So, it's that time of year for filling the seats of board members whose terms have ended. How's this going for your board? Nominations and elections are next month. Have prospective members in the que? Have these folks been interviewed and given a brief orientation to what it means to serve as a board member?
For many boards I encounter the answer to these and the many related questions is "nope but we always manage to take care fo this at the last moment".
Governance Committees this is where you come in. Board recruitment must be a year-round activity. First, it is helpful to have a strategic plan that cites a Governance goal of having a board with particular qualifications. This goal can at least provide some guidance for recruitment over a 3-5 year period. Even without a strategic planning goal, the Committee, with cues from the Board (following at least one discussion on the topic) should set its own objectives to identify and seat members satisfying specific qualifications that in turn will meet the needs of the board.
Next, the Committee should develop its plan for outreach and ensure that a role for the rest of the Board members is clearly understood and accepted to help implement the plan. For instance, one approach can involve recruiting and seating prospects by seating them on committees or task forces (as trial runs but also opportunities to gain expertise). Again, a longer range goal can help determine what type of persons and skills are needed.
Committee and board members must also conduct their search throughout the year -- searches take time and generally are not successful through "overnight" campaigns. A check-in by the Committee with the board will help ensure that this task is regularly in front of the board and not forgotten among the many competing demands.