You’ve started a community kollel or a local day school. Much of your success has been due to the hard work and long hours that you and your founding board members have put in to make sure that everything runs smoothly. After seventeen years, you get a phone call from one of your founding board members that he’d like to meet with you in your office. You have no idea what he wants to discuss but arrange a time that works for both of your schedules. In the privacy of your office, he confides with you that he’s going to be taking an early retirement.
Before you can pitch him on considering learning more at your kollel or taking on an even larger role, he informs you that he is also resigning from being a board member. What can you do to still keep this person and his talents in the fold? He is a born leader and you wouldn’t want to just see him “drive off into the sunset”.
Below are four ways Dr. Debra Beck of BoardLearning.org says that you can utilize to continue to keep such a person involved with you and your team.
- Ask him or her to share his expertise in new ways.
- Invite him or her to lead or participate in a special project.
- Ask him or her to help you make new connections.
- Consider asking him or her to sit in an unofficial capacity on an advisory board.
For a more comprehensive overview and additional ideas click here.
