Report: Association Boards Need to Be Crisis-Ready

A new report on association board practices asks association leaders to pursue board structures that are more responsive and alert to changing social, economic, and political trends.

The Future of Association Boards Community Dialogue Report  (opens in a new tab), released last month, is based on input from more than 350 people in the association community, which has been convening on a dedicated LinkedIn group  (opens in a new tab) since last year. The final report, says lead author Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FRSA, FASAE, executive advisor of Foresight First LLC, is designed to help associations adapt board nomination processes to meet the current moment and optimize relationships between volunteer leaders and staff.

In the face of multiple crises, De Cagna said, “board performance has not really kept pace, and we need to address that right away. Not just for where we are now, but as we look toward the next decade. Things continue to get more intense, and that’s not going to change.”

The report makes nine prescriptions for associations around general leadership strategy, as well as board and staff roles. 

Among its recommendations is that associations abandon board elections, which lock aspiring board members into horse-race behaviors and don’t necessarily elevate the talent the association needs. 

“[Board] composition conversations are more about, ‘We have a certain number of vacancies. How do we get them filled through our traditional processes?’” De Cagna said. “Rather than, ‘How can we really be intentional about composing our boards with people who are prepared to accept the responsibilities of stewardship and act accordingly?’” The current system, he said, operates “much more like student council elections than it is about trying to find the best people. It’s about who’s the most popular, who’s the funniest, who’s been around the longest.”

The report advocates for a close relationship between board and staff, which some association cultures strive to keep separate. “Going it alone is not an option for boards focused on stewarding their organizations in a world of systemic upheaval, risks, and problems,” the report says. “Association boards must reject orthodox beliefs about the involvement of staff partners in their work and embrace the unique expertise and support they provide. Achieving this solidarity of purpose is essential to advancing the board’s stewardship role.”

Similarly, De Cagna notes that CEOs can play a meaningful role in establishing the culture and makeup of the board, so long as they’re doing so in the name of creating a foresight-driven association. 

“My personal view is that CEOs, or chief staff executives, really should have a major voice in board composition…. What they can really do to help the board is to help the selection group, or board development committee, or whatever it’s called, help them understand the board capabilities and the board’s focus on stewardship. They can help the board focus on its purpose and its work.” 

The Future of Association Boards group will continue its activities through the end of 2025, De Cagna said, including monthly webinars and a dedicated newsletter.