Five Things To Remember About Board Ambassadorship

In a board self-assessment survey I use, one question asks board members to rate themselves as to how effective they are as ambassadors for their organization – how much they “enhance its reputation in relevant communities.” Generally, board members give themselves rave reviews on this. We’re talking top five material.

And why shouldn’t they, after all? Would they have been invited on the board if their fellow board members thought they would be anything but a great ambassador?

And who would join a board while thinking they would be a lousy ambassador – actually diminishing the reputation in relevant communities – essentially an embarrassment to whomever they meet?

This all seems benign enough until I dig in and try to imagine what ambassadorship means to the board members who just took this survey.

What were they thinking and what should they be thinking? What do they do that actually leaves a positive regard for their organization in their wake? And, if we were clearer in how we asked the question, would they have given the same answer?

I know that I can be a bit of a stickler for operationalizing concepts, especially ones that put me on jargon red alert. But is it really useful for us to talk about ambassadorship, measure our success, and not be clear about what we are talking about?

And why does this bother me so much, you might ask (enough to dash off 1,500 words on the topic)?

Well, I wasn’t clear on this concept either. I had certainly used the term frequently, probably setting off ear-splitting buzzword sensors at conferences, donor meetings, and in the classroom (or more likely, pleasant nods from others who are so used to nonprofit pablum they no longer notice it).

After the last board survey, with another stunningly high response on the ambassadorship question, I finally decided to do more research.

Of course, I started with Merriam-Webster, according to which an ambassador is an “authorized representative or messenger.” OK. I can work with that, but I’m still not clear on what they do.

So I found my way to The National Museum of American Diplomacy (which I shamefacedly acknowledge I did not know existed until this blog post). I figured that if our use of the term “ambassador” was riffing off of the traditional usage, why not know exactly what an ambassador does?

They define the mission of any diplomat as “represent[ing] the interests and policies of the United States” and define an effective ambassador as a “… a resilient negotiator, and a respected representative.” I felt like I was getting warmer.

And what about brand ambassadors? What exactly do they do? According to Wikipedia (and a host of social media blogs), an organization hires a brand ambassador “to represent its brand in a positive light, helping to increase brand awareness and sales.”

So, what does this mean for the nonprofit ambassador? It seems we need to be specific about:

  • Where, how, and to whom we represent our nonprofit
  • How we formalize opportunities to be ambassadors
  • What preparation ambassadors need
  • What the result of being a respected and positive light will mean for the organization

One thing was clear to me – ambassadorship is proactive – a fine balance of expanding the network of the organization while representing its work compellingly, accurately, and with the organization’s best interests at heart.

And so, ambassadorship is invariably a learning experience – a critically important aspect of the ongoing development of the board. Board members need to understand the work and strategy of the organization, the many communities and supporters who make the work possible, and what successful ambassadorship will produce.

A lack of planning and attention to ambassadorship is what renders it the nonprofit buzzword it has become for many. Of course, you’re not going to let that happen! As you develop your plan, here are five things to keep top of mind.

Choosing a new board member is choosing a new ambassador.

Being an ambassador is a coveted role. It needs to be filled by someone who understands the role and takes it seriously.

Finding new board members is always a complex endeavor. You may need to replace the chair of your finance committee in a couple of years. You need someone from the school district you work with. You want to line up someone who could be honored at the gala. The list goes on.

Regardless of the specific skills or background someone brings, they must be a good representative of your organization – someone who puts a nice polish on your reputation.

The board president and executive director need to work together (and with the nominating and/or governance committees) to center the organization’s values in your recruitment process. During the interview process, you should be able to determine that a potential candidate:

  • Believes passionately in the mission of your organization and is aligned with it values
  • Has no conflict or issue with representing your organization in their own and other networks
  • Has a history of showing up at important organizational events (and board meetings and committee meetings) – from program visits to fundraisers to community celebrations.

Ambassadors Need to Learn About and Understand the communities they enter.

Wouldn’t you be surprised to find out an ambassador to another country had no familiarity with that country or interest in its culture? You should hold your board members to the same standard.

Board members need to be curious about the entire network that interacts with and benefits from your work. They need to bring a willingness to learn more and to listen – from fellow board members, staff, community members, and donors. The most basic part of this learning can take place right at the board table by ensuring that there is good representation from across your network of participants and supporters.

Of course, learning is about much more than representation, it is about making space for important conversations, ensuring board members are willing students, and that you are clear on what they need to understand on their way to becoming model ambassadors.

Ambassadors promote and protect the Organization.

In representing you to the various members of your network, board members are obligated to lead with the best interests of your organization – to fulfill their duty of loyalty.

Beyond avoiding egregious missteps (like telling potential donors about another organization whose board they sit on), board members need a high-level understanding of how the mission translates into the current strategy. Any board member should be able to communicate their personal experience of the organization, what they love about it, and why the work ahead excites them.

Ambassadorship is not about memorizing the five pillars of the new strategic plan or reciting the mission verbatim. Saying, “Let me introduce you to our wonderful executive director who can tell you so much more than I can” is a gift to the listener and the organization and an indicator of stellar ambassadorship.

Ambassadors have specific duties that require clarity training

We bring on board members for their skills and unique connection to our work. Almost no board member will come to your organization with experience being the unique ambassador your organization needs.

During your onboarding process, you can share what ambassadorship will look like for your organization – what specific opportunities there are and the expectations for board participation. You can also learn what specific barriers individual board members may be concerned about – from knowledge of the mission to familiarity with communities you work with to being … well … a little shy.

By gaining this individual awareness, you can ensure board membership is also a learning experience for members by helping them push through these concerns.

Successful Ambassadorship should be measurable – sort of

Many board members find this whole ambassadorship thing to be a bit squishy. They are uncomfortable on the way into the experience and then can’t tell if they’ve done a good job on the way out.

Knowing what is expected on the way in can lead to opportunities to celebrate success and partner to continue the learning experience on the way out. You can provide a simple checklist to help demystify the concept:

  • I shared my personal connection to the organization
  • I shared about my favorite program
  • If I met someone who is familiar with the organization, I asked questions about the other person’s experience and perspective
  • If I met someone who is not familiar with the organization, I offered to introduce a senior team member to them
  • I circled back with the executive director about who I met, what I learned, and what next steps might be in order

Defining what ambassadorship really means to your organization can set the stage for more honest discourse and stronger bonds between all the members of your network. It can also lead to fewer frustrations for executive directors and board members before, after and during the next opportunity appears to “enhance the organization’s reputation in relevant communities.”

I think I’m going to edit that question before I survey another board.