Working with Your Board of Directors
Working effectively with a chapter’s board members
is a key to the success of your chapter. GCSAA has compiled
a list of resources to support your chapter’s leadership.
Board Orientation
It’s crucial to get your newly elected directors and
officers off on the right foot. It is important to provide
orientation training that includes the following:
- Job Description – What’s
expected of each board member? Need sample descriptions?
Check these out.
- Board responsibilities – What is
your board’s focus? Providing timely and relevant
programs? Strengthening membership numbers? Outline your
chapter’s mission, vision and goals (use sample from
a strategic planning session). Be sure to explain the legal
duties as well.
- Board member expectations – Clearly
define what you expect of your board members. Do they need
to attend all board meetings? Do they need to chair any
committees? Write it out! Here’s
a sample Board Commitment Pledge.
- Board/Staff Relationship – If your
chapter has staff, make sure to describe
their duties and responsibilities. Don’t assume
that new board members will realize “who does what”.
Working together as a team is important.
Board Meetings
- Here are some tips , shared by the Rocky Mountain GCSA,
for running an effective
meeting.
- Meeting minutes – Make sure that minutes are taken
at all board meetings and are prepared for review at the
next meeting. Minutes should include:
- Formal action voted upon
- Summary of the outcomes of the meeting
- A list of those present, including guests
There is no need to record the general discussion leading
up to the final voted action. If necessary, corrections and
amendments can be made at the next meeting, at which time
the formal minutes should be officially approved. Minutes
of your board of directors meetings are official documents
and should be signed by the secretary and maintained in the
association’s permanent files.
Does your chapter board include
an assistant superintendent?
Does you Chapter have an Assistant Superintendent
Committee?
Chapters throughout the country are beginning to realize
the importance of their assistant superintendent members.
Assistants are the future of the golf course superintendent
profession and the future leaders of the chapter. Assistant
superintendents are often a group that is eager to become
more involved with their local chapters and are looking for
opportunities to grow their leadership and communication skills.
Some chapters have an assistant superintendent representative
on their board. This position helps keep the assistant member
perspective communicated and it is also a way to gain leadership
experience for the individual. Other chapters have created
an assistant superintendent committee. The committee is responsible
for programming aimed at the assistant superintendent.
The 2008 GCSAA Assistant Superintendent Committee produced
a template
that explains the benefits of creating an assistant board
position or assistant superintendent committee. The template
also contains information on potential programs for assistants.
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