From Passive to Passionate: Revitalizing a Disengaged Board

We’ve all been there: board meetings where half the members are mentally elsewhere. The same three people volunteer for everything. Getting a quorum feels like herding cats. And “I’ll get back to you” becomes the unofficial board motto.

This can be one of the most frustrating issues in board relations at any organization stage, especially if you are a new ED or founder. The good news is that this kind of board can be turned around with some time and effort.

As an ED who inherited a sleepwalking board (and transformed it into a powerhouse within 18 months), I can tell you this: board disengagement isn’t a permanent condition—it’s a solvable problem.

The real reasons boards disengage (hint: it’s not laziness)

Before jumping to solutions, let’s diagnose the actual causes:

Meaningless meetings

Boards spend precious time on operational updates and staff presentations rather than governance decisions that matter.

• Use consent agendas for routine approvals to focus time on strategic discussion

Mismatched expectations

Members thought they were joining for their expertise in marketing, but you only ask them for donations.

• A board audit of skills, abilities, and interests can help to learn where everyone’s strengths are

Unclear impact

They can’t connect their board service to actual mission outcomes.

• Keep the mission top of mind. For example, have your mission at the top of all agendas or other board documents

Talent waste

You recruited a finance wizard but haven’t involved them in budget planning.

• Everyone wants to feel valuable when they volunteer. They don’t have to take over a task, but should be a partner

One-size-fits-all engagement

Every board member is expected to contribute in identical ways despite different skills, networks, and availability.

The engagement assessment every ED needs to conduct

Before trying to overhaul your approach or implement immediate changes it is best to gather data, such as:

1. Anonymous board survey: Ask about meeting effectiveness, understanding of roles, and sense of contribution.  Ask what they feel their greatest strengths or skills they can contribute.
2. Individual coffee chats: Coffee can be magic!  Have the board chair meet with each member to discuss their experience and what they hope to get out of their time on the board
3. Skills and interests inventory: Create a matrix of what people can and want to contribute. This is called a boar audit and can help not only your current board but show you what you may need in your next board recruitment.
4. Engagement patterns: Map who speaks in meetings, who volunteers, who attends events. Giving everyone a chance throughout the year to represent the organization.

Creating individualized contribution plans

Ditch the idea that all board members must contribute identically. This is the start of your board audit and should be updated annually. Consider:

1. Meet individually with each member to develop a personalized engagement plan
2. Focus on their specific skills, interests, networks, and availability
3. Create 3-5 concrete deliverables that play to their strengths
4. Set realistic timelines that respect their other commitments
5. Connect these deliverables directly to mission impact

Example: Instead of asking your marketing executive to join the finance committee, have them lead a marketing workshop for staff, review your communications strategy, and connect you with three potential corporate partners.

Restructuring board responsibilities for maximum engagement

Meeting overhaul:

You know this meme

No one likes unnecessary meetings or overly long ones.  The rise of video meetings have helped these last years, but even those can be difficult for some. 

• Ask yourself “could this be an email or phone call instead?”

• Move from monthly to bimonthly meetings with focused committees in between
• Use consent agendas for routine approvals to focus time on strategic discussion
• Begin each meeting with a 10-minute mission moment (client story, program visit)
• End each meeting with explicit action commitments and deadlines

Committee revolution:

• Replace standing committees with time-limited task forces
• Create clear charters with start/end dates and deliverables (a great tool in board turnover)
• Allow non-board members to serve alongside board members (student member, junior member)
• Ensure each group has adequate staff support

Remember, board disengagement didn’t happen overnight, and revitalization won’t either. But with intentional leadership, clear expectations, and personalized engagement strategies, even the most passive board can become a passionate force for your mission.

What’s the most effective strategy you’ve used to increase board engagement? Share your experience below!

A recap of action steps for board revitalization:

1. Conduct an honest assessment of your current engagement levels and root causes.
2. Schedule individual conversations with every board member about their experience.
3. Create a board engagement dashboard tracking attendance, participation, and fulfillment of commitments.
4. Revamp your meeting structure to focus on governance decisions, not operational updates.
5. Develop personalized engagement plans for each board member based on their unique value.