Your CEO Wants Your Help, Not Lip Service
Your CEO Wants Your Help, Not Lip Service
I've worked with hundreds of nonprofit boards over the years, and I've noticed something interesting. Nearly every board member says they're passionate about the mission. They admire the CEO, believe in the organization, and genuinely want to make a difference.
That's wonderful.
But here's the uncomfortable question: What are you actually doing to help?
Too many board members believe their primary responsibility is attending meetings, reviewing financial reports, offering occasional advice, and showing up for the annual fundraising gala.
They smile, nod approvingly, enjoy a nice dinner, and head home feeling they've fulfilled their civic duty. Meanwhile, the CEO is juggling fundraising, staffing, programs, budgets, and the occasional organizational fire that somehow always ignites on Friday afternoon.
Your CEO doesn't need another cheerleader. Your CEO needs an engaged, working board.
Here are some things all CEOs want to tell their boards, but often fail to do so:
1. Showing Up Is the Minimum, Not the Mission
Let's start with something basic. Attending board meetings doesn't make someone a great board member any more than sitting in a garage makes someone a mechanic. Showing up is the starting point, not the accomplishment.
Exceptional board members come prepared. They've read the materials, understand the financial picture, know the organization's strategic priorities, and arrive ready to contribute. They ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions respectfully, and help move decisions forward.
In my experience facilitating board retreats, I can often tell within the first hour which board members are genuinely engaged. They're curious, informed, and thinking about the organization's future. Others appear to be discovering the agenda for the first time. And then there are those who spend most of the meeting checking their phones, occasionally looking up to say, "I agree with what Susan said."
Preparation is a form of respect. Respect for the CEO, fellow board members, staff, donors, and the people the organization serves.
2. Fundraising Is a Team Sport
Here's a conversation I've encountered more times than I can count. The CEO says fundraising is one of the organization's greatest challenges. Board members nod sympathetically, express concern, and suggest the development staff should work harder. Wonderful. Problem solved.
Except fundraising isn't solely the responsibility of the CEO and development team. Board members have an important role in building relationships, opening doors, making introductions, thanking donors, helping organize the gals, hosting a salon event, making thank you calls, meeting with businesses and donors to tell the story, and helping create a culture of philanthropy.
Not every board member needs to personally solicit a six-figure gift, but every board member can contribute something meaningful, something sacrificial.
At the best board retreats I've facilitated, fundraising discussions become far more productive when board members stop asking, "What is the staff going to do?" and start asking, "What can each of us do?"
That's ownership, and it's when fundraising becomes a shared responsibility instead of an annual discussion about why the numbers aren't higher.
3. Committees Should Accomplish Something
Committees can be powerful engines of board engagement. They can also become elaborate scheduling exercises where six people meet monthly to discuss why nothing has happened since the previous meeting. I've seen both.
An effective committee has a clear purpose (charter), specific responsibilities, measurable outcomes, and members willing to do meaningful work between meetings. It doesn't exist simply because the bylaws say there should be one.
A governance committee should actively strengthen board recruitment, orientation, performance, and succession. A development committee should help advance fundraising relationships and opportunities. A strategic planning committee should monitor progress and help leadership address barriers. The finance committee should identify holes and suggestion future financial leverage.
Notice the common thread: Committees should produce results, not just minutes.
That doesn't mean board members should start managing staff or interfering with daily operations. Good governance requires clear boundaries. But there's plenty of valuable work board members can accomplish without becoming unpaid assistant CEOs.
4. Stop Waiting to Be Asked
One of the most valuable characteristics of an exceptional board member is initiative. They don't wait for the CEO to send another email begging for help. They pay attention, identify opportunities, and proactively offer assistance.
"I know you're trying to build relationships with local businesses. I have three contacts who might be helpful. Would you like introductions?" Or, "I noticed we're struggling to recruit board members with financial expertise. I know someone who could be terrific." Another might offer, "You mentioned the upcoming campaign. Would it help if I hosted a small gathering at my home?"
Those are beautiful words to an overworked CEO. Even more beautiful is when a boad member calls the CEO on a Thursday and says, "Hey, I have some extra time this weekend, what can I do to help you or the organization?" Some CEOs might even cry if they get that call.
During board retreats, I often encourage board members to think beyond their formal responsibilities and consider the unique resources they bring: relationships, professional expertise, community influence, experience, and time.
We then help turn those assets into specific commitments, with clear expectations about who will do what and when.
Proactive doesn't mean freelance. It means finding meaningful ways to help while respecting the organization's leadership and priorities.
5. Board Service Should Be Rewarding, Not a Root Canal
Let's address another problem. Some boards have managed to make serving on them about as appealing as a trip to the dentist. Long meetings. Endless reports. Unclear expectations. Little meaningful discussion. The occasional stale muffin.
Then they wonder why board members aren't engaged.
Board service should be challenging, purposeful, intellectually stimulating, and personally rewarding. People should leave meetings feeling they've contributed something valuable—not wondering whether they'll ever get those two hours back.
But engagement is a two-way street. CEOs and board chairs must create meaningful opportunities for participation, establish clear expectations, and give board members work that matters.
Board members, in turn, must accept that serving on a nonprofit board involves more than lending their name, attending dinners, and occasionally applauding the staff.
The strongest boards I've worked with develop a culture where members genuinely enjoy working together because they're accomplishing something worthwhile. They understand their responsibilities, respect the distinction between governance and management, and take pride in contributing beyond the boardroom.
People don't become energized by attending meetings. They become energized by making a difference.
Takeaways
Attendance is the minimum. Great board members arrive prepared, informed, and ready to contribute.
Fundraising is everyone's responsibility. Every board member can help build relationships, open doors, or support donor engagement.
Committees need outcomes. Meetings should produce measurable progress, not simply more meetings.
Initiative matters. Exceptional board members proactively offer their time, expertise, and connections.
Respect governance boundaries. Board members should support leadership, not interfere with daily management.
Make board service meaningful. Clear expectations, important work, and visible results create stronger engagement.
Measure contributions, not just attendance. A board member's value is reflected in the ownership they take and the difference they help make.
Final Thoughts
After years of working with nonprofit boards and CEOs, I've become convinced that one of the greatest untapped resources in the nonprofit sector is sitting right around the boardroom table. Talented, connected, experienced people who genuinely care about the mission—but aren't always being challenged, encouraged, or expected to contribute at their full potential.
Great boards don't simply oversee organizations. They help strengthen them. They bring ideas, relationships, resources, sound judgment, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves when appropriate. They also understand that the CEO needs their partnership, not another layer of work disguised as help.
So here's my challenge to every board member: At your next board meeting, don't just ask the CEO how things are going. Ask what the board (and you) can do to help move the mission forward. Then take ownership, follow through, and deliver. Because your CEO doesn't need more lip service. Your CEO needs you.
Tom Iselin
Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat
and Strategic Planning Facilitators
About the Author
Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.
Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.
Board Retreats & Strategic Planning
If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!
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