Choosing to Serve an Additional Term as a Nonprofit Board Member

This piece is Part 3 of 4 in our Pathways to Effective Board Leadership Series.

Nonprofit organizations generally have a set length for each Board service term, typically 2 or 3 years. The number of consecutive terms a Board member may serve can be constrained by term limits or be open-ended. In either case, at the end of your first Board term, a decision to continue or exit must be made.

In Part 1 of this series, we explored tips for navigating the transition into your second year of Board service, and in Part 2 we examined the choice of whether to serve as an officer. The decision whether to serve an additional Board term is equally significant and must be made with care.

Framing your decision-making process with a thoughtful reflection on your first Board term as well as your expectations for the future will help you to make the right choice.

Looking Back – Reflections

Start the process by reflecting on how your first Board service term went. There most likely are a few high points and some low points. However, try to focus on your overall general impressions of your first term through consideration of the following four factors: enjoyment, empowerment, impact, and benefits.

Begin with enjoyment. Did you enjoy your time serving as a Board member and did you feel fortunate and honored to have served? If yes, a lot of positives must have occurred. Positive feelings do not come easy. If you do not have feelings of enjoyment, maybe the experience, timing, and enthusiasm are not aligning for you.

Feelings of enjoyment are usually a good indicator that you were empowered to share ideas, encouraged to participate, and your voice was heard. In addition, your efforts most likely also had impact, driving innovation and change, otherwise you would be feeling discouraged and maybe even disillusioned. In any case, take some time to reflect on your feelings related to empowerment and impact, both through your own personal efforts and resulting interactions with the organization as a whole.

Complete your reflections by considering the benefits you received, both tangible and intangible. Yes, there are and should be benefits from serving as a Board member. These benefits are not typically in the form of direct or indirect compensation. However, they can be just as compelling and appreciated. Tangible benefits can be in the form of resume building, learning new skills, traveling to meetings and special events, to name a few examples. Intangible benefits often include expanding your network, making new friends, meeting dignitaries, and seeing the lives changed by the organization’s work. These benefits should be highlighted to persuade yourself and future new Board members how fulfilling nonprofit Board service can be.

Looking Forward – Expectations

Next, turn your thoughts forward and think about your expectations for the next Board service term. Consider your capacity to be “all in” and committed to serve another term, your belief in, and alignment with, the organization’s goals and operational objectives, and your anticipation for success to achieve these goals and objectives, both for the organization and yourself as a volunteer leader.

Planning Tip – Start your process of deciding whether or not to serve another Board term at least six months prior to the end of you current Board term, if not earlier. The search for new Board members is time-consuming and intensive. The earlier the Board and the nominations committee know your intentions, the better positioned they will be to recruit future volunteer leadership and timely fill open Board positions.  

Committing to serve another Board term or deciding to exit is a serious matter with a lot of layers. You need to be in position to support your decision no matter what you choose. Explaining why you want to continue to serve, or why you feel it is the right time to exit, must be done with care, empathy, and diplomacy, taking into account the organization’s best interests as well as your own. Take the time to make an informed decision and take equal time to craft and deliver your message. Both you and the organization will benefit and feel good about this important choice.