Many owners of condos or co-ops who sign up for board service quickly discover that it’s no picnic. There are disputes to resolve and decisions to take that affect everyone and balance books to be made. There’s little room for error. Many people choose to serve on boards despite the stress and pressure even though they have been volunteers for a long time.
As an individual volunteer, a board member is bound by three legal fiduciary obligations: obedience care and loyalty. This means that the interests of the organization are more important than their personal or professional interests. This means that they must be proactive to ensure that the organization’s compliance with the law and its objectives.
Among the most important of the duties a board has is to oversee the organization’s activities to make sure they stay true to their mission. This requires detailed knowledge of the company’s programs and services and who is involved in them, and the results and impact. Monitoring is vital to the board’s other duties, including strategic planning and financial oversight.
It can be difficult to discern and reverse the decisions which have been established over time. Once these patterns are so well-established that they’re part of a board’s informal culture and are difficult to alter, and they can have a devastating impact on an organisation. It is crucial that board members Board Members are aware of these pitfalls and are regularly reviewing the manual for board members or other documents to ensure they are following a good governance practices.