Looking for a way to volunteer that offers you a professional growth opportunity? Consider serving on a board of directors for a nonprofit organization!

Board members are responsible for “governing” an organization, not “managing” it. Management and the daily tasks of the organization are typically handled by a paid executive director and other staff members, sometimes with help from volunteers.

Governance is high level – think visioning, strategy and accountability – whereas management is the day-to-day operations. The board of directors, as a governing body, should focus on the organization’s mission, strategy and goals. Staff members are responsible for the implementation of those.

Most organizations have set terms for board members, which typically fall between two and five years. A common meeting frequency is once a month for one to two hours, however, this varies greatly from organization to organization.

There are no IRS guidelines to determine who is certified to be on a board, but often organizations have criteria they use when filling open positions. This varies widely from organization to organization, but it is best practice to find individuals within the community who have the passion and experience that aligns with the nonprofit’s mission. 

The Alexandria Chamber, for instance, is strategic in ensuring that the many different industry sectors in the community are represented on the board, such as manufacturing, health care, education, retail, banking, hospitality, etc.

Some organizations may be strategic in seeking someone with strong financial, legal or human resources knowledge to advise and direct the organization in those areas.

Here are some things to think about when considering board service:

• Do the mission and vision of the organization align with your beliefs and interests?
• Does the time commitment and other logistics (meeting dates, times, length, frequency, location, etc.) work with your schedule?
• Do you know any of the other board members and if so, do you have any conflicts with them or have any concerns about working together for the good of the organization?
• Are you willing and able to maintain confidentiality when serving this organization?

Board service is not something one should dive into without some research and contemplation. You are not doing the organization any favors if you accept a position but don’t follow through with meeting attendance or other expectations. While board service is voluntary to the board member, it is extremely vital to the wellbeing of the organization and is something to be taken seriously.
It is also important that you educate yourself on the organization and its mission, services and programming before making the commitment. It’s easy to say “yes” to a mission statement, but later realize you don’t agree with some of the operations or programming. Looking out for an organization’s best interest would be challenging if you are not in alignment with what they are trying to do or how they are doing it.

It is also important to discuss the opportunity with your employer prior to making the commitment to ensure you have his/her support and to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

Last piece of advice – don’t wait to be asked! If you have identified an organization that you deem a good fit, let them know you are interested in serving. Most organizations keep track of interested persons and when a position opens up, they are the first to be contacted. If you don’t voice your interest, you may never be asked.
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There are many rewards to serving on a board. The lessons learned in visioning, strategic planning, high level thinking, etc. can be invaluable to your own company. The service may also open up some other leadership opportunities for you down the road! 

Brian Klimek is the manager at Hilltop Lumber & Rental Center which is a family-owned business that started in Glenwood in 1988. Since that time, Hilltop Lumber has expanded to include over 60 employees in five locations: Alexandria, Glenwood, Parkers Prairie, Brandon and Ottertail. All locations offer a full range of building supplies and home improvement products. The Alexandria, Parkers Prairie and Ottertail stores also include "Do It Best Hardware" stores.

When Chamber Board President Robyn Snyder chose “Be Positive, Do Positive” as the Chamber theme for 2020, she had no idea what was in store for our community, our state, or our nation. She simply wanted to share the message that being positive can have a huge impact on everyone, personally and professionally.

Many could argue that the challenges imposed this year by a pandemic, such as forced closures, stay-at-home orders, layoffs, loss of revenue, health concerns for self and loved ones, and so many others simply make it impossible to be positive. Regardless of all those very good reasons, each one of us still has the ability to be positive. We simply need to find things we are thankful for and keep being thankful for them. Allowing negativity to overtake us will only drag us further down the rabbit hole.

Usually when we are at the bottom, nothing is more annoying that someone saying, “Just be positive! Smile! Chin up!” Sometimes we just want to give in to negativity. We’ve all been there. But that’s not what’s best for us, or our family, or our employer/employees, or our community for that matter. Numerous studies show there is a direct correlation between good health and a positive attitude. The good news is that even faking a positive attitude helps!

A University of Kansas study found that smiling­ – even fake smiling – reduces heart rate and blood pressure during times of stress. Reframing things is another great way to keep perspective. Instead of allowing traffic to stress you out, appreciate the fact that you can afford a car and get to spend a few extra minutes listening to music or talking to the person riding with you. Build resiliency by focusing on the things you can control. Learn to adapt to stressful situations by maintaining good relationships with family and friends, accepting that change is part of life, and taking action to change your circumstances when you can.

Like so many things in life, it comes down to how much you actually want to change things for the better. It’s easy to compare this idea with weight loss. A person is born with a predisposition for a certain body style, like they are born with a certain personality. Keeping off excess weight is simply easier for some people than it is for others, just like having a positive outlook comes more naturally for some than it does for others.
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In both cases, you have the power to do something about it. So give it a try. Nothing drains a person more than a negative outlook. Start looking at things in a different way, get your smile on (even if you have to fake it for awhile) and find ways to adapt to the things life tosses your way.