get your name on letterheads, it's good on your resume, esecially if you run for office or go for a job like Superintendent of Schools, if you're a big wig it's good for them to have Michael Douglas listed on the membership heading.

You also get to play politics and put in or take out stuff you don't like. You know like experimental electronic music, gothic art, modern art. You get to help award contracts, etc.

So, when you get made CEO of some NON-PC organization, like Big Oil of America, Major Car Polluting Maker of America, the local Nuclear Power Plant you have all these neat things on your bio

Memeber of the School Board
The Committee for the Arts
The YMCA Steering Committe
United Way Steering Committee

You look like a fine upstanding person in the community even though in real life you do naughty things with farm animals and keep an abducted 12 year old girl locked up in your basement.

Answer 3

It's about the people - "CAREER" people generally tend to do things about problems and do things to improve their lives.

I've considered running for the board of my HOA, because they aren't running the HOA in the manner that I want - I Think I can do better.

Some people ***** from the cheap seats, others do something to affect change.

BUT - for some people, when you are high enough up the ladder there is a benefit to having experience steering an organisation, whether it's a non-profit or a commercial organisation. In other words, being CEO of the United Way might help land the opportunity to be CEO of Bank of America.

Answer 4

They feel they have a talent that the organization can use, or they want to help direct the organization to be more effective in the community, or they want to expand their business contacts. The last group doesn't last long, the work is too hard.

Answer 5

They want to become board members to serve their community.