Important questions to ask before you take your seat on the board.
I have had the privilege to sit on a board for several not-for-profit trade associations. The time can be productive and rewarding or a waste of time. More often than not, it ends up being on a sliding scale between both extremes, and you can have a major impact on what direction it takes. If you find yourself being asked to serve on a trade association board, you should first ask yourself: “Why me?”
There are several reasons an organization may want you to be on the board of directors. You may have some expertise the board is lacking in; you may be able to reach out to others to help accomplish goals with greater outreach to other groups, or; you may even be needed to help with fund-raising.