What Makes A Good Board Member?
BY LAURELLA DESBOROUGH
Copyright Laurella Desbrough (eclectusbreeder.com).
All rights reserved by the author.
In the last column I discussed
the need for a national
organization to act as a
spokesperson for aviculture. In
order for this national
organization to be effective,
the members of the board of
directors must provide guidance
for the organization or must
employ an executive director to
provide this guidance. What
qualifications are important for
members of such a board of
directors?
Background Needed
First, it is extremely
advantageous if all board
members have a background in
some profession or an equivalent
in experience. Why is this
important? Professionals have
been trained and educated in a
field of study. During this
process they have learned how to
think, do problem-solving,
participate in team work, and
control their emotions and
actions. They have learned
public-speaking, writing,
ethics, organizational
structure, and, hopefully, they
have gained a broader view of
life in general. All of these
characteristics are important in
defining an effective board
members. Professionals from many
fields are able to bring more
knowledge and interaction skills
to their work on the board of a
national organization. Some
individuals, however, have
acquired these skills without
benefit of formal professional
education.
Avicultural Background
An individual willing to act as
a volunteer on a board of
directors should have a serious
interest in birds and
aviculture. However, a serious
interest might be described as a
dedication to breeding one
species. If an individual is
only committed to one aspect of
bird keeping, this could prove
to be a problem when other
issues are brought before the
board. If, however, the
individual is highly committed
to one aspect of aviculture, but
is interested in the broader
aspects of aviculture that a
board must address, then he or
she will make an effective board
member. Therefore, an effective
board member will have had years
of experience in the care and
breeding of birds or in some
other hands-on aspect of
aviculture.
Board Member Resume
Members of this board of
directors bring more to their
work on the board if they have
served in other capacities
within the national
organization; held a variety of
positions within other
organizations with similar
memberships and goals; or held
the position of board member in
another organization. Serving at
various levels within the
organizational structure
provides experience that cannot
be learned otherwise. Each
organization has its own unique
culture that a board member
needs to understand. Working on
organizational tasks provides
valuable learning regarding the
membership and their needs. One
can observe the effectiveness of
the organization within the
larger community. One can
experience the problems existing
within the organization and try
to solve them. One can also
experience being a team player.
The bottom line is that
experiences in various positions
within an organization better
prepare one to participate as a
board member in directing that
organization.
Disqualifiers for Board
Members
No board member exhibits every
positive characteristic, but
hopefully each board member will
exhibit several of the positive
characteristics needed for
effective participation on the
board. There are some
characteristics that pose a
threat to teamwork. The
individual who has the kind of
ego that requires constant
stroking is generally unable to
put the needs of the
organization ahead of his or her
own personal agenda. Unless a
board member is able to control
his or her emotions and personal
desires, he or she will not only
be ineffective and create
distractions, but actually will
reduce the general effectiveness
of the board.
Therefore, in order to be
effective, a national
avicultural organization needs
board members with the right
stuff ... professionalism
achieved through their
education, training and work; a
sound avicultural background;
experience in positions at
various levels within the
organization; and the ability to
keep his or her ego and emotions
in check.
Are You Willing To Get
Involved?
A National Organization Is
Needed
I will continue addressing the
critical issues facing
aviculture today. First, I will
present an overview of what is
needed in a viable national
organization representing the
interests of aviculture. The
four cornerstones of this
organization, which provide a
solid foundation, are as
follows:
1) It should be well-known
within and outside the
avicultural community; i.e. it
has history;
2) It should be well-supported
by its constituents; i.e., it
has ample funds and active
volunteers;
3) It should be governed by
well-informed and proactive
directors; i.e., directors who
see the broad picture and are
willing to take action as
needed; and
4) It should be financially
stable, i.e., with sufficient
annual working funds for
budgeted expenses and with
reserve funds for the future.
An Industry Spokesman Is
Needed
When issues are raised that
affect aviculturists, it is
important that an organization
that is recognized as an
industry spokesman be known and
available to deal with the
issues. Such an organization
would have individuals prepared
to represent aviculture and act
as spokesmen for the interests
of bird owners. For instance,
when the airlines put forward
transportation regulations that
are problematic for bird
shippers, a recognized
avicultural industry spokesman
would be able to meet with the
airline representatives to
discuss the problem and seek a
positive resolution.
When state laws are being
proposed that will have a
negative effect on aviculture,
an industry spokesman would
communicate with appropriate
legislators to educate them
about aviculture and the
potential ramifications of the
proposed law. When national laws
affecting aviculture are being
proposed or amended, an industry
spokesman would be able to
attend the deliberations and
represent the interests of
aviculture. Without a recognized
organization that can act as an
industry spokesman, there is no
one well-prepared to respond to
problems, proposed legislation
or media inquiries regarding
anything from pet bird ownership
to smuggling.
A Spokesperson At CITES
The most important international
body that develops regulations
affecting aviculture is the
Conference on International
Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES). A spokesman for
aviculture is needed to attend
the annual meetings of the CITES
Animals Committee and the CITES
Transportation Committee and the
biannual CITES conferences. This
avicultural spokesman would be
able to present information that
could change the outcome of
resolutions from negative to
positive in regards to the
interests of aviculture.
A Spokesperson To Address
Recurring Issues
In addition to attending to
problems with laws and
regulations, an industry
spokesman would be able to seek
the establishment of positive
working relationships with the
zoo community, the avian
veterinary community, the
conservation community, the wild
bird community, the retail
industry organizations and state
regulatory bodies or federal
government agencies. Along this
line, the national organization
acting as spokesman for
aviculture would address the
need for development of
educational materials about
birds and their care for
schools; for extra-curricular
youth groups, such as the
Scouts; and for seniors.
Lacking an industry spokesman,
regulatory problems that arise
are generally addressed by local
aviculturists, if at all. These
individuals may be ill-prepared
to effectively meet these
challenges and may not have a
broad understanding of the
issues or of those who bring
them forward. Thus, piece-meal
attempts to resolve legislative
problems abound across the U.S.
When national legislation
arises, the national avicultural
organizations have in the past
taken different stances on the
issues. This creates
difficulties in obtaining
positive outcomes. For many
years, there were no avicultural
representatives at the CITES
Animals Committee meetings,
leaving the field open to those
who wanted to control or
eliminate bird keeping and who
sought to influence the CITES
officials in those directions.
In our grade schools we can find
study units being provided that
teach about birds from the
perspective of the animal rights
agenda. On television we find
shows that present bird
ownership in a very negative
light. Without a recognized and
effective industry spokesman,
these problems will continue to
exist and eventually will result
in the curtailment of our
avicultural activities.
