Leading by example 1: Tips For Attaining and Retaining an Inclusive Board

In part one of this four-part leadership blog series, leading by example, we explore ways you can transition to inclusive governance.

As Rising comes out of its August month of rest and reflection, Euella shares some of her top tips for achieving and, more importantly, retaining an inclusive board.

So how do you recruit engaged, competent young people on to board?

It's a question we've been asked too many times to count.

It's no secret that the traditional board model is broken and exclusive. More and more organisations are realising the need to include young people’s voices into their governance. Ever since we've been running our flagship board development programme, OnBoard, Rising successfully recruited and supported over 25 young leaders on to cultural boards in the South West and offered our consultancy services to sector leaders about how to make inclusive change in their own organisations’ boards. They come to us because Rising’s unique models and approaches to (youth) leadership has fed into our knowledge about what it really takes to have a diverse board that is inspired, responsive and where everyone has a voice.

We’ve found that when done properly, including young people on to boards is often the catalyst that helps organisations transition their governance from something that is stagnant and constrictive to an inclusive space where all their trustees are empowered to bring their whole selves and expertise into their board roles - regardless of their age. But how do you make the steps to start that transition? Here are three reflections:

1. Give Yourselves Permission to Change the Script

We’ve somehow become fixed to the idea that board meetings should be / feel a certain way despite the arts and culture being known for being an innovative and creative sector. Who says you have to have board meetings at a certain time of day, be held in a certain place or that they should be delivered in a certain way? Often these ways are inaccessible - not just to young people but also groups who are under-represented in leadership. Yes, when it comes to governance, some things are fixed by law - but many things are not. Work with your trustees and your team to co-create a language, agenda and feel to your board meetings that not only works for your current trustees, but also for potential new recruits. Give yourselves permission to throw out the rule book and do things YOUR way.

2. Go back to basics

Sometimes, we over-complicate things that are, fundamentally, very simple. Ask yourself and reflect on the following question; in its most basic sense, what is my organisation for? Why does it exist? Who is / should your organisation be for? Be radically honest with yourself about this. Your board member’s status or social standing shouldn’t be the only thing that matters. If you're there to serve a particular community, that community should 100% be not just represented but included and valued on your board. We believe a board should represent where you want to take your organisation, your organisation’s vision and the people who are supposed to benefit from that vision. Make sure that everyone is on board with that vision and feel they can contribute to creating that reality for the organisation. If that doesn't feel possible for existing board members, then scope out a plan together about the ways that they can start, there may also be other ways they may be able to support that isn't through a board director/trusteeship.

3. Remember Change is a People Process

One of the most common questions we get asked about transitioning governance is how CEOs and trustees can create leadership change when there isn’t evident buy-in from the rest of their board. Sometimes, boards can feel impenetrable and fixed but that is not true. It's important to remember that change is a people-process and real people lie at the heart of any change . It’s important to be ambitious whilst starting small. Be consistent in making your case and team-up with other people in your organisation who are also open to change. Find allies (like Rising) who can help make the case with you and find successful examples to share. Change can feel overwhelming when we’re thinking of systems and structures, but it is much more manageable when we remember that it starts and ends with people. 

It’s important to remember that you are not alone in this work. Through OnBoard alone, we’ve been able to create a growing network of organisations in the South West who are doing things differently in relation to governance, and we’re not the only ones. Who leads matters. In the fallout of the pandemic, things are becoming difficult. We need to be forward-thinking in order to adapt and grow from the apparent scarcity and lack of resource. Building an inclusive governance culture is the one impactful thing you can do to take your organisation and the people in it from surviving to thriving. 

Feeling inspired? Rising are currently looking for organisations to join their 2023 cohort of OnBoard - our flagship programme where we can recruit, train and support young trustees on to your board. Get in touch with Euella to find out more!

Main photo: Rising Young Trustees Cai and `Samya with Arts and Health South West as part of OnBoard.