Oh Captain, My Captain
…No, not quite 😉
And so to the final article in the series.
Having considered what it is we’re ultimately trying to achieve, and how we can get there, the question now turns to what Volt needs from its Board at this crucial time for our political movement.
I’m going to focus on the role of the Non-Executive Board members, because that is the position I’m running for.
This role is a lot less glamorous than, and very different to, the Executive Board roles of Co-President, but absolutely essential.
Volt Europa’s Articles of Association state:
The Non-Executive Directors exercise supervisory and oversight responsibilities over the activities of the Association. They may also provide advice and guidance on matters they consider relevant.
This is analogous to the role of Trustee of any non-profit organisation. Trustees are ultimately responsible for making sure that the organisation is efficiently run, complying with its statutory responsibilities, financially sustainable and delivering against agreed strategic priorities, and always in line with the organisation’s core values.
I like to use the analogy of a ship. Before we set sail, we need to know where we’re going, and plot a course to get there. But we also need to understand the tides, the weather patterns and the lay of the land. We need to make sure that our ship is seaworthy, and capable of getting us there. And we need a crew that is able to work as one well-oiled machine, alert to danger and fixing leaks as well as manning the deck. There is a lot that needs to happen above and below deck, all the time, to keep the ship not just on course, but afloat.
Without sensible, responsible, thoughtful people providing a firm hand on the tiller and a watchful eye on what’s happening on deck, the ship will find itself blown off course, or hitting the rocks, or taking on water and sinking.
Not captains but stewards
But the Directors are not the captains of the ship. Yes, they have formal responsibilities and decision-making power. Unlike the captain of a ship, however, the Directors do not have absolute authority over their organisation.
In a membership organisation, the Board is elected by, and ultimately accountable to, the members. So while the Board is elected to lead the organisation, it is an essential part of the Board’s role to communicate effectively with the membership; engage them in regular, meaningful dialogue; and act in line with the overall direction that is set by the organisation as a whole.
What this is, above all, is stewardship – the “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”*
Look up “stewardship” online and the AI summary describes it as “the responsible, ethical, and accountable management of resources, assets, or responsibilities entrusted to an individual or organization. It emphasizes acting as a caretaker or guardian rather than an owner, ensuring things are preserved and improved for the future.”
While I have a very healthy scepticism of AI, I think this definition is pretty good.
Qualities for success
It follows that the best candidates for this role must be people who are capable of being excellent stewards for Volt Europa.
That means that they require three key things:
A clear understanding of the nature of the role,
Impeccable integrity, and
The personal skills and experience to deliver the role to the highest standards
The first point might feel unnecessary but is actually fundamental, because those who are responsible for the overall governance of the organisation are not there to run the day-to-day operations, and they are definitely not there to impose their own personal views on the rest of the Board, much less the entire Volt membership.
The last thing any organisation needs is too many cooks, or Board members who crave attention or power. It is the role of the Executive to lead on delivering the organisational priorities in the best and most effective way, and the role of the Non-Executives to provide guidance, support and oversight. While there is no single way to exercise this role, and there may be occasions where it is right and proper for individual Board members to have more leadership or visibility on certain areas of work, this is a largely behind-the-scenes role that is concerned with making sure that everything is as it should be, and going in the right direction.
Integrity is also worth highlighting, because it’s not enough for a Board member to be a good manager or even a good leader. They really need to understand the organisation they’re stewarding and its members, and exercise their role with an unequivocal sense of duty and service, as well as moral clarity and courage.
With regards to the third point, I wish to emphasise experience, because in such roles there really is no substitute for experience. And not just any experience, but experience of working in similar situations, for similar organisations, and of having both weathered many storms and achieved many successes. Ideally, they will have gained “real-world” experience in places other than just the organisation they wish to help lead.
Needless to say, they also have to be very good team workers, with good emotional as well as cognitive intelligence.
That’s why I’m running as a Non-Executive Director. I talk a bit about my experience and track record in my Electoral Programme, so I’m not going to repeat that here. You can also read more about my experience here.
People, not issues
Precisely because I’m running for “steward” of Volt Europa, my personal view on specific policy or indeed “structural” issues is not really the point, and it shouldn’t be. You are not electing Non-Executive Directors so they can push a particular angle on issues which by their nature require a lot of careful thought and discussion. A Non-Executive Director who thinks they have all the answers already, or is prepared to approach complex issues in the manner of Alexander the Great and the Gordian Knot, is probably not the best person for this role.
