Some interpreted my message about a plan for better governance precludes chairs of Avenues of Service, the Rotary Foundation or Public Relations from being a member of the board of directors. That was not the message I intended to send. In a large Rotary club it might be best to make that determination in an effort to get more people involved, but in a small or even medium sized, club necessity may make the idea of people having more than one job. The intent of what I said was to emphasize the different roles of a committee chair and a member of the board of directors. One person can certainly do both jobs as long as they understand that the two jobs are different.
The chairman for a committee has an administrative and leadership position in accomplishing specific task within a specified part of what makes a Rotary club successful. That chair may address the board of directors as a representative of that committee in reporting their progress and needs for resources.
As a member of the board of directors the same person represents all of the stakeholders in the Rotary club; all of the members of the club, all of the beneficiaries of the club service projects and the entire community (world) that looks to the Rotary club for all of the things they expect from a successful service oriented organization. The board of directors is the governing authority of the club while a committee chair is an administrative and leader of a specific part of the Rotary club.
The challenge is not in one person having two jobs; the challenge is in making sure that person understands that those two jobs are not one-in-the same jobs. Without that understanding the board of directors becomes a committee of committee chairs with each chair fighting for the resources and recognition for their committee. When the board of director’s acts as a committee of committee chairs there is a lack of governance resulting in a board bogged down with minutiae. That often turns into a situation where the board members feel overburdened and exhausted while the general membership feels disconnected.
The message is simple. A board of director’s must concentrate on doing their job and leave the job of chairing committees to committee chairs. Members of the board who are committee chairs must keep the roles separated to successful at either job.