Interview Questions on Board Governance

Working with a board of directors or governors can require specialized knowledge.

Interview questions about board governance might be asked of prospective board members for a not-for-profit or charitable organization or for a for-profit or government entity. Candidates for paid, full-time jobs might also be asked questions on board governance if they will be engaging in work with a board of directors, whether it is voluntary or on a paid basis.

Ethics

It's a good idea to ask questions about ethics and decision making are typical when interviewing a candidate for a board. Questions such as, "How do you teach ethics to staff, volunteers and other board members?" as well as, "What do you define as ethics?" and, "Give us an example of a time when having a commitment to ethics benefited your organization" will help you assess the candidate's knowledge of ethical decision making. In the wake of the financial scandal that hit Wall Street in 2008, ethics should be an important consideration..

Policy and Process

Asking questions about policy is also important. Members of a board and staff members work to produce effective policies and associated processes that govern the organization, its staff and stakeholders in day-to-day decision making. Questions such as, "Have you revised a set of organizational policies?" will help determine the level of familiarity the candidate has with policy making.

Election's and Voting

Another aspect of board governance is managing elections and voting. Candidates should be expected to have a strong working knowledge of these processes as they relate to your particular industry. Public companies and government bodies may have to adhere to particular pieces of legislation when conducting board votes, elections and other matters that go on the organizational record. Ask questions like, "What knowledge do you have of the board election and voting policies of our organization?" to ensure candidates have the required knowledge.

Conflict Resolution

Ask your prospective board members or future staffers how they manage conflict with an open-ended question such as, "How do you approach challenging situations and diffuse conflict?" Conflict occurs in all industries, in all organizations, and board members should know how to use conflict resolution skills in an effort to ensure effective board governance.

References

• "Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards"; Richard Chait, William P. Ryan, Barbara E. Taylor, BoardSource (Organization); 2005