Not understanding the distinction between the full board and individual board members is not only a BoardSource pet peeve, but that of many in (or at the service of) the nonprofit world. This Nonprofit Quarterly article by Simone Joyaux does a great job of explaining why.
One example used, that of fundraising, was of particular interest given a recent experience with a client whose board member felt this was optional, or at least dependent upon how well they understood the entity (and could thus advocate) on its behalf. The kicker is they made themselves frequently unavailable towards that goal, resulting in a circular argument and justification for not fundraising.
There is nothing wrong with joining a board to shore up one's resume or 'give back', but true cred as a community stakeholder comes from a commitment to leadership and planting those seeds.
One example used, that of fundraising, was of particular interest given a recent experience with a client whose board member felt this was optional, or at least dependent upon how well they understood the entity (and could thus advocate) on its behalf. The kicker is they made themselves frequently unavailable towards that goal, resulting in a circular argument and justification for not fundraising.
There is nothing wrong with joining a board to shore up one's resume or 'give back', but true cred as a community stakeholder comes from a commitment to leadership and planting those seeds.
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