Question Results: Board of Directors

Question of the Week for January 16: What would motivate you to run for the Co-op Board of Directors?

A Sampling of Member Answers

  • an email asking for board members, and an explanation of what is required (time commitment, etc.)
  • If I were 20 years younger!!!
  • I would run if I felt I had some skills or connections that could benefit everyone (business management skills, connections to local food producers, etc). Also, if asked to run by others in the community, I would consider it. Otherwise, the local folks are doing an excellent job as they stand.
  • To know that I may be able to effect change and keep the coop running up to the expectations of its membership and customers at large. Also to know that the board is a very functional and not steeped in ego and pretension.
  • I was on the board years ago, and may want to serve again. The main thing that would motivate me is: More free time in my own life. I suspect this is the main problem for many potential board candidates.
  • My largest problem is time. I work full time and consciously avoid getting involved in more than I can do. As I think about it,though, one reason I never give running for the board a second thought is lack of understanding of what the board really does. How often does it meet? What roles do different members play? How large a time commitment is it, really? I think, like me, people make assumptions about the time actually taken and don’t really know what that means. I think the passion for the co-op is real but maybe members need more information. And to give them more information by coming to a meeting won’t work for a lot of people. They’re so busy, not knowing a meeting will be of use to them doesn’t float (this is from my perspective). Something you might try is creating a readable and inviting poster project to locate near the check out stations describing what a member does, how often the board meets, some of the different roles of board members, the importance to the co -op of these roles of the board, etc. Then folks can get an idea of what they might do while standing in line. I would think that might peak their interest. I know it would mine as the “board” would take on a much more realistic meaning.

Members, answer our question of the week!