I do have views, of course, as does everyone, but I like to feel adequately informed about an issue, and its context, before I take a position on it.
Lots of issues require reflection, analysis and consensus-building. Often there will need to be a careful balancing of different aspects of a particular issue before arriving at the right, or best, position. Rushing to conclusions is never wise, and helps no-one.
This does not imply that the correct position is always somewhere near the middle of the spectrum. It also does not mean that nothing can be progressed until a clear consensus is eventually reached. It does, however, require us to understand that the world is full of nuance, gradations and, in some cases, trade-offs.
They say that perfection is the enemy of the good. That’s where pragmatism comes in.
In particular, being able to discern both opportunities and risk, weigh them up and manage them effectively, is a huge part of any Board’s work, at any time.
That’s why this is not really about issues, but people.
What kind of person do you want to have their hand on the tiller? What kind of skills, experience and personal temperament is best suited for dealing with the complexities and difficult decisions that we’re going to face over the coming years?
These are the key questions we need to ask ourselves.
Partners, not rivals
There is also one particular pitfall that I think we must all be very mindful of.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen organisations, and indeed movements, fall into bitter divisiveness, often along the fault line of Board vs members. It certainly is a very common pitfall for any membership organisation, particularly one where people tend to have very strong feelings and views about lots of things.
We must absolutely avoid falling into this dynamic, and if we do, we must work hard to get things back onto a better plane.
The key word is trust.
The membership elects the Board from its own numbers. The members must therefore trust their Directors to do a good job to the best of their abilities, in good faith and working in the best possible interests of Volt – not just Volt members, but Volt in the broadest sense. They must give the Directors the space to do their job.
The Board must likewise trust the members to be able to discuss issues sensibly and help inform the work of Volt, without feeling the need to micromanage. At the end of the day, a course of action which is deeply unpopular is unlikely to succeed. Sometimes all that’s missing is better communication.
The reality is that both “sides” have power, and both must resist the temptation to want to control the other.
What’s just as important as the final destination, if not more, is the process for getting there. Partly because it helps ensure that you actually get to the right place. But partly because it determines how everyone experiences the process of decision-making, which is essential in any movement or membership organisation.
As I said before, we will not always agree on everything. Things which feel essential to some members might seem incidental to others, and there will often be different and equally valid views about how to achieve something at any given time, and in a specific context.
What we must ensure is that we have both the processes and, collectively, the temperament for dealing with complexity, and indeed living with complexity, without letting this blow the ship off course, or force it into the doldrums.
Hallmarks of effective governance
Whatever the organisation, or indeed the movement, the hallmarks of good governance are always really the same.
Organisationally, there is a lot that needs to be working effectively for Volt to be effective, regardless of the specific strategic priorities. This includes:
A clear, transparent and resilient structure including governance, operational team and membership / chapter support, with the right people in the right roles.
Clear and strong communications channels, both internally and externally. We must be at the top of our game in the digital systems we use and how we use them, cascading messaging effectively and enabling effective engagement.
A clear (political) impact framework
A strong membership growth strategy
A strong risk management framework
A strong income generation strategy
Watertight financial oversight and control, and statutory compliance.
Strong strategic partnerships at national and international level
A culture of being evidence-based and data-driven
Well-run, outcomes-focused meetings
A strong “people policy,” covering everything from EDI to organisational culture
This list is not exhaustive, but it provides a broad framework of “must-haves” for well-run, impactful organisations with an inclusive culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. Understanding where the “strategic tensions” exist, or may emerge, is essential in both avoiding internal conflict, and keeping our overall course firmly focused on our broad strategic goals.
Having worked closely with the Boards of many different non-profit membership organisations, both in the UK and internationally, advising and supporting them in everything from strategy development to organisational restructures to improving member engagement to managing difficult issues, I feel that I have what it takes to be a very effective, very energetic and highly committed Non-Executive Board member - and it would really be my huge privilege to be elected to the Volt Europa Board.
Thanks for taking the time to read to the end.
….See you in Bratislava!
*Merriam-Webster dictionary definition