In this episode of Your Business Greatness, host Simone Sloan and co-host Rich Bachelor welcome Christina Van Sickle, Director of Professional Practice at the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. The conversation explores the world of nonprofit board governance, discussing the motivations for joining boards, the crucial differences between operational and strategic roles, and the importance of trust and communication between boards and executive directors.

Christina shares her journey from joining her first nonprofit board to gain professional insight to now serving on boards aligned with her personal passions, while all three speakers emphasize the need for proper governance training, strategic focus, and realistic time commitments when serving on nonprofit boards. This is a real conversation for anyone thinking about joining a non-profit board.

Key Takeaways

• Board governance requires a fundamentally different mindset than operational work – it is about strategic oversight ("noses in, fingers out") rather than hands-on implementation 

• Trust between the board and executive director is built through transparency, clear communication, probing questions, and mutual understanding of respective roles and responsibilities

• New board members need proper orientation, mentoring, and governance training to understand the unique culture and processes of board work, which is not intuitive 

• Strategic plans are essential guardrails that prevent "shiny ball syndrome" and scope creep, helping organizations focus limited resources on agreed-upon priorities aligned with their mission

• Board service requires realistic time commitment including preparation before meetings, and board members should be personally passionate about the organization's mission to contribute meaningfully

• Prospective board members should spend time with the organization and its staff before joining to understand what drives their work and build authentic connection to the mission and community served

• Board members must remember to apply their professional skills (strategy, finance, entrepreneurship) to board work while maintaining the discipline to stay at the strategic level rather than getting into operational weeds