There is little doubt that trusteeship can be a highly rewarding experience, one that not only provides the opportunity to ‘give something back’ but also encourages development, both personally and professionally.
But at what price? In this current climate, boards are increasingly finding themselves faced with tougher, more arduous decision-making than ever before.. Some may argue that however satisfying the role, the commitment - no matter how large or small - can just get ‘too much’ in these challenging times.
So how do you (or should you) find the balance? Is it our moral duty to take on these types of voluntary roles, regardless of the constraints they may place on our professional or personal lives? Do the development opportunities and sense of fulfillment make it all worth it?
Appointed as a non executive board director for my local hopsital, I found myself automatically become a trustee of a charitable Trust allied to the hospital. Appreciating the scope of responsibility and accountability for funds that often come as a result of family tragedy really focuses the mind. Being able to make something good happen, often for front line staff and the patients they treat and care for means a great deal and whilst it’s good to know we can fund big projects, it’s often the small things that can make the greatest difference. Preparing for the role was important to me, so training to understand the legal and statutory obligations helped, as did an understanding of investmenet portfolios. I love the role, know it makes a real difference to people’s lives, extends the capability for the hospital in terms of what it can deliver and galvanises staff loyalty. I gain a huge amount from this, work with a great team and
I’ve been a trustee of two arts-based charities and am now a trustee of a research institute (also a charity). I think it’s important to be clear about the time commitment and where you’re going to find it (and negotiate it with the domestic stakeholder), but I see the balance as being overwhelmingly positive. Leaving aside the satisfaction that comes from having an impact in things that matter a lot, there’s a powerful business case even from a selfish perspective! Through my arts organisations I added organisational value (even shortlisted for an award for one of them, boast boast) but got tremendous benefits from being introduced to people, ideas and issues that I simply wouldn’t have come across otherwise. I can trace a successful application for a permanent job to the knowledge and insights that I got from a trustee role, and a love of Art that I probably wouldn’t have been open to otherwise. I have felt more connected to my local community and generally more rounded in ways that impact on my life and day job. It’s an important thread in life’s rich tapestry etc. I also think that the experience of being a trustee has helped me empathise with the responsibility-in-little-time of those in similar positions, such as non-exec directors, local government councillors and other trustees, that I come across professionally. The people I’m really impressed with, in terms of giving up time and fitting it all in are the many volunteers, who give each week the time I might give in a couple of months, and who make that work; and the staff who are generally working incredibly long hours for substantially less than folk in my organisation. In that context needing to spend a Sunday evening reading papers, or take half a day to help with a project, seems like, and is, a small sacrifice.
I think the problem is often one of role definition and expectation. Many trustee roles, and public sector Non Exec roles, will absorb as much time as someone has to give them. As these are very often the individual’s first entry into a Non-Exec portfolio, learning to impose parameters on yourself while still being sufficiently informed is a difficult balancing act.
Compared to the information rich environments that many of us spend our daily working lives, it’s easy for Non Exec and trustee roles to seem difficult to grasp; We’ll never have the same amount of information available to us that we rely on in our day jobs. There is also (and probably has been since Enron) a heightened sense of the duty of Non Execs, made even more acute by the failures of board scrutiny in the current financial crisis.
I think this all adds up to an environment in which it’s easy to feel that you can never give enough time, be concerned that you can never have sufficient information and be constantly worried about the possibilities of a failure of governance.
It’s vital to establish at the outset how much you can contribute, specify and ensure you receive the information that you need and be mindful that while many modern Non-Execs and trustees are seen as sources of skills and expertise, governance is a real responsibility.
Resisting the temptation to add things to your portfolio simply because it’s possible to do so is very important as well.
My experience (with Causeway Irish Housing Association) has been a very rewarding one, but I would be reluctant to attempt too many of these in parallel.
I have been a trustee for Contact a Family for three years. I find the role gives me a perfect balance of professional development and personal satisfaction. As a Chief Executive of a third sector organisation, I feel there are limited opportunities for personal development other than trusteeship. I bring my experience to the board but at each meeting I learn or experience something new. I am surrounded by people with a range of skills and experience, so I always get a fresh perspectve on key issues. However, I have to confess that my main driver is making a difference for families of disabled children. I have a disabled son and have set myself the challenge of trying to change the world just a little bit for him. The role of being a trustee has been probably the most satisfying thing I have done. But I do share the responsibility with a fabulous board and executive team.