Genealogical Society Boards versus Committees—Forests and Trees

When your genealogical society board of directors gathers for meetings, are they steering the organization, or are they deciding if you will serve orange or apple juice at a seminar? Are they minding the forest or pruning trees?

I have found myself at times in my business life unable to “see the forest for the trees.” I’ve waded so deep in the details, I have forgotten my mission as a manager. When I finally realize what I’ve done, I delegate.

This morning, I am pondering the situation many of our genealogical societies have evolved into—one decision (or failure to decide) at a time. This is for you, if your board has become a committee—tending trees rather than forests—and the organization has slowly but surely been veering off course.

This first hit me a few weeks ago when eight Alabama state organizations gathered the leaders of our historical and genealogical societies for a day of training for 21^st-century society leadership. This year is our state’s bicentennial, which has created an incentive and some funding to do things we normally don’t have time to think about.

The day was rich with insights, but one literally turned my thinking on its head. We were fortunate to have Shannon Ammons, the CEO of the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, to speak on best practices for nonprofit organizations. She began immediately with the distinction between a board and committees. It should be a common understanding—the difference between the two. Certainly I knew the distinction in my business career. But I had let it slip by me in thinking about genealogical societies.

So here is what I am thinking….

Many of our genealogical society boards have turned into committees and the real work of a board cannot get done. A team of hardworking, philanthropic people are giving it their all—sleeves rolled up, serving the society—baffled as to why their societies seem to be dwindling. They cannot see the forest for the trees.

What does a board do?

Most of us, as we join boards, are told how things are done. We’ve always done this. We don’t do that. And we settle into the status quo. But should we? Is the group performing the work of a board?

A board looks at the big picture of the organization, its mission, and its performance. It steers and corrects the course. Key things a board should be looking at typically are these:

• Are we healthy and growing?
• Are we fulfilling our mission, and is our mission still valid?
• Are we handling money well, and what is our budget for next year?
• Where do we want to take things in the year(s) ahead?
• What committees must exist to get the work done? What is a committee’s mission and budget? Who will lead and are they? Are they getting it done?
• Are there situations to handle that are outside the scope of or sent up from the committees?
• Are we following the law?
• Do our bylaws still apply, or do they need to be changed?

What do committees do?

Committees form the working core of the organization, putting the mission into action. There is far more need for committee meetings than board meetings. It is here the details are hammered out. Key things a committee does are these:

• Fulfills the board-mandated committee mission within a given budget. If the committee determines that either the mission or the budget is not feasible, it appeals to the board, with justifications.
• Handles the details of the committee work fully.
• Continually cultivates new committee members and future committee leaders, as needed.
• Creates repeatable processes that can be easily inherited as the committee membership changes.
• Coordinates with other committees in shared ventures—like a conference, where you might need consultation between committees for programs, publicity, event management, and technology.
• While board members might serve on committees, your committees should never be predominantly board members (unless your entire society IS the board). They will cease to see the forest, and you rob your larger society membership of the opportunity to get really involved.

How do we get there from here?

It has to start with a board who is committed to building a strong and healthy committee system. At first, it will be a lot more work then just “doing it all ourselves.” That’s how you got into this mess in the first place. Strong committees will relieve you of the details—but only when they are strong. And that takes time and effort.

Decide what committees you need and what exactly you need them to do. Tap trustworthy leaders and then trust them. Help them build their committees at first, and then let them perpetuate the work in the future.

Board, you are going to have to get to know your members. What are they good at? What do they have time to do? Who can lead? Who wants to serve? This means, rather than having your back to the room, putting ice in cups at the next seminar, you are shaking hands and making new people feel welcome. (But, of course, you need a committee who is putting ice in cups.)

I recognize that you might be a tiny society in a very small town. You only have ten members. You have to do everything. If that’s the case, though, make sure that at least one or two of you are designated to watch the forest while the others tend the trees.

I’m curious to hear from you about how your societies are managing the forest v. trees (board v. committee) issues in your group. All of the above is my theory. What is yours? Have you put your theory to practice, and how did it turn out?

I look forward to hearing from you.

See also: The Genealogical Society: Revise or Demise?

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