Does the Executive Director Belong in Board Executive Committee Meetings? | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.

"This question manages to convey a lot of frustration in just a few words. I'm guessing you are either an executive director or a board member who is not satisfied with how your organization currently answers this question. The good news is that this tension underlies an unglamorous but important truth: It depends on the situation. Let's take a step back for a moment. First, it will be helpful to split your question into two."

"Unless you want a docile board, it is important for board members to have a sense of the board and its committees as separate from the staff. Doing so affirms the checks and balances between board and staff and strengthens the board's sense of ownership beyond simply supporting the staff. Also, the board's leadership needs space to discuss concerns that they are not yet ready to bring to the executive director."

The executive director should not be a member of the board's executive committee. Attendance at executive committee meetings is usually appropriate but may be excluded in certain circumstances. Keeping the executive director off the committee preserves a clear separation between board and staff and maintains checks and balances. Board members need space to form independent judgment and ownership beyond supporting staff. Executive committee leaders require confidential time to raise concerns they are not ready to bring to the executive director. Organizational context and specific situations determine when the executive director should be included or excluded from particular executive committee meetings.

Read at Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.