Essential skills for charity boards

When it comes to digital transformation, a charity’s leadership has a big role to play in driving it. If the boardroom isn’t all in on the change, how can they expect anyone else to be? 

 

Find out how to assess your board’s skills

 

But we also know that embarking on a digital transformation project can be complex. Whether it’s adopting a new fundraising platform or changing the way you deliver services, the chief executive might make the final decision, but if they lack the time to actively lead on it, the chain between them and the rest of the organisation is broken. Digital transformation comes to a halt. 

 

This is where the board steps in. Charity boards are there to guide the organisation down the correct path and drive changes where they need to be made. They ask strategic questions and make informed decisions that determine the direction of the charity. 

 

However, to be able to do so, they need to be literate in the issues they are trying to address. And while boards tend to have plenty of experts in finance and law, digital trustees are few and farther between.  

 

Digital expertise should be a priority for charity boards in 2024. Digital trustees bring with them knowledge and experience on matters of digital and can ultimately help charities better plan for their digital journey. Not including them on the Board as we move towards an increasingly digital future is, at best, ill-advised.  

 

There are lots of considerations to take into account when bringing a digital trustee on board. What skills do they bring? Do they have experience in the area you’re trying to transform? And how can we recruit them? 

 

In this article, we look at what charity boards need to consider when looking for a digital trustee and how they can better prepare themselves for the future, with insight from board management experts OnBoard.

 

You can also watch OnBoard’s recent webinar with Charity Digital on how trustees can drive digital from the boardroom below.

 

Watch the webinar

 

Reassess your skills and add more 

 

Diversity on the board has been top of the charity sector’s agenda for a while. For good reason - studies have shown that organisations with greater diversity in leadership are more innovative, more agile, and more likely to make money. 

 

But there is work to be done on every aspect of diversity within charity boards, from racial and gender diversity to diversity of thought and expertise. Nearly seven in ten charities say their board’s digital skills are low or have room for improvement. 

 

But having someone on the board who has gone through a similar journey can make the transition or digital implementation much more effective. The addition of a digital trustee will ensure that boards are able to ask the right questions about tools they adopt and consider whether there are better ways to deliver services, fundraise, and govern their organisation.  

 

While digital remains within the remit of the entire board, a digital trustee can provide valuable insight they otherwise might not have. If they come from the world of digital, they likely have good contacts in that space too, so double the expertise. 

 

Charity boards should be aware of the skills and expertise they lack and use tools to proactively plan future board composition to address these gaps. Likewise, keeping abreast of the term limits of current board members notifies when there will be an opportunity to reskill the team and which skills need to be represented.  

 

Due to the ever-changing nature of digital, charities can also consider offering shorter terms for digital trustees, which may be a more attractive proposition for those who want to be involved with a digital project but don’t feel able to commit long-term.  

 

Boards must think clearly about their recruitment process. Nearly four in five trustees said they were recruited informally, such as an approach by a current chair or member of the board.  

 

But if boards continue to look for trustees within their own networks, how can they expect to build a diverse team to tackle different challenges?

 

 

Shape culture and manage expectations 

 

One of the biggest barriers to digital transformation is organisational culture. Boards have a vital role in shaping this culture and must adopt a digital mindset themselves if they are to embed it throughout the rest of the charity. 

 

Transparent communication is crucial for this. The biggest obstacle in digital transformation projects is a fear of change – this exists both within boards themselves and without.  

 

But digital trustees will know firsthand how digital can change the way people and organisations operate and can share that experience with everyone to encourage buy-in and demonstrate results.  

 

In short, when others may be hesitant to change, they can make the case for doing so. And in championing digital, trustees ensure that it is never left out of the conversation.  

 

They can also help by managing expectations. If organisations move too fast, it can be easy to become disheartened and abandon the project altogether. But digital trustees can tell organisations what is possible and help them set realistic timelines.  

 

By setting out achievable goals, digital trustees can track progress and keep the rest of the charity motivated. And they can prepare them for any stumbling blocks accordingly. 

 

There are different levels of digital trustee, each with different skills and experiences. But what they have in common is the ability to provide support and share vital expertise that puts digital truly at the heart of their charity. 

 

In 2022, it is impossible to leave digital out. Boards should make sure they are doing everything to invite digital trustees in.