Running RAFT - musings of a CEO: What makes the perfect Trustee

I was recently invited to write a blog for TrusteeHome. This is a new site for trustees of charities to share knowledge, experience, advice and opinions with other Trustees all over the country.

Being a Trustee is an important role. It can be exciting, interesting and fulfilling for the individuals invloved but it can also go badly wrong. The relationship between Trustees and the staff of the charity are like but also unlike those between a board and the staff of a company. Apart from the legal differences, Trustees have to remember that they are both responsible for the charity but also volunteers at the same time.

If you would like to be a Trustee, hopefully the blog may give you some helpful advice!

The Perfect Trustee – from the point of a CEO

I’ve worked sixteen years in the charity sector and the previous fifteen years as a volunteer. I’ve seen the good and the bad.

For example, the Trustee who expected the staff to run personal errands for their family or the Trustee who wanted to be involved in every decision made – down to the colour of the envelopes used to send out invitations to an event. I’ve known Trustees who only become Trustees because it looks good on their CVs and then don’t bother coming to meetings. I’ve even been at Trustee meetings, when Trustees have fallen asleep during a presentation having overindulged at lunchtime – not very motivating for the member of staff who has spent hours working on the presentation.

On the plus side I’ve worked with some amazing, inspirational people who have supported, encouraged and helped me and all the staff. I’ve had and have Trustees who are role models in the way they deal with people and situations; who clearly have the best interests of the charity at heart and whose input has been and is integral to the success of the charity.

So – in the eyes of a Charity CEO (well – this Charity CEO at least) what are the 5 do’s and don’ts of being a Trustee?

1) Don’t confuse being a Trustee with being a member of staff. Your role is to manage the strategy of the charity, not manage the operations. That’s what you pay the staff to do; they might be too polite to say anything, but the CEO and the staff won’t thank you for trying to micromanage.

2) Listen to your CEO. He/she is the person you have employed to manage the organisation. They will probably know much more about the daily operations than you do. If they disagree with your suggestions, it isn’t because they are being difficult – it’s because they are living and breathing the charity 24 hours a day which it would be impossible for you to do.

3) There is nothing more frustrating to a CEO – or to charity staff – for a Trustee to say that they will do something and then not do it. If you can’t deliver to the time deadline required, then don’t offer. Staff feel uncomfortable about having to chase Trustees for an answer to an email or for the auction prize they offered etc, because we know people are busy and they are giving their time voluntarily. At the same time, it is frustrating to delay something because we haven’t had an answer especially as in the time spent chasing, we could have done it ourselves.

4) Don’t be afraid to give constructive criticism. No good CEO wants a board who just rubber stamps decisions. It doesn’t help us do our job properly or to grow and develop into better CEOs.

5) Do remember to have fun!

Being a Trustee can be one of the most exciting, interesting and fulfilling things you may ever do and I certainly don’t want to put anyone off but think of it as a marriage. It isn’t always easy; it needs both parties to work at it but when it works, there is nothing else like it.

(Source: trusteehome.wordpress.com